Latest Articles - Page 146 of 687

22Mar

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Death of a Salesman – Festival Theatre

Arthur Miller’s iconic treatise on the American Dream, often studied, but rarely performed, is brought to glorious life tonight on the Scotland’s biggest stage in front of a packed and almost reverential audience. It is a simple enough tale of an ordinary man, Willie Loman, who has worked all his life to live up to his, and America’s, idea of what a man should be; strong, dependable, financially stable and unexceptional – an automaton – A Salesman. We enter Willie’s world just as he seriously begins to question his life and whether it has been a success. He has begun to have lapses of concentration which might point towards the onset of dementia, which are now even affecting his ability to drive safely and ultimately be able to continue working. A life insurance policy of $20,000 feels ...

21Mar

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Raven – Liverpool Playhouse Studio

The raven is often associated with loss and ill-omen and there’s plenty of that in Abigail McKenzie’s debut play as, inspired by her own lived experiences with addiction, homelessness, children’s services, and domestic abuse, the piece delves into themes of addiction, isolation, and the far-reaching consequences on maternal relationships. Staged on a raised platform with the audience on three sides, Raven presents the challenges of a mother, Elis (McKenzie), trying to reconnect with her young daughter who has been taken into care, with an unravelling back story hinting as to how she has got to this position. The play touches upon a range of sensitive and challenging issues, which most audience members will not have direct experience of, so as an adject, I must note that I have worked...

21Mar

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Toxic – Playhouse Theatre, Sheffield

Warning – Age guidance 18+ containing scenes of an adult nature that some may find distressing. A Powerful and evocative laying bare of relationships and individuals facing a world of stigma. A Dibby Theatre Production - Toxic written Nathaniel J Hall gives the audience a powerhouse portrayal of extreme emotions rather than pure toxicity in this tale of two queer and damaged individuals whose lives entwine. A stark and beautiful tale, Toxic is explosively semi-autobiographical and is Hall’s second instalment as a playwright, after the successful and award winning ‘First Time’ - the show about staying positive in a negative world. Toxic in the words of Hall is ‘the story of how we met, fell in love and f**ked up!’ It’s 2017 and in Manchester, two damaged 30 somethings set up a m...

21Mar

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

Dear England – National Theatre

Dear England, written by James Graham, tells the story of the ‘New’ England football team and centres on the origin story of Gareth Southgate as Manager of the England team between 2016 and 2024. Gareth is determined to bring life and heart back to the squad and we are immersed in his journey, striving for solidarity and a better England. The lighting, sound and projection work of this production is exceptional, as is the set by Es Devlin. As the audience enters, they see a circular stage with a semi-circle above it lit up, representing a football stadium. There is a low hum of the crowd that can be heard which builds anticipation. The semi-circle becomes a space for powerful projection which aids the progression of the show. The revolving stage is used throughout the performance, never...

21Mar

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Mixed Sex – Lion & Unicorn Theatre

Mixed Sex, written and starring Samuel Normington, takes audiences on a nostalgic trip back to the 1990s—a time when Eternals dominated the charts and the Spice Girls were just making their debut. This coming-of-age comedy follows a group of 10-year-olds as they begin to explore their identities, interests, and the awkward, often hilarious, moments of growing up. The play captures the era brilliantly, evoking memories of football-obsessed boys, a fixation on “tits,” and girls who idolized Care Bears and danced to Eternals. The humour is sharp, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and well-timed gags that keep the energy high throughout the performance. The writing cleverly taps into the awkwardness of childhood friendships and early discoveries about self and attraction, making for...

21Mar

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

Sisyphean Quick Fix – Riverside Studios

Few plays handle the quiet complexities of family duty with as much tenderness as ‘Sisyphean Quick Fix’, Bettina Paris’ semi-autobiographical debut now playing at Riverside Studios. Set between London and Malta, the story follows two sisters, Krista and Pip, forced to confront the worsening alcoholism of their father, a man whose reckless behaviour has long been their shared burden. Paris plays Krista, a struggling actor in London juggling auditions and bar shifts, while Tina Rizzo’s character, Pip remains in Malta, holding down a steady job and a seemingly more conventional life. What unfolds is a careful dissection of how physical distance can breed resentment, as the sisters wrestle with uneven responsibilities, and the question of what anyone truly owes a parent who repeatedly hits ...

21Mar

By Paul AckroydNo Comments

London

Retrograde – Apollo Theatre

Sidney Poitier was one of the greats of Hollywood, whose influence went well beyond the world of film. The tributes to him at the time of his death in 2022, reproduced in the programme, demonstrate this. On transfer from the Kiln Theatre, this play deals with events early in Poitier's life, when he was on the verge of a major breakthrough into the world of film. He came to the attention of McCarthy's Un-American Activities Committee and was put under extreme pressure to sign a document implicating some of his friends as communists and repudiating his sincerely held views on the civil rights movement. This play is thus essentially about the conflict which he personally faced at this crucial juncture in his professional life but also reflects on the malign influence of the political thought-...

What If They Ate The Baby? / A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First – Soho Theatre

20Mar

By Sadie PearsonNo Comments

London

What If They Ate The Baby? / A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First – Soho Theatre

The ceiling is clanging. the spaghetti casserole is green and the two housewife’s mannerisms are disconcertingly in-sync. In this absurdist comedy, beneath a polite veneer, nothing is quite as it seems… Shirley (Natasha Rowland), 1950s housewife, is a picture of idealised domesticity - scrubbing floors in a marigold dress to match the marigold gloves that it is apparent she lives in. But when Dottie (Xhloe Rice) arrives to return a casserole tray, despite synchronised displays of social respectability - a polite remark to their husbands’ health - an exchange of recipes - it is clear something is desperately wrong beneath all this. Exploring female autonomy, McCarthyism and queer relationships, as the pretences unravel, so too does the world the characters inhabit. What hooks you firs...

20Mar

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

Gideon: A Play With Music

Prague 1938. A musician and his family face an existential question: should music play on, no matter what? This intimate and resonant new show tells the true story of a young composer whose tenacity burned brightly even as the world around him collapsed. Mostly taking place at the cusp of the Second World War, this production follows the life of a magnetic musician and his family as they face an impossible choice. As war engulfs Europe, Gideon’s expansive world contracts – from the concert halls of Prague to the confined walls of Terezín, a garrison town turned into a propaganda tool. Within its walls where music is both solace and deception, its prisoners struggle with an urgent question: is art an act of resistance, a place of refuge, or part of the lie that helps to oppress them? ...

The Mousetrap celebrates Guinness World Record breaking 30000th performance

19Mar

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

The Mousetrap celebrates Guinness World Record breaking 30000th performance

Agatha Christie’s iconic thriller The Mousetrap celebrates its 30,000th performance in the West End today and further extends booking through to spring 2026. The genre-defining murder mystery opened in 1952 and continues to enthral audiences at London’s St Martin’s Theatre, more than 70 years on. Marking the milestone, Guinness World Records adjudicator Will Munford presented the company with a certificate for the record title longest theatrical run. Craig Glenday, Editor in Chief says: “Guinness World Records has monitored this category from the very first edition in 1955. The Mousetrap overtook the previous holder in 1958 making it one of the all-time longest standing world records." Brian Fenty, Producer of The Mousetrap says: “As The Mousetrap celebrates its record-shattering 30,...