Leah Vassell on Fantasically Great Women Who Changed The World

Shortlist for our best show seen outside of London in 2022

A dark but thrilling play

A flawlessly executed production of an almost flawless show.

Bertolt Brecht, translation by George TaboriDirected by Jonathan Church★★★★ Pros: A really fantastic lead with excellent supporting performances! It’s Brecht. Cons: A little draggy in places. It’s Brecht. Our Verdict: Chichester is always worth a visit, and this is a good all-round production! Courtesy of Tristram Kenton for the Guardian I know the Brecht basics, and I know about the silent scream in Mother Courage, but I’ve never seen a Brecht play in a theatre before. This left me somewhat ...

Libretto by Hugh Wheeler, based on the play by Christopher BondMusic & Lyrics by Stephen SondheimDirected by Jonathan Kent★★★★ Pros: Musicals as they should be; fantastic lead performances, great music and no overbearing set or special effects.  Cons: A couple of less engaging performances from the supporting cast.  Our Verdict: An excellent musical, even we were satisfied!  Courtesy of Tristram Kenton for the Guardian I think you probably know us well enough by now to have realised that musicals are ...

Edward BondDirected by Angus Jackson★★★ Pros: Patrick Stewart gives one of several great performances in this beautifully designed play.  Cons: Edward Bond’s self-righteous play borders on dull.  Our Verdict: One for the big time Stewart fans, or those who like Bond, but don’t expect a rollercoaster of a ride!  Courtesy of Tristram Kenton for the Guardian Chichester Festival Theatre is on a bit of a run, churning out some brilliant productions perfect for transfer to the West End. Sweeney Todd, ...

Tom StoppardDirected by Trevor Nunn★★★★ Courtesy of the Theatre Royal Haymarket In truth, we hadn’t planned to see Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead so early in its London run: we were actually planning on trying to catch the last performance of Blythe Spirit at the Apollo. However, due to circumstances beyond our control, we weren’t able to do so. Thankfully, quick thinking allowed us to snap up some front row seats to Tom Stoppard’s existentialist masterpiece, which turned out to ...