Features

Ain't nothing like the real thing

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)

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

Alternative Olivier Awards

Philip Fisher picks his own Olivier Awards from the shortlists.

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

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

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

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

Getting Your Musicals Fix

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

Established services for streaming British theatre, opera and ballet

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

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

Touring News – 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

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

National Theatre Press Conference February 2020

Rufus Norris and Lisa Burger round-up recent developments at the National Theatre and announced their programme for 2020–21.

The Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards 2019

Philip Fisher reports on The Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards 2019.

Theatres at Risk

Theatres Trust, the national advisory public body for theatres, has published the 2020 Theatres at Risk Register.

Touring News – February 2020

Sandra Giorgetti looks at the tours that take to the road next month which includes more than the usual number of shows for younger audiences.

Showtown museum dedicated to Blackpool's entertainment heritage

Showtown—Blackpool’s first-ever museum, set to open next year—had a suitably-showbusiness launch.

Touring News – January 2020

Sandra Giorgetti looks at the tours that take to the road next month including the first tour from Cardiff's The Other Room with a trio of dystopian dramas, a gender-swapped classic Faustus: That Damned Woman and the last of Luke Wright's trilogy The Remains of Logan Dankworth.

2019: musicals trump serious drama in Manchester

Manchester reviewer David Cunningham gives a detailed account of his top theatre visits of 2019, with some comments about the intrusive security policies of some theatres.

The best of North East theatre in 2019 (according to me)

NE editor Peter Lathan selects his “best of…” in the North East for 2019.

North East theatre in 2019 – a review

NE editor Peter Lathan looks back over a year of theatre in the North East, from Teesside in the south to the Scottish Border in the north, and from the coast in the east to the Pennines in the west.