Theatre features

Alphabetti Newcastle: Bye Bye Basement!

Peter Lathan reflects on Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre as it leaves its basement venue.

Panto News: February 2017

In his first column of the year, Simon Sladen reflects on Panto Season 2016 and looks forward to the year ahead.

WhatsOnStage Awards 2017

Half A Sixpence and Harry Potter carry away multiple accolades in this year's Whatsonstage Awards.

Touring news - March 2017

Sandra Giorgetti looks at the tours that take to the road next month including solo shows Roll Over Atlantic from John Agard, The Gospel Of Matthew By Candlelight with Geroge Dillon, and the autobiographical plays Careful from Horse McDonald and Portrait from Racheal Ofori.

Touring news - February 2017

Sandra Giorgetti looks at the tours that take to the road in February which include The Wedding Singer and Worst Wedding Ever, and A Machine They’re Secretly Building and The Machine Stops.

Kraounakis and Speira Speira: a flying visit from Athens

Greek satirical theatre company Speira Speira, led by composer, performer, director Stamatis Kraounakis, is bringing its latest show All As One - Kiss Me to London for one night only on 27 January 2017.

Review of the Year 2016 - The North West Stage

David Chadderton looks back on his 2016 in North West theatre.

Our reviewers' picks of 2016

Some of our reviewers pick their top 5 productions of the year.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Play for the Nation (RSC at Northern Stage)

North East Theatre in 2016

Peter Lathan looks back at a year of theatre in the North East.

The Best of the NE in 2016 (according to me)

Peter Lathan lists what was, for him, the best of North East theatre in 2016.

Review of the Year - The London Stage

Philip Fisher reviews 2016 in the London theatre.

Touring news - January 2017

Sandra Giorgetti looks at the tours that take to the road next month, including the first UK tour of La Cage Aux Folles and the world premières of Not Dead Enough and Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox.

Review of the Year - The Midlands Stage

Prestigious awards, increased ticket sales and stunning productions were the hallmarks of 2016 for theatre in the Midlands while 2017 will bring the end of an era as well as a huge amount of optimism.

East Riding Theatre and Great Expectations

Richard Vergette examines the East Riding Theatre as it mounts its third Christmas show with a Dickensian source since it opened in 2014.

Festive entertainment with a bit of bah humbug!

If you want to say Boo–Hiss to traditional panto this year, have a break from finding your Christmas jumper and take a look at reporter Sandra Giorgetti's summary of what's on.

There Will Be Fun at the British Library

London reporter Sandra Giorgetti has been to join the fun at the British Library where a new exhibition on Victorian entertainments includes live performances.

Innovation, Orthodoxy, and Shakespeare's Globe

Following the cries of anguish and condemnation of the theatre board at the announcement that Emma Rice is to leave Shakespeare's Globe in 18 months' time, Brice Stratford, director of Shakespeare and founder of Owle Schreame theatre company, looks at the issue from the opposite direction.

Battersea Arts Centre

In her second of three features on performance venues whose architecture has caught her interest, reviewer Sandra Giorgetti visits South West London's Battersea Arts Centre, damaged by fire earlier this year.

Company Chameleon marks World Mental Health Day with Witness preview

Ahead of its autumn tour, Company Chameleon offered a preview of its brand new piece Witness at a special event in The Lowry Studio to mark World Mental Health Day 2016.

Latest on UK and China collaborations

Events this year in UK and across the Globe have seen the celebration of 400th anniversary of the Shakespeare’s death, but 1616 was also the death of China’s most celebrated playwright, Tang Xianzu. The event now running at The Actor’s Church in Covent Garden, A Shakespearean Handan Dream, is the result of a six-year collaboration.

Features