Plan your week's theatre: top tickets by Lyn Gardner

Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag is in Bristol, Filter reinvent Macbeth at the Citizens in Glasgow, Tom Stoppard's latest opens at the National, and one of 2013's best shows, The Money, is bac…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 1:59am on January 19, 2015☆⚑

The Fever review " grappling with privilege and guilt in a Mayfair hotel by Lyn Gardner

May Fair hotel, LondonGame of Thrones' Tobias Menzies artfully walks the line between self-disgust and rage in Wallace Shawn's still-timely monologue Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:59pm on January 18, 2015☆⚑

Truth, Lies, Diana review " tawdry drama commits crimes against theatre by Lyn Gardner

Charing Cross theatre, LondonJon Conway's tabloid-style play about the death of the 'people's princess' mixes fact and fiction to suit itself Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:00am on January 18, 2015☆⚑

Walking the Chains review " view from Brunel's bridge celebrates a visionary by Lyn Gardner

The Passenger Shed, BristolACH Smith's enjoyably rickety play-with-songs looks back on 150 years of Clifton suspension bridge, including the tale of a falling woman saved by her billowing pe…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:59am on January 16, 2015☆⚑

Bat Boy: The Musical review " Edward Scissorhands meets Rocky Horror by Lyn Gardner

Southwark Playhouse, LondonRob Compton is terrific as the hero of this B-movie-style musical, but the full-blooded production overwhelms the space Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:09am on January 15, 2015☆⚑

4x4 review " Gandini turn juggling into a jaw-dropping game of chess by Lyn Gardner

Linbury Studio, LondonSean Gandini and choregrapher Ludovic Ondiviela search for no less than the meaning of life in this witty dance-circus mashup Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:24am on January 14, 2015☆⚑

There Was an Old Woman review " Oily Cart are a shoe-in for kids' theatre by Lyn Gardner

Southbank Centre, LondonWith lovely smells, live music and a crack cast, this engaging show is a treat for young and old " even if it is overextended Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:27am on January 14, 2015☆⚑

Pig Girl review " the dead and their murderer speak into the silence by Lyn Gardner

Finborough, LondonColleen Murphy's graphically violent play gives a voice to murdered women but unnecessarily to their killer too Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:49am on January 13, 2015☆⚑

Is the playwright dead? by Lyn Gardner

Is there an anti-writer trend in British theatre? Only if you insist on a very narrow definition of what constitutes new writing and fail to cherish playwriting in all its rich variety"There…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:00am on January 13, 2015☆⚑

Kraken review " unfeasibly stretchy gags from Keaton-esque clown by Lyn Gardner

Soho theatre, LondonThis is less an absurd stream of consciousness than a vomit of transformations from naughty-but-nice Trygve WakenshawContext isn't everything, but the meaning of any show…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:40am on January 12, 2015☆⚑

Blasted was dismissed by a handful of critics but the conversation has changed by Lyn Gardner

Critical incomprehension greeted Sarah Kane's debut in 1995. Blogging, and a more open public debate about new theatre on social media, means that's less likely to happen nowKate Ashfield on…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:30am on January 12, 2015☆⚑

Plan your week's theatre: top tickets by Lyn Gardner

2015 is already off to a flying start as James McAvoy takes on The Ruling Class, Glasgow and Soho showcase the next wave of stage stars, Stratford goes nuclear, and Stockton gets cookingSecr…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:00am on January 12, 2015☆⚑

Nicobobinus review " Terry Jones's fairytale pits plucky kids against greedy grownups by Lyn Gardner

Lost theatre, LondonThis family musical has dragon's blood, a man with a golden arm and plundering pirates but feels both half-baked and over-extended Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:47am on January 8, 2015☆⚑

We can't afford not to pay our theatre artists by Lyn Gardner

Who is the biggest subsidiser of the arts? Not Arts Council England but artists themselves. Isn't it time we paid them properly?The report by Stage Directors UK, published in the Stage, whic…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:25am on January 8, 2015☆⚑

Grimm Tales review " Philip Pullman's stories cast a spell by the Thames by Lyn Gardner

Bargehouse, LondonThis fabulously designed promenade show unfolds across several floors of an atmospheric venue " but there's simply too much hanging aroundIt sure is a Grimm world out there…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:03am on January 8, 2015☆⚑

Almost Maine review " vignettes about the American way of love by Lyn Gardner

Park theatre, LondonRomantic whimsy meets magic realism in a series of two-handed scenes set during one snowy New England nightImagine Love Actually crossed with Our Town and you have a flav…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 5:59am on January 7, 2015☆⚑

Frantic Assembly's Othello: 'You don't want to put people off Shakespeare for ever' by Lyn Gardner

As director Scott Graham's reimagined Othello arrives in London, he and Frantic co-founder Steven Hoggett talk about their stage ethos, parting company professionally, and the importance of …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:28am on January 6, 2015☆⚑

The BFG review " wonderment without warmth in circus-based show by Lyn Gardner

Birmingham RepDespite some terrific visual flourishes, this production never captures the Big Friendly Giant's lovableness nor the unruly joy of Roald Dahl's story Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:08am on January 6, 2015☆⚑

Lionboy review " Complicite's cat-powered adventure lacks claws by Lyn Gardner

Tricycle theatre, LondonThe Zizou Corder children's story about a boy who can talk to cats packs in kidnaps and circuses, but somehow this adaptation fails to thrill Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:05am on January 6, 2015☆⚑

Diversity is the key to creativity " and British theatre's challenge for 2015 by Lyn Gardner

As the Stage 100 list shows, our theatres are dominated by the white, male middle classes " but we are finally waking up to the fact that true diversity, not box-ticking, can invigorate arts…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:00am on January 6, 2015☆⚑

The Dragon review " oddball charm in fairytale Stalin satire by Lyn Gardner

Southwark Playhouse, LondonYevgeny Schwartz's 1943 parody of prejudice and totalitarianism is energetic and gently updated for modern times Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:42am on January 5, 2015☆⚑

Potted Sherlock review " the whole Holmes is a little too elementary by Lyn Gardner

Vaudeville, LondonIt's hard to see the joke in this ridiculous comedy if you know nothing of Conan Doyle's many original stories Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:36am on January 5, 2015☆⚑

Plan your week's theatre: top tickets by Lyn Gardner

Bromance and breakdowns are in the air with a new circus show at the London international mime festival and Tamsin Greig in the Women on the Verge musicalThe Crick Crack Club is in action at…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 5:58am on January 5, 2015☆⚑

Beauty and the Beast review " no magic in this confused panto-musical hybrid by Lyn Gardner

Theatre Royal Stratford East, LondonDespite a proud tradition of excellent Christmas shows, TRSE's attempt to inject new ideas into this old tale falls at almost every turn Continue reading.…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:39am on January 4, 2015☆⚑

Best theatre performances of 2014: was Sofie Gråbøl your drama queen? by Lyn Gardner

You've read the best of the year lists, but what about the actors and ensembles who deserve a nod for shining on stage during 2014? Share your favourites' Lyn Gardner's top 10 theatre of 201…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:00am on December 26, 2014☆⚑