Everything Theatre Reviews, interviews and news for theatre lovers, London and beyond

Original screenplay by Colin Welland, adapted by Mike BartlettDirected by Edward Hall★★★★ Pros: A solid cast and some moments that work amazingly well. Plus the awesome theme tune. Cons: Wore me out a little just watching that much running! Our Verdict: About the most patriotic piece of theatre you could hope to come out of Britain. Courtesy of Tristram Kenton for The Guardian I feel we should deal first with the criticisms that have been made of this production and ...

Stephen BeresfordDirected by Howard Davies★★★ Pros: A cast that makes you go ‘wow’, a stunning set, and some wonderful individual performances. Cons: Some conversations didn’t seem quite real, despite it being a naturalistic production. Our Verdict: This play will do very well with the cast it has but there’s something not quite there. Yet. Courtesy of the National Theatre The first play written by actor-turned-playwright Stephen Beresford, The Last of the Haussmans follows an ailing hippy (Julie Walters) and her ...

Although it shows real promise, it lets itself down. It's worth seeing because it is different, but be prepared to feel disappointed in places.

Sophocles, in a new version by Don TaylorDirected by Polly Findlay★★★★ Pros: great performances, short, snappy staging. Cons: Greek tragedies aren’t everyone’s cup of tea – they are by definition depressing! Our Verdict: an engaging and worthwhile rendition of a Greek classic. Courtesy of the Daily Telegraph Re-imagining ancient Greek tragedies is always a difficult task. It seems that, because these plays have been around for literally thousands of years, any conceivable adaptation has already been done. It can therefore ...

Produced by LAStheatre★★★★ Pros: Great science and a great cast make for an enjoyable evening. Cons: Drunken, unfunny hecklers…who needs them? Our Verdict: Definitely worth doing if you’re a science enthusiast or just love a night doing something out of the ordinary. Remember to listen to our blogcast interview with LAStheatre’s Barra Collins and Andy Franzkowiak. The Enlightenment Cafe from LAStheatre It was a fairly average day in the week for me yesterday. But then I went underground to The ...

Written and Directed by Amir Nizar ZuabiA ShiberHur, Young Vic production co-produced with the Bush Theatre and KVS Brussels, part of World Stages London★★★★ Pros: Original, engaging, thought-provoking. Cons: Bit weird and very uncomfortable in a couple of places. Our Verdict: A great venue if you’ve never been before. Go if you want to really be challenged by something. Courtesy of Spoonfed When I sat down in the auditorium and read ‘young lamb’ in the cast list I was a ...

Ilaaje Zid Dastiyaab HayTheatre Wallay, in association with KASHF foundation★★★ Pros: A big achievement for Pakistan’s theatre scene. Cons: Ran a bit long, especially the first half. Our Verdict: Despite it’s difficulties, a great contribution to a brilliant festival. Courtesy of Simon Annand for the Arts Desk One of the wonderful things about the Globe to Globe festival – and there are many – is that as each country brings its play to the stage, each audience reflects the culture ...

Neil SimonDirected by Thea Sharrock★★★ Pros: A rare chance to see DeVito and Griffiths on stage, and both are on great form. Cons: Doesn’t actually deliver as many laughs as other comedies on at the moment. Our Verdict: Not essential viewing, but very enjoyable. Definitely go if you’re a hardcore fan of either actors. Courtesy of Alistair Muir for the Daily Telegraph The first thought that will probably cross your mind as the curtain goes up for The Sunshine Boys ...

A collaboration between World Stages London, WildWorks and Battersea Arts Centre. ★★ Pros: An intriguing idea and parts of it work very well. It’s nice to see that ambitious, large scale projects do still get made. Definitely makes for a unique evening, even if it’s not completely you’re thing. Cons: Mud, lots of mud. And despite tremendous effort it didn’t quite come together Our Verdict: A bold idea full of good intent, but didn’t quite hit the right note Courtesy ...

William ShakespeareRemixed by The Q Brothers★★★★★ Pros: A very strong and entertaining modernisation of a Shakespeare classic. Cons: The tragedy loses something in translation. Shakespeare’s original text is overwritten – not for purists. Our Verdict: A must-see, if nothing else to see a version of Othello quite unlike you have ever witnessed, or ever will again. Image courtesy of The Arts Desk Shakespeare’s Globe couldn’t have timed their Globe to Globe initiative any better. Coinciding with the World Shakespeare Festival, ...