2,878 stories by "Lyn Gardner"
Roundhouse, LondonReligion and theatre have much in common. Both require their followers to believe what seems to be unbelievable; and Catholicism in particular has truly fantastic cost…
Arcola, LondonGerman playwright Dea Loher's 1992 drama about Olga Benario, the German Jewish communist who was active in Germany and Brazil in the 1930s, is hard on both performers and audie…
Southbank Centre, LondonThe Mayans got it wrong " the world didn't stop spinning at the end of last year " but circus company My!Laika play out their own distinctly quirky form of catastroph…
The movie of Les Misérables puts musical theatre in the spotlight, but why such snobbery? This art form has given us West Side Story and My Fair LadyI won't be seeing the movie version of L…
The Accrington Pals is revived in Manchester, an all-male The Maids cleans up in Glasgow, and Rupert Everett plays Oscar Wilde in London's West EndNorthHurry along to the Royal Exchange in M…
In the UK, we work the longest hours in Europe "Â but curtain-up times are stuck in the past. Would starting shows earlier or later make life easier for today's theatre audiences?As the cl…
Unicorn, LondonMark Twain's historical novel is no longer a staple of modern childhood. But his lively fantasy about two lookalike boys " Prince Edward, son and heir of an ailing Henry VIII;…
Old Vic Tunnels, LondonFiona Shaw's solo performances of The Waste Land 15 years ago (reprised in 2010) were an extraordinary, spine-tingling experience. As she raised the ghosts of TS Eliot…
Is it big-name stars, a favourite director or the play itself that will tempt you to take the ticket plunge in 2013?The inbox is full of emails announcing upcoming shows, and the 2013 season…
Royal Albert Hall, LondonAnother new year, another Cirque du Soleil juggernaut rolls into town. This one " which has toured worldwide (the £10 programme comes in three languages) " may be…
2013 will be an ugly year for funding, but with fresh thinking we can ensure our theatres survive " and thrive " into the futureTalk to anybody in the arts, and the consensus is that 2013 is…
Barbican, LondonIf God is dead, then surely the devil can't exist either. We're in Stalinist Moscow in the 1930s, and an editor called Mikhail Berlioz is promoting the party line on atheism,…
Tobacco Factory, BristolHansel and Gretel and Mum and Dad would undoubtedly be the happiest family in central Europe " were it not for the fact that the land is in the grip of a cr…
Bristol Old VicPlay is at the heart of Sally Cookson's version of Peter Pan, set in a derelict space that children have turned into their own Neverland; a place where they can fight pirates …
Rowan Atkinson stars in Quartermaine's Terms at the Theatre Royal in Brighton; One Man, Two Guvnors resumes touring in Wales and Salford; and London launches its mime festivalLondonHappy new…
The term 'regional theatre' can be both complimentary and condescending, depending on who's talking. But is there a better way to describe theatre activity beyond London?I love Yorkshire par…
Whether it's superstars in the West End or a school nativity play, share your stories of the best " and worst " seasonal entertainment you've seen on stageThe turkey and pudding have been ea…
At this time of year, you'll find plenty of actors breaking down in laughter. Irritating and unprofessional " or can it bring a production alive?On the press night of Cinderella at the Lyric…
Bristol Old VicMum and Dad think Emily, Felix and Madeleine are safely tucked up in bed. How wrong parents sometimes are. The naughty trio have crept downstairs in the middle of the night, o…
The Guardian arts desk has chosen its top 10 theatre shows of 2012, but there were plenty of fine productions we couldn't squeeze in. What would you nominate?We've published our list of the …
Queen Elizabeth Hall, LondonAt the conclusion of this show, that grand epithet of teenage indifference, "whatever", is picked out in bright lights across the stage. But there's nothing apath…
Most people only ever see a show once, but others keep coming back. What's the appeal of repeated viewings?Spare a thought for Sylvia Bailey who has, it was reported last year, sat through A…
Sheffield CrucibleDaniel Evans' revival of the musical masterpiece about the flower girl who's trained to pass for a duchess is bloomin' marvellous. There are plenty of other musicals that o…
Barbican, LondonProfessor Meanwood hates Christmas, and is determined to abolish the festive spirit. General Algernon Crisis of the Royal Christmas Brigade is on hand to sort things out " ex…
This powerful and controversial collaboration between a British writer, a German director and an Estonian designer still hauntsA woman's severed head is found in the Thames, not far from the…
