Caryl ChurchillDirected by Dominic Cooke★★★ Pros: A unique concept with an unnerving plot, delivered by a strong and familiar cast. Cons: The dialogue is disjointed which detracts from the credibility of the circumstances, and twenty minutes is not really long enough to get fully engaged. Our Verdict: If you are going to see one of the other two performances at the Royal Court it’s worth getting there an hour early to catch this. Credit: Johan Persson for the Royal Court ...

Howard BarkerDirected by Tom Cairns★★★ Pros: Some interesting concepts in the scripts and good performances on stage. Cons: Sometimes a bit slow, and tries to say a lot of things at once. Our Verdict: Enjoyable with the usual high production values, but not groundbreaking. Courtesy of the National Theatre One thing you don’t expect to see when you pay a visit to the National Theatre is a catastrophic set malfunction. In a way, we were lucky to witness such a ...

Michael MorpurgoAdapted and directed by Simon Reade★★★★ Pros: It is brilliantly acted and beautifully written. Cons: Whilst billed for eight years and upwards, I feel age ten is probably more appropriate. Our Verdict: A wonderful all round show, sadly finished now but we hope for a prolonged run in due course! Courtesy of The Telegraph It has been quite some time since I have wholeheartedly joined in a spontaneous standing ovation. It was definitely well-deserved in this production of Private ...

Caryl ChurchillDirected by James Macdonald★★★★ Pros: Churchill continues the push the boundaries of British dramatic enterprise. Cons: The nature of the piece means some of the scenes leave you wanting more. Our Verdict: A thought-provoking, exhilarating ride through all those scenes you see happening all around you everyday. Courtesy of Alastair Muir for the Telegraph I’ll happily spend hours people-watching. I know very few people who don’t, in fact, and for me some of the best experiences I’ve had in ...

Tarell Alvin McCraneyDirected by Dominic Cooke★★★★ Pros: Fantastic set design, excellent performances and truly stunning musical interludes. Cons: If there has to be one, I would say the characters are a little stereotyped, but only a little. Our Verdict: A wonderful, unique and high quality production at an intimate venue. Courtesy of the Royal Court Theatre I was wowed the minute I walked into the 80-seat Jerwood Theatre Upstairs. It never ceases to impress me how versatile and creative the ...

Brian FrielDirected by Lyndsey Turner★★★ Pros: A great script with an interesting concept in splitting the lead role between two actors. Well-acted by a credible cast. Cons: The stage direction could have been more dynamic and the set design significantly restricted the view from my seat. Our Verdict: An enjoyable, well-acted production. Full appreciation was hindered by the bizarrely obstructed view so select your seats carefully*! Courtesy of Johan Persson for The Telegraph Right – I am going to have ...

A must see, Theatre at its absolute best. Creative, fun, engaging and something slightly different. Tremendous.

George Bernard ShawDirected by Nadia Fall ★★★ Pros: An old play with very current issues; interesting to watch. Cons: The characters lack refinement and are a little disappointing, and it didn’t make me feel anything in particular. Our Verdict: It’s a good show overall, but it’s not quite up to the National’s usual standards. Courtesy of Alastair Muir for the Daily Telegraph The Doctor’s Dilemma was written in response to the theatre critic William Archer’s claims that George Bernard Shaw wouldn’t ...

Joe PenhallDirected by Roger Michell★★★ Pros: Trustworthy actors perform a compact piece with big laughs at the expense of gender stereotypes. Cons: Slightly unclear what Penhall’s point (if there is one) is! Our Verdict: A play which hopes to question the roles in childbirth, it’ll make the audience think but not too hard. An overall positive experience! Courtesy of Alastair Muir for the Daily Telegraph The Royal Court is a brilliant theatre. Situated on Sloane Square, it is well known ...

William ShakespeareDirected by Nicholas Hytner★★★★ Pros: Simon Russell-Beale’s superb performance in a superbly adapted play. Cons: Hardly any, slightly dragged towards the end of the second half. Our Verdict: Top-notch stuff from the National, and definitely worth seeing despite the fact that you may never have heard of it! Courtesy of Time  These days, I don’t look at the descriptions for the National’s shows before I book my tickets; I just assume that they are all going to be worth ...