2,436 stories by "Michael Billington"
Only a handful of Oliviers were awarded for work stemming from the commercial sector " proving that the West End is merely showcasing exciting productions, not creating themAt least I got on…
Barbican, LondonHow times change! When Botho Strauss's play was first seen in Britain in 1983 it was greeted with boos and mass walkouts on its pre-West End tour. Now it arrives in a crisp n…
Bush, LondonIt takes chutzpah for a man to write an all-woman play. But Lee Mattinson pulls off a tricky feat with panache in this initially raucous comedy about recurring family get-togethe…
As the director of 2012's Brighton festival, Vanessa Redgrave hopes to save the Earth, fix the economy and uncover the real origins of the Arab spring. So why does Michael Billington th…
As the director of 2012's Brighton festival, Vanessa Redgrave hopes to save the Earth, fix the economy and uncover the real origins of the Arab spring. So why does Michael Billington th…
Apollo, LondonWhy, however often we see it, do we continue to find Eugene O'Neill's family drama so moving? Partly because the play draws so closely on the author's own experience. Watching …
Some say that England's rep theatres need a revolution if they're to have a future. Perhaps instead they could learn from the pastSome argue that the days of the civic repertory theatre and …
Lowry, SalfordFifties Broadway musicals are back in vogue. First it was Gypsy in Leicester. Now two celebrated Mancunian institutions, the Halle Orchestra and the Royal Exchange, join forces…
Belgrade, CoventryLaurie Slade, who has come up with a new version of Strindberg's 1887 play, says it would be superficial to view it as a misogynistic rant. Indeed it would. But it would al…
Finborough, London"I never want to see the ugly, misshapen little brat again," said WS Gilbert after the 1896 premiere of his final collaboration with Arthur Sullivan. His wish was granted, …
The gay and lesbian theatre movement has changed radically since the oppressive days of the 1950s, but could more writers rise to the challenge of contemporary issues?Queer theatre is the ac…
The gay and lesbian theatre movement has changed radically since the oppressive days of the 1950s, but could more writers rise to the challenge of contemporary issues? Continue reading...
Arcola, LondonI can see why Leonid Zorin's Russian play, written in 1967, became a global success: it deals with that most universal of themes, a fractured love affair. But Romeo and Juliet …
Arden may have fallen out of favour, but the intoxicating vigour of his language set him apart. I hope his day comes againTo anyone of my generation, the death of playwright John Arden is a …
Actors, I criticise you because I careAm I soft on actors? David Hare said so in our lively on-stage encounter during the recent Guardian Open Weekend. I've been asking myself ever since whe…
The Print Room, LondonA Chekhov mini-season, with another Vanya opening next week in Chichester, kicks off with Lucy Bailey's fine revival of this sublime play. If I withhold greater pr…
It may not be able to topple governments, but it informs, illuminates, entertains and raises awareness " and it's impossible to imagine life without it"Does political theatre ever have any i…
Almeida, LondonWatching Michael Attenborough's revival of Eduardo de Filippo's 1946 Neapolitan comedy is a pleasant experience: a sun-kissed garden set by Robert Jones, warm lighting by…
Barbican, LondonIt is not quite true to say that Mikhail Bulgakov's novel, written between 1928 and 1940, is unadaptable. I saw a famous production by Yuri Lyubimov in Moscow in 1983, and Ed…
Newly appointed RSC artistic director Greg Doran is a true Shakespearean, fit for the challenges aheadWhen Michael Boyd's departure from the Royal Shakespeare Company was first announced las…
Adelphi, LondonOne test of a true work of art is that it is open to multiple possibilities. Since its premiere in 1979, I have seen Stephen Sondheim's dark masterpiece staged everywhere fro…
Adelphi, London Continue reading...
Olivier wasn't just a great actor " he was a quintessentially modern performer, who cast a powerful spell over audiencesIt's a shock to realise that few people under the age of 60 will ever …
If you listen to a new CD that tries to capture the original pronunciation of Shakespeare, you might think soI'm not a great fan of "authenticity" in Shakespeare: partly because tastes chang…
Orange Tree, RichmondThere's something old, something new in this double bill by Martin Crimp. What is odd is that the new piece, Play House, shows the mature Crimp evoking impassioned youth…
