“…delightful, hopeful and very funny…” Brief Case of Crazy by Rowan Armitt-Brewster, Theatre by the Lake, Keswick By Ken Powell I am old enough to remember the reruns of classic black and white comedies like Laurel & Hardy, Charlie Chaplin, […]
“Absolutely spiffing fun…” A Simply Beastly Murder by Rachel E. Thorn, Montgomery Theatre, Sheffield By Phil Scown The set is sparse, the backdrop black. There are a few boxes, a stool and a hatstand. Music plays that you can recognise […]
“…You really believe you are watching exactly how a man falls apart…” Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, Liverpool Everyman Theatre By Melissa Molloy Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is one of those plays that theatre companies return […]
“…confronting, uncomfortable and deeply compelling…” Bull by Mike Bartlett, Home Manchester By Hannah Molyneux The theatre is packed: the Thursday night audience is out in full force for Deafinitely Theatre’s adaptation of Mike Bartlett’s Bull. It’s testament to the following […]
“…a beautiful, heart-rending tribute to all the unsung heroes who keep life alive…” The Farmer’s Wife by Hannah Khalil, Theatre by the Lake By Ken Powell Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake (TBTL) continues with another production of an increasingly lengthy […]
“…big, campy, raunchy nostalgia-fest… absolutely a must-see for fans…” Dirty Dancing by Eleanor Bergstein, Sunderland Empire By Lauren Powell Would you believe it, but I have never actually seen the film Dirty Dancing? I was a bit of a tomboy […]
“…one of the most exhilarating pieces I’ve seen this year…” London City Ballet: Firebird – a Mixed Bill at York Theatre Royal By Sean Sable Double bills live or die in their curation. If you put two beautiful pieces side-by-side, […]
“…an outstanding production…” Othello by William Shakespeare, Northern Stage Newcastle By Melina Turner-Deeks It is remarkable that, even after 400 years, the themes of Othello are still startlingly relevant; jealousy, love, class, race, power. Acclaimed and award-winning director, Anthony Almeida’s […]
“…a bruising, beautifully acted production about the stories we inherit…” Fences by August Wilson, Leeds Playhouse By Sean Sable As a young child, I had a very sloppy grip on the truth. I often think this is true for a […]
“…a riveting production…” Iron by Rona Munro, Home Manchester By Hannah Molyneux Over twenty years after its first performance, Rona Munro’s Iron continues to ask questions about punishment, suffering, and justice – as well as to probe the depths of […]
“…an intense roller-coaster that left me wanting more…” The Departure by Tom A. Wells, Alphabetti Theatre By Melina Turner-Deeks Alphabetti is my absolute favourite theatre in the North-East. This award-winning, independent venue is not-for-profit and aims to make theatre accessible […]
“…brilliantly funny…” East is East by Ayub Khan-Din, Octagon Theatre, Bolton By Ken Powell This thirtieth-anniversary revival of Ayub Khan-Din’s modern classic is, in many ways, well timed for the Britain we currently live in, with questions about immigration, integration […]
“…Warm, funny, romantic and just the right amount of naughty…” Waitress by Jessie Nelson, Liverpool Empire Theatre By Abi Kelly If there’s one thing you can rely on when seeing a musical in Liverpool, it’s that the audience will make […]
“…Baker brought the crowd to its feet for long-sustained applause…” Jersey Boys by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, Palace Theatre, Manchester By Nicholas Graham In Awopbopaloobopalopbamboom, his 1970 provisional-but-definitive history of pop music, Nik Cohn (who went on to create […]
“…a deliciously old-school thriller…” Dial M for Murder by Frederick Knott, Harrogate Theatre By Sean Sable A love for murder mysteries is in my blood. My grandmother, a stately woman who did not own a sofa to sit upon, but […]
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