2,878 stories by "Lyn Gardner"
Greenwich theatre, LondonThis one-man adaptation of a Saul Bellow story lacks the quiet comedy and messy human warmth of the novelist's workSaul Bellow wrote exquisite prose and memorable ch…
New Vic, Newcastle-under-LymeThis lyrical, beautifully constructed first world war drama is a reminder not only of lives lost, but of the traditions that made those lives worth living' Read …
Unicorn, LondonWriter Chris Thorpe's customary gift for making the complex riveting and accessible is absent in this contemporary take on Doctor FaustusIt's just an ordinary Saturday morning…
Some productions, such as the current Ghosts revival, do away with intervals entirely. But, as in the plays of Harold Pinter, a pause in the action really can matterTheatre critics are almos…
Young Vic, LondonThis still-relevant revival gifts Fugard, Kani and Ntshona's 1972 play with terrific performancesMr Styles is in the memorial business. A photographer living near Port Eliza…
Blank verse can be wonderfully contemporary, and spoken-word works such as Kate Tempest's sell-out Brand New Ancients prove that theatre producers shouldn't fear poetryWould you attend a pla…
Nuffield, SouthamptonHuman individuality is at the heart of Caryl Churchill's brilliantly staged, punchy and discomforting look at cloning' Read interview with cast members John and Lex Shra…
Lyric Hammersmith, LondonEllen McDougall brings a seething, messy energy to this fitfully brilliant show of gender politicsDirector Ellen McDougall has a good eye for the best kind of cultur…
Loved-up couples should probably give Strindberg and Beckett a miss. And Romeo and Juliet doesn't guarantee a romantic night out. What shows are fit for 14 February?It's Valentine's Day tomo…
Battersea Arts Centre, London As Valentine's Day looms, this fragmentary tale offers a timely reminder of the visceral nature and the duality of loveThe fast-approaching St Valentine's Day m…
As Tanztheater Wuppertal's 1980 proves, theatre is at its most potent when it doesn't offer answersSomebody once asked the dancer Anna Pavlova what she meant when she was dancing. "If I coul…
St James Studio, LondonAn expertly performed and energetic show that pulls the audience deep into the world of Greek mythologyEverybody wants to be a hero, and everyone can be with Temple Th…
Lift's lineup of productions from around the globe breaks down distinctions between artforms and allows audiences to experience the work of world-class theatremakers"Theatre is my map of the…
Hope, LondonWhat will happen to Russia's gay community once the Olympic cameras have left? That's the question at the heart of this verbatim-style playStephen Fry's call for a boycott of the…
Tobacco Factory, BristolWitty, heartbreaking and painful, this play about modern, digital alienation is uncomfortably prescientWhen you were young, did you imagine that the future would be l…
Albany, LondonAudience participation brings energy to this Cardboard Citizens production of Kate Tempest's play, but the story about family fragilities lacks clarityRia had Jess young, and J…
Wise Children, Ballet Shoes, The Swish of the Curtain or One Good Turn. Which theatre-related novels do you love?Since childhood I've always loved a really good theatrical novel. Begun when …
Roundhouse, LondonIn this affecting one-man show, the past of a compulsive liar is laid bare " but is his emotional selfie a true confession?Scottee is sitting on stage in a photobooth. We w…
According to David Mamet, the audience is the only judge. But theatres are afraid of asking them what they really thinkAt Paines Plough's symposium on the future of small-scale touring in Ma…
West Yorkshire Playhouse, LeedsThis Opera North production, inspired by Wedekind's Lulu plays and featuring the Tiger Lillies, makes for disturbing and compulsive viewing' Read an interview …
We should dream about theatre's future rather than limiting our creative scope by endorsing austerity and cutsOne of the telling moments at the Paines Plough conference on the future of smal…
The Vaults, LondonThis limp adaptation of Hunter S Thompson's 1971 novel suffers from clumsy design and a lack of theatrical imaginationMore like fear and loathing in SE1. Only those longing…
Shoreditch Town Hall, LondonThis exploration of the unrehearsed moment, in which the audience are the players, is intriguing yet too cerebralHave you ever walked down a street and felt like …
Do you have a soft spot for Ophelia? Do you secretly admire Lady M and Medea? An homage to favourite female charactersI've been reading Samantha Ellis's terrific How to be a Heroine. Ellis c…
Royal Exchange, ManchesterA haunting and beautifully acted production of Simon Stephens's latest Stockport play emphasises our longing to connectYou can love a place and hate it too. Even as…
