William Shakespeare A Transport Production Directed by Douglas Rintoul ★★ Pros: This is a different take on a classic Shakespeare comedy. Certainly good for those who know the story well and like to see a new perspective on the play and the world we live in Cons: Sometimes difficult to follow, this is not recommended for your first venture into the land of the Forest of Arden. Our Verdict: This production is not going to be for everyone but is ...

The devised nature means it’s a totally different performance each night – but as a result it manifested itself merely as an interesting acting exercise rather than anything particularly entertaining.

Andrew Curtis, Will Howells, Mike Carter, Joseph Lidster, Guleraana Mir, Jo Pockett, Polly Churchill and Kate Webster Directed by Neil Sheppeck, Chris Lawson, Gavin Dent, Richard Jacques, Saraha Ford, Madelaine Moore, Bryony Thomas and Laura Kim ★★★ Pros: Every short play was witty and had moments of light and dark. Having female writers and directors with an all-male cast (and vice versa) made for some interesting perspectives. Cons: Some of the plays fell into the trap of becoming “message plays” ...

Outrageous and dynamic parody on relationships, dating, marriage and meeting that special person.

Luis Rivera Lopez, Griselda GambaroDirected by Luis Gayol ★★  Pros: Learning about events in Argentina’s political history. Cons: The first of the two short plays is very weak and without the programme, I would not have understood the context of the play. Performances varied in quality. Our Verdict: Though this double bill raises awareness about a seldom-discussed atrocity of recent history, the plays are not strong enough to do the subject justice. Courtesy of Calder Bookshop and Theatre Theatre 4 Identity ...

Cherise CrossDirected by Amy Draper★★★★ Pros: During this psychological thriller, one is never bored or frustrated at not having all the information to hand. Cons: If you like everything spelt out for you, you might find the mystery more irksome than intriguing. Our Verdict: An intelligent and thought-provoking production that takes a potentially cerebral subject matter and gives it a soul. Courtesy of 8fold theatre company The Door is the type of the play for which going into detail would ...

Sarah Daniels Directed by Bryn Williams ★★★ Pros: The strength of the play is in the three patients. By presenting individual stories it personalises the issue of mental health, which is otherwise too easy to ignore. Cons: A tough watch but it wouldn’t be succeeding if it didn’t make you squirm and question the judgement and treatment of such issues. Our Verdict: Written in the early 1990s it did feel a little dated. But maybe it makes for such uncomfortable ...

Chalk Farm is a thought-provoking social commentary that should not be missed. Period.

Written and directed by Lisa McMullin★★★ Pros: The live music, and some strong performances, particularly in the final act. There is also fun and clever wordplay in the script, providing lightness to what is a rather grim look at love and life. Cons: If you haven’t exercised in a while, this play is a workout. Be prepared to walk up and down the stairs of the theatre, as this two-hour play has intervals a plenty. Our Verdict: It gets better ...

Part of the DYSPLA Festival Devised through the WHITEBOX Development Process  Directed by Pete Cain, Chryssanthi Kouri & Gary Thomas ★★★ Pros: Thought-provoking, with good use of projections and media.  Cons: The timings are not very clearly billed. Our Verdict: A play and festival which champions a worthwhile and thought-provoking message about the creativity of dyslexic practitioners. Courtesy of DYSPLA Y&P (formerly known as The Taliban Don’t like my Knickers) is a devised piece of theatre developed by dyslexic writers. ...