A redeeming element was the strong all-female cast

Another winner by Bartlett and Goold. Not one to miss, if you can get hold of tickets.

A very good piece of theatre which will satisfy your craving for good drama, but might leave you wanting a Guinness by the end of it.

South DownsDavid HareDirected by Jeremy Herrin★★★ The Browning VersionTerence RattiganDirected by Angus Jackson★★★★ Pros: Strong performances, great set, excellent lighting. The Browning Version in particular is a true masterpiece from one of the greatest playwrights of all time. Cons: South Downs is a slightly less meaty script, and may leave you wondering what exactly happened towards the end. Our Verdict: An engaging introduction to the evening with South Downs followed by a flawless performance of The Browning Version. Courtesy of ...

Alan Ayckbourn Directed by Jeremy Herrin  ★★ Pros: A good performance by Kara Tointon, some occasionally amusing moments. Cons: A frankly dull script, lacked pace and energy and without any sparkling performances. Our Verdict: Not the best we’ve seen, can’t recommend spending money on seeing it. Courtesy of Simon Annand It has always been our intention to publish reviews that are straightforward and unpretentious. We’re not experts; we don’t do intense research of the text, director and actors before we ...

Mike BartlettDirected by Thea Sharrock★★★  I was persuaded, just in the nick of time, to give Mike Bartlett another go after I, like many others, left Earthquakes in London feeling disappointed. However, I was determined to go into it with an open-mind and this was helped by the fact that I was walking into the Olivier, which brings with it all the anticipation of encountering a mind-blowing set.  Productions staged in this theatre have each given different answers to the ...