Features

National Theatre Collection on Drama Online

25 April 2020

Philip Fisher reviews a fantastic resource for school and college students.

Remembrance of theatre past (1–3): stories from Sunderland Empire

24 April 2020

Peter Lathan looks back at a career in theatre which stretches back to the 1960s. This first instalment comprises three stories from his time at Sunderland Empire.

Lamentations of an isolated theatrical

19 April 2020

Peter Lathan explores how well (or otherwise) he is living with isolation.

‘King & Country’ and other epics

18 April 2020

David Cunningham hopes, when the theatres reopen, that their response will be some epic drama of substance in reaction to the trauma that we have all experienced.

A Taste of Honey or Absolute Hell?

18 April 2020

Philip Fisher responds to David Cunningham's lack of enthiusiasm for online theatre productions with sympathy but also a request to, at least, reconsider.

A Great Night Out: David Tennant in Hamlet at the RSC

18 April 2020

Theatres and producers are constantly looking at new ways of getting people through the doors for the first time as well as attracting younger audience members. In 2008, the Royal Shakespeare Company spectacularly achieved this: by offering David Tennant the part of Hamlet.

Online Theatre

10 April 2020

Philip Fisher rounds up some of the best online theatre and opera offerings, many of which are free to view.

A Great Night Out: a life-changing trip to Covent Garden

10 April 2020

Georgina Wells on the night an early Christmas present for a teenager became a lifelong obsession.

A Great Night Out: my top theatre pick of the last 50 years

7 April 2020

Simon Thomas remembers some of the greats he has seen in half a century of theatre-going, but Gambon comes out tops.

Ain't nothing like the real thing

6 April 2020

David Cunningham explains why the online world can never make up for what he personally is currently missing from live theatre.

A Great Night Out: How I learned to love Shakespeare (at age 14)

4 April 2020

Peter Lathan reveals how Shakespeare suddenly stopped being boring for him when he was 14.

Alternative Olivier Awards

3 April 2020

Philip Fisher picks his own Olivier Awards from the shortlists.

A Great Night Out: Mamma Mia! Prince of Wales Theatre

3 April 2020

Giles Woodforde on an afternoon that showed that critics sometimes get it spot on—even if they don't remember doing it.

One-star review for government's aid for self-employed workers

29 March 2020

Sandra Giorgetti gives the government's aid for self-employed workers a one star review.

A Great Night Out: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Towneley Hall

28 March 2020

Martin Thomasson remembers the feeling, if not some of the details, of first 'getting' comedy in Shakespeare.

Getting Your Musicals Fix

27 March 2020

Philip Fisher provides some ideas for those desperate to feed their musicals addiction.

Established services for streaming British theatre, opera and ballet

21 March 2020

While a lot of groups and individuals have put work online since the theatres closed, some long-established paid services already exist where you can see productions from the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Opera House, Shakespeare's Globe and more.

The Play’s (Not) the Thing

20 March 2020

Philip Fisher introduces his new weekly column with some thoughts about the consequences of current theatre closures.

Touring News – March 2020

2 March 2020

Sandra Giorgetti looks at the tours that take to the road in March including Sophie Woolley’s solo show Augmented, Welsh-language piece Tylwyth and the second instalment of Katie Arnstein’s trilogy, It’s A Girl!, Sexy Lamp.

Michael Billington on Stage

25 February 2020

Rufus Norris interviews the doyen of critics, Michael Billington at the National Theatre, with contributions from four star actors.