Although patchy in parts, this production of Alterations is as good a chance as any to introduce yourself to Abbensetts’s lightning-paced prose. This play has the power to give you stitches, but it will be the tears that get you in the end.
Summer in the City – The best outdoor arts events to book for this summer
f you find yourself spending summer in the city, there’s no reason to despair, you’ll find a plethora of fabulous events on hand to keep you amused. And, what could be better than watching your favourite opera, play or musical against a backdrop of the setting sun?
Boys from the Blackstuff, Tour
Boys from the Blackstuff cannot be described as a fresh take on a familiar story, but paradoxically, it also relies on its audience having seen the original series to fully appreciate it. This production felt too caught up in the past to illuminate the present, though hard-hitting in parts, it doesn’t do enough to distinguish itself from history.
Phaedra + Minotaur at the Linbury
The flurry of four- and five-star reviews that poured from previous productions have resulted in Phaedra + Minotaur’s short stint at the Linbury being already sold out. Never fear, however, this feels like a production that will be revived once again.
The Conversation: A novel way of shaking up London’s talk scene
Following a successful launch last summer, The Conversation, a programme of talks scheduled at St Martin in The Fields, returned to London last week. The Conversation starts like any other talk, but the second half of the event provides a twist on the regular format, encouraging audience members to converse face-to-face with speakers.
Le Majestic Barrière Cannes: A hotel amongst the stars
Doing very little, or even nothing at all, is best done by the sea, and within arm’s reach of an ice-cold glass of champagne. I can’t think of a better place for this than Le Majestic Barrière Cannes
The Other Place, after Antigone, at The National Theatre
With a brand-new name and a star-studded cast, The Other Place certainly has makings of success, but this new production strays too far from the original. Unable to be one thing or the other, the play relies on its cast to pull it out of total absurdity.
Player Kings at The Noël Coward Theatre
Ian McKellen shines as the boisterous Falstaff in Player Kings: Who is the central character in Shakespeare’s historical play Henry IV? Though it may seem as if this question has a simple answer, the reality is far more complex. In this modern adaptation of Henry IV parts one and two, Director Robert Icke has gutted […]
Underdog: The Other Other Brontë at The National Theatre
Brontë comedy, ‘Underdog’, provides a new take on the literary sisters: The Brontë sisters are shrouded in more mystery than most literary geniuses. Having all published under pseudonyms, they were kept at a distance from the publishing powerhouse of London by their gender, and their reclusive lives in Yorkshire. While Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and […]
Metamorphosis – The Lyric Hammersmith
Frantic Assembly’s Metamorphosis is a masterclass in physical theatre: Frantic Assembly are known in the business as physical theatre royalty. Renowned for their electric understanding of movement, Frantic has tackled everything from popular novels to John Osborne and Shakespeare. Now, with a new adaptation by Lemn Sissay and directed by Scott Graham, they’ve opted to […]