Henrik Ibsen, in a new version by Ben Power Directed by Jonathan Kent ★★★★ Courtesy of the National Theatre We were very pleased when we got our hands on our tickets for Emperor and Galilean, but perhaps not for the correct reasons. In truth, before seeing this show the excitement was due to the fact that it meant we needed only to see London Road (which we intend to do this weekend) in order to have witnessed every single production ...

Clifford Odets Directed by Angus Jackson ★★★ Courtesy of the National Theatre The National’s season just past was absolutely second to none. With such shows as Frankenstein, The Holy Rosenbergs, and more recently One Man, Two Guvnors it has really been a triumphant few months for Nicholas Hytner and his team. Perhaps that is why their production of Rocket to the Moon went somewhat less smoothly, with its run being cut short at the last minute. Indeed, we saw it ...

Richard Bean, based on The Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni Directed by Nicholas Hytner ★★★★★ Courtesy of National Theatre Richard Bean’s One Man, Two Guvnors, based on Carlo Goldoni’s Commedia dell’arte classic of The Servant of Two Masters, has been one of the most eagerly anticipated productions of the National’s current season. It reunites Nicholas Hytner with James Corden for the first time since Hytner’s outrageously successful production of Alan Bennett’s The History Boys catapulted Corden into the ...

Anton Chekhov (translation by Andrew Upton)  Directed by Howard Davies ★★★ Courtesy of National Theatre Last year saw a huge revival of Chekhov productions to mark 150 years since the author’s birth. A highly influential, but notoriously difficult-to-read author, Chekhov is a polarising figure, especially in Theatre. While some praise his depictions of life in his works (his ‘theatre of mood’) others are frustrated by his lengthy and heavy plays. With this in mind, staging a Chekhov at the National ...

Ryan Craig Directed by Laurie Sansom ★★★★ Courtesy of National Theatre It is interesting to see what the National Theatre has on offer in the Cottesloe, their most intimate and flexible space. The Holy Rosenbergs is a new play, by a new author, in a small venue known for housing more experimental pieces. In addition the plot touches on another heavily politicised issue, the Israel-Palestine conflict, which raised fears that it may be a repeat of the political preaching dished ...

Terence Rattigan Directed by Thea Sharrock ★★★★ Courtesy of The Old Vic Going to see a show at The Old Vic is always a treat. While the National is a space where new, ambitious and risky shows are staged, The Old Vic has focused on delivering more conservative, but no less masterfully fine-tuned productions. No outrageous set, no dazzling special effects – but honest, high quality performances and direction. In the last year, The Old Vic has done this remarkably well ...

The Old Vic, London Nobody can deny that The Old Vic, located by Waterloo Road near the Southbank, is one of the most prominent theatres on the London scene. With its consistently high-quality productions, great location and grade II-listed building, The Old Vic is a refreshing and exciting alternative to the West End, a fact that few would disagree with. What many people may not know however, is that from its humble beginnings as a second-class theatre in 1818, and ...

Nick Dear, adapted from Mary ShelleyDirected by Danny Boyle ★★★★★ Courtesy of National Theatre Danny Boyle’s return to the London theatre scene has been much talked about. Looking at the list of cast and creatives it is easy to understand why; the Oscar winning director coupled with the increasingly popular Benedict Cumberbatch the much admired Jonny Lee Miller begun turning heads as soon as it was announced. The question on everybody’s lips with these ‘big name’ productions is always the ...

The National Theatre, London Southbank More commonly known as the National Theatre, or more affectionately known as the National, the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain is the leading subsidised theatre in the UK. It was founded in 1963, and was originally based in The Old Vic. In 1976 the current premises on the South Bank, designed by architects Sir Dennis Lasden and Peter Softley, was opened with three different performance spaces: the Olivier, the Lyttleton and the Cottesloe. Today, ...

Moira Buffini, Matt Charman, Penelope Skinner & Jack ThorneDirected by Bijan Sheibani★★ Courtesy of National Theatre Climate change is no longer a controversial topic. The vast majority of people agree that it is a reality, and know that in the future it could create irreversible damage. This makes it hard to write a script to challenge viewpoints and stimulate debate on the subject – all that such scripts can achieve is to further raise awareness about the problem. However, since ...