The Absence of War review " David Hare on message about political spin by Michael Billington

Crucible, SheffieldTime lends prescience to this dissection of Labour's election failure " but its revival delivers a warning to all parties about authenticity in a campaign yearThere is a c…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:04am on February 12, 2015☆⚑

How to Hold Your Breath review " magnetic Maxine Peake is bedevilled in morality play by Michael Billington

Royal Court, LondonZinnie Harris's apocalyptic new play sends its heroine on a downward spiral as Europe goes into financial freefallMaxine Peake was last seen on stage in Manchester as Haml…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 5:28am on February 11, 2015☆⚑

Jefferson's Garden review " Timberlake Wertenbaker's American tragedy by Michael Billington

Palace, Watford This sweeping study of US history uses a nine-strong ensemble to tell a riveting and richly complicated storyTimberlake Wertenbaker clearly has a taste for the epic. After he…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:00pm on February 10, 2015☆⚑

Little Light review " Alice Birch's play tests its performers (and our patience) by Michael Billington

Orange Tree, RichmondSuspense turns to frustration as this well-acted family mystery keeps the audience guessing Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 9:35am on February 9, 2015☆⚑

Tom Stoppard says audiences don't get his jokes " is that a hard problem? by Michael Billington

The playwright claims he now has to dumb down some lines for his literary references to be understood. But that doesn't mean audiences are less clever than they used to beI see Tom Stoppard …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:53am on February 9, 2015☆⚑

The Last of the De Mullins review " smuggles progressive ideas into traditional drama by Michael Billington

Jermyn Street theatre, LondonThis revival of a piece about a single mother reveals the largely forgotten Edwardian dramatist St John Hankin as something of a proto-feminist Continue reading.…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:50am on February 6, 2015☆⚑

Six Characters in Search of an Author review " a witty and withering theatrical satire by Michael Billington

Barbican, LondonThis striking French production of Pirandello's play shows how a classic can be reimagined without being subverted Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:56am on February 5, 2015☆⚑

Arcadia review " Stoppard revival has genuine emotion but loses marks on maths by Michael Billington

Theatre Royal, BrightonBlanche McIntyre's promising production of the manor-house play needs to work harder to help the audience understand the scientific theories Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:22am on February 4, 2015☆⚑

Geraldine McEwan: mischievously witty, from Mrs Malaprop to Miss Marple by Michael Billington

McEwan, who has died aged 82, excelled in an extraordinary range of roles, always displaying impeccable timingMy first sighting of Geraldine McEwan was as Olivia in Peter Hall's 1958 Stratfo…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:22am on February 1, 2015☆⚑

Di and Viv and Rose review " female friendship explored with wit by Michael Billington

Vaudeville, LondonAmelia Bullmore's sprightly play about three uni students and their lifelong alliance brings the best out of Tamzin Outhwaite and her co-stars Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:08am on January 30, 2015☆⚑

The Ruling Class review " James McAvoy's mock messiah is mesmerising by Michael Billington

Trafalgar Studios, London His bravura performance holds together an exuberant 60s period piece whose satire remains chillingly relevantPlays with fat star-parts tend to survive. Even if the …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:00am on January 29, 2015☆⚑

The Hard Problem review " rich, ideas-packed work underpinned by emotion by Michael Billington

Dorfman Theatre, LondonTom Stoppard tackles momentous ideas about consciousness, morality and human behaviour in stimulating play Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:50pm on January 28, 2015☆⚑

Dara review " epic drama depicts battling sons of man who built Taj Mahal by Michael Billington

National Theatre, LondonThe fascinating story of a 17th-century power struggle in the Mughal empire feels like a slightly earnest history lesson Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:58am on January 28, 2015☆⚑

Oppenheimer five-star review " father of atomic bomb becomes tragic hero at RSC by Michael Billington

The Swan, Stratford-upon-AvonTom Morton-Smith's massively impressive play explores the moral chain reactions before and after the bombing of Hiroshima"Oppenheimer's stature is not in questio…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:01am on January 23, 2015☆⚑

The Caucasian Chalk Circle review " rare staging reveals the true Brecht by Michael Billington

Unicorn, LondonThis production of Brecht's political morality tale underlines his instinctive theatricality with heartstopping scenes and one of modern drama's best comic figures Continue re…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:16am on January 22, 2015☆⚑

Rufus Norris's National Theatre must celebrate the new and honour the past by Michael Billington

Established names such as Hare, Bennett and Frayn are absent from director's opening year as he introduces a new team and a promising lineup. The big question concerns his 'reimagined classi…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:39am on January 21, 2015☆⚑

The Changeling review " Hattie Morahan is chillingly good in grisly masterpiece by Michael Billington

Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, LondonStar's expert portrayal of a woman on the edge of neurosis is the highlight as this venue continues to grow in stature Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:35am on January 21, 2015☆⚑

Islands review " grotesque drama about tax havens avoids the real issues by Michael Billington

Bush theatre, LondonCaroline Horton's toothless, self-delighting show leaves its object of ridicule serenely untouchedNothing is more frustrating than seeing a satirist, or a footballer, mis…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:19am on January 20, 2015☆⚑

Upper Cut review " love, Labour and loss in whistlestop tour of parliament by Michael Billington

Southwark Playhouse, LondonJuliet Gilkes Romero's fiery drama puts Labour in the dock for failing multicultural Britain Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:01am on January 19, 2015☆⚑

Tom Stoppard: playwright of ideas delivers a new Problem by Michael Billington

Tom Stoppard's new play The Hard Problem opens on 21 January. Michael Billington, who first reviewed him in 1966, salutes a playwright who, at his best, achieves a perfect balance of intelle…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 4:30am on January 17, 2015☆⚑

Bull review " chilling drama about merciless job candidates by Michael Billington

Young Vic Maria, LondonThe audience become voyeuristic accomplices as two interviewees turn on a rival in Mike Bartlett's gripping account of office politicsMike Bartlett's plays veer betwee…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:20am on January 16, 2015☆⚑

Othello review " an update full of sexuality and muscularity by Michael Billington

Lyric Hammersmith, LondonFrantic Assembly's shredded version of Shakespeare's tragedy, set among gangs in a Yorkshire pub, is worth seeing for its astonishing opening sequence alone' Frantic…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:14am on January 15, 2015☆⚑

Liberian Girl review " striking debut evokes horror of civil war by Michael Billington

Royal Court, LondonDiana Nneka Atuona's impressive play, about a teenage girl forced into fighting for Charles Taylor's cause, opens our eyes to Liberia's past Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:11am on January 14, 2015☆⚑

The Chronicles of Kalki review " a curious encounter with a mischievous avatar by Michael Billington

Gate, LondonAditi Brennan Kapil's play about two schoolgirls' adventures with an incarnation of the Hindu god, Vishnu, is baffling and rootless Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:35am on January 13, 2015☆⚑

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown review " West End musical is screwball fun by Michael Billington

Playhouse, London Tamsin Greig gives a sparky performance as she skitters around Madrid in this knockabout, rueful farce based on Pedro Almodóvar's filmWhy Almodóvar's world is pure th…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 5:00pm on January 12, 2015☆⚑