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 ...

Laura WadeDirected by Lyndsey Turner★★★ Pros: Funny, angry and well performed. Audience unlikely to be populated by Tories… Cons: Don’t feel it is entirely sure what it is trying to say in places… Our Verdict: A fun production, especially for those seeking an outlet for their vitriol. Courtesy of Alastair Muir for the Daily Telegraph I walked past George Osborne at the National fairly recently. I’d just come out of The Comedy of Errors, I think, and there he was. ...

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 ...

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 ...

Written and Directed by Enda Walsh★★★★ Pros: Powerful acting supports a complex, beautiful and well-constructed story in a intricately devised setting. Cons: Desperately sad. Our Verdict: An unsettling experience but an incredible night of theatre. Courtesy of the Daily Telegraph There aren’t many shows in life that can genuinely make you feel something deep beneath your skin. Misterman achieves that, if for no other reason than bestowing you with the sincere desire to take a shower. The production is probably the ...

Errol JohnDirected by Michael Buffong★★★★ Pros: Strong performances, great script, funny and moving. Cons: The Cottesloe is an amazing space where designers can run wild… perhaps more could have been made of this. Our Verdict: A great night of quality theatre. Courtesy of Tristram Kenton for the Guardian If there is one thing I hate, it’s a badly behaved audience member. For those who have had the pleasure of never encountering such beasts, let me give you a brief overview. ...

Oliver GoldsmithDirected by Jamie Lloyd★★★★ Pros: A delightful variety of hilarious characters and a brilliant plot. Cons: I honestly don’t think anyone stopped laughing for long enough to think of any. Our Verdict: If you’ve been fortunate enough to catch it, you are to be congratulated, and if not don’t be too harsh on yourself – just know that you have made a grave mistake. Courtesy of Alastair Muir for the Daily Telegraph In an unforgivable act of negligence, we ...