Jean Giraudoux Directed by Nick Mouton  ★★★ Pros: A story that resonates strongly with the current world-wide political climate, highlighting the absurdities and fickleness of war with intellect and wit.  Cons: A heady play with a great deal of talk and a point to prove which, although interesting, might benefit from more action to reinforce and focus the debate.  Our Verdict: An ancient story investigating the reasons behind the wilful propagation of war that, while relevant and poignant, becomes didactic ...

Written and directed by Lisa McMullin★★★ Pros: The live music, and some strong performances, particularly in the final act. There is also fun and clever wordplay in the script, providing lightness to what is a rather grim look at love and life. Cons: If you haven’t exercised in a while, this play is a workout. Be prepared to walk up and down the stairs of the theatre, as this two-hour play has intervals a plenty. Our Verdict: It gets better ...

KDC theatre cast and creatives★★ Pros: Some excellent characterisation in places. Cons: Inconsistent direction and a distinct lack of spooky atmosphere for ghostly tales; I only jumped once! Our Verdict: A piece that demonstrates some great potential from its cast and creatives but needs more work. Courtesy of The Lion & Unicorn theatre It’s always good to see some spooky theatricals around Halloween, so KDC theatre’s decision to showcase of a selection of Victorian ghost stories sounded promising. Unfortunately the ...

Amy Bird, Andy Marchant, Carl Fletcher, Frances Bushe, Jimi O’Dell, Julia Collier, Kathy Petrakis and Mary Groom Directed by Andy Marchant, Jacqui Adams and Kim Morrison ★★ Pros: Enthusiastic performances. Some individual pieces were well written and original. Cons: Way too long. Uneven writing and performances and no strong, connecting through line.  Our Verdict: Some of the individual pieces are worth seeing. However, these are poorly served by being amalgamated into an overly long whole.  Courtesy of the Lion and ...

A talented cast of actors and actresses but the scene changes felt long and unrehearsed.

Marietta Kirkbride Directed by Simon Kane & Elf Lyons ★★★ Pros: Well performed, a great stage set and entertainingly annoying characters. Cons: An hour and half felt like a long time without a breather but any break would have damaged the tension and flow of the play. Our Verdict: The play was enjoyable as a portrait of sibling relations but there is no great denouement so enjoy the ride rather than expect a grand finale. Credit: tnt-images A short walk ...

William Shakespeare Presented by Wyrd Sisters Theatre ★★★ Pros: Beautifully performed by each and every cast member. Cons: The immense heat came close to ruining the experience. Our Verdict: A fantastic rendition of this Shakespearean classic, but bring a fan! Credit: Ciaran Cunningham I was intrigued to see this unusual version of Shakespeare’s Scottish play from the Wyrd Sisters Theatre Company. Made up of an all-female cast – aside from the three male witches – the Bard’s dark tragedy is ...

Ali SalemDirected by Ahmed El-Alfy★★★★ Pros: An entertaining and dynamic comedy. Cons: Due to lots of movement and excessive volume, the stage became overcrowded at times. Our Verdict: A well-executed, politically charged adaptation of a classic play. Some very good acting and dynamic direction make it enjoyable to watch. Guaranteed fun and laughter.  As part of the international Shubbuk Festival – a window into contemporary Arab culture –this comedy, Courtesy of Giant Olive written in 1970 by legendary Egyptian playwright, was ...

Aisling Foster Directed by Cherry Cookson ★★ Pros: Some great accents and beautiful scene change music produced a lovely sounding show. Cons: The actors were very wobbly on their lines and the show didn’t run straight. Our verdict: Sadly, an interesting topic based on true events is let down by the lacklustre performance and script that would be better as a novel or article. Courtesy of Ciaran Cunningham for Giant Olive Theatre When the Bolsheviks and the Irish were trying ...

Written and directed by Jazz Martinez-Gamboa ★★★★ Pros: The plot stays with you; I love a play that doesn’t leave you alone and forces you to relive the experience. I still come up with new thoughts even a few days after seeing it. Cons: If you lose concentration for even a second the plot might be completely lost to you. It’s filled with subtleties that act as brush strokes to create a powerful picture. Our Verdict: I loved it. If ...