Father Christmas, Lyric Hammersmith, London by Susan Elkin

Lyric Hammersmith, London: Barry McCarthy's take on Raymond Briggs' Father Christmas is a homely, flesh and blood old chap who snores, feels cold, goes to the loo, grumbles, enjoys…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 9:42am on December 13, 2012☆⚑

Cinderella, Hazlitt Arts Centre, Maidstone by Susan Elkin

Hazlitt Arts Centre, Maidstone: This generally upbeat show gives us the repeated hurling of a giant necklace made of five toilet rolls (rather than "five go-old rings") into the au…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 11:50am on December 11, 2012☆⚑

Dogs Don't Do Ballet, Little Angel Theatre, London by Susan Elkin

Little Angel Theatre, London: If you see only one children's Christmas show this month then it should be this witty, charming, engaging piece of miniature theatre. It's billed for …

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 5:55am on December 10, 2012☆⚑

Sleeping Beauty, Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury by Susan Elkin

Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury: This rather wet show meant that my notebook was soaked during the water pistol chase. And water spouts out of every corner and orifice in a hilarious slapstick s…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 6:06am on December 5, 2012☆⚑

The Prince and the Pauper, Unicorn Theatre, London by Susan Elkin

Unicorn Theatre, London: Imagine a Brechtian pantomime crossed with the ever-irreverent Horrible Histories. You can't fault this version of The Prince and the Pauper for originality. R…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 5:20am on December 3, 2012☆⚑

The Mouse and His Child, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon by Susan Elkin

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon: If a children's show is meant to be strong on story-telling then this one fails. It is almost impossible to work out what is going on, es…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 5:43am on November 30, 2012☆⚑

Goodnight Mister Tom, Phoenix, London by Susan Elkin

Phoenix, London: Originally staged at Chichester Festival Theatre last year and then toured, this show has matured and developed. A 1940s wartime reworking of the Silas Marner story in which…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 5:31am on November 28, 2012☆⚑

Pinocchio, Little Angel Theatre, London by Susan Elkin

Little Angel Theatre, London: Angela Miguel's gentle version of this familiar Italian story (no punitive burning of Pinocchio's wooden feet) runs on Little Angel's slick chara…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 6:31am on November 26, 2012☆⚑

The Wind in the Willows, Polka Theatre, London by Susan Elkin

Polka Theatre, London: It isn't easy to pare The Wind in the Willows down to six actor size. Toby Dulse's imaginative reworking with Martin Ward's evocative music and, above a…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 4:50am on November 26, 2012☆⚑

Too Many Penguins, Polka Theatre, London by Susan Elkin

Polka Theatre, London: This jolly little show gives us quiet but boring Mr Polaro (Samuel Jameson complete with white ursine furry legs) being invaded by fun-loving penguins, led by Clare Fr…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 11:47am on November 6, 2012☆⚑

News: Primary teachers developed as drama practitioners by Susan Elkin

It was somewhere very early in the new millennium that I first met Karl Wozny, founder of Bigfoot.  I watched some of his impressive work in action in a Wandsworth primary school. Then he…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 5:30am on November 5, 2012☆⚑

I, Malvolio, Unicorn Theatre, London by Susan Elkin

Unicorn Theatre, London: As piteously misunderstood, tragic Malvolio, Tim Crouch hilariously explores what it means to be a puritan (or today simply a decent person who doesn't drop lit…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 12:01pm on October 5, 2012☆⚑

A Winter's Tale, Unicorn, London by Susan Elkin

Unicorn, London: Four actors have come to Unicorn Theatre to stage a version of The Winter's Tale with renamed characters using modern language. And we never know, as they banter and s…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 7:12am on October 3, 2012☆⚑

Little Sunshine, Little Rainfall, Polka Theatre, London by Susan Elkin

Polka Theatre, London: Two gardeners tell a story for very young audiences - and play all the parts in this devised piece. Read the full review

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 1:08pm on October 2, 2012☆⚑

The Tear Thief, Little Angel Theatre, London by Susan Elkin

Little Angel Theatre, London: You can always rely on Little Angel for respectful work. And this exquisite miniature show is no exception. It respects the children and others in the audience.…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 7:15am on October 1, 2012☆⚑

Dr Korczak's Example, Unicorn, London by Susan Elkin

Unicorn, London: This dark, but determinedly optimistic piece tells the well documented story - hammered home with some moving chorus work to make the horrifying story absolutely clear to yo…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 7:13am on September 28, 2012☆⚑

Rumpelstiltskin, Quarterhouse Theatre, Folkestone by Susan Elkin

Quarterhouse Theatre, Folkestone: This delightful, energetic take - in witty rhyming couplets - on the traditional Rumpelstiltskin story has some of the most attractive folksy music (compose…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 6:42am on September 24, 2012☆⚑

Fagin's Last Hour, Sheppey Little Theatre, Kent by Susan Elkin

Sheppey Little Theatre, Kent: Fagin, one of the most loathsome characters in literature, filthy and snivelling, is to be hanged in an hour in this powerful and highly accomplished piece of B…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 6:24am on September 24, 2012☆⚑

The Day the Waters Came, Holy Family Technology College, London by Susan Elkin

Holy Family Technology College, London: This overtly and passionately political piece tells the harrowing tale of what it was really like to be black and abandoned in New Orleans in 2005 whe…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 11:44am on September 21, 2012☆⚑

East 15 Postgraduate Showcase MA Acting, Criterion Theatre, London by Susan Elkin

Criterion Theatre, London: Sorry East 15, it is impossible to showcase the work and talent of 44 people in 55 minutes effectively. Neither does it do anyone any favours to select 21 duologue…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 2:02pm on September 14, 2012☆⚑

King Lear, Nuffield, Southampton by Susan Elkin

Nuffield, Southampton: Tim Crouch's Lear, pared down mainly for primary school audiences - the RSC's fourth show in its Young People's Shakespeare series - becomes the story o…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 1:02pm on September 13, 2012☆⚑

Spotlight Prize 2012, Soho Theatre, London by Susan Elkin

Soho Theatre, London: It must be quite stressful to be the one student selected by your drama school to compete against 20 others from comparable drama schools for a major prize in front of …

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 9:49am on July 18, 2012☆⚑

As You Like It, Theatre Royal Margate by Susan Elkin

Theatre Royal Margate: An eight hander with terrific energy, lots of charm and Olly Fox's beautiful folksy music (no fewer than four fine fiddlers in a talented cast of actor musicians)…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 6:03am on July 9, 2012☆⚑

Something Very Far Away, Unicorn, London by Susan Elkin

Unicorn, London: Imagine a show in miniature in which all the conventions are reversed. Backstage is fully on view at the front behind which a story about dealing with grief, bereavement and…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 6:15am on June 8, 2012☆⚑

In a Pickle, Swan, Stratford-upon-Avon by Susan Elkin

Swan, Stratford-upon-Avon: Inspired by A Winter's Tale, commissioned for The World Shakespeare Festival and intended as an introduction to Shakespeare for two to four year olds, In a Pi…

SOURCE: The Stage Registration at 7:34am on June 7, 2012☆⚑