Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Paul Burbridge Designers: Sean Cavanagh, Anna Gooch Music/Sound: Patrick Burbridge Reviewer: Ron Simpson York certainly does Shakespeare proud, with the return of the Shakespeare’s Rose season at the end of June preceded by the York International Shakespeare Festival from May 9 to 19. There are a whole series of short-run productions/performances at the new pop-up space, ...

Writer & Director: Chelsea Gillard & Jac Ifan Moore Production company: PowderHouse Reviewer: Beth Steer Set around an ‘impassioned young man’ who leaves his home in rural Wales in the middle of the night to head to Spain and fight for his beliefs, Shooting Rabbits blends a mix of Welsh, English, Spanish and Basque to illustrate the narrative. In the ...

Composer/Project Lead: Kevin Malone Orchestra: Orchestra of Opera North Conductor: Robert Guy Soloist: Andy Long (violin) Reviewer: Ron Simpson A Day in the Life is described as a “project” rather than just a concert or a composition and, with Kevin Malone’s spoken introductions having hints as to the best way to listen to the pieces, the whole operation has a ...

Composer: Giuseppe Verdi Libretto: Antonio Ghislanzoni Conductor: Sir Richard Armstrong Director: Annabel Arden Reviewer: Ron Simpson At 227 in the Classic FM Hall of Fame is Aida, followed by (in brackets) “includes Grand March and Celeste Aida”. That sums up the problem with the opera: its general popularity rests on the first two of four acts and, also, to an ...

Writer: Maxine Peake Director: Marieke Audsley Lighting/Video: Simon Bedwell Set Designer: Ed Ullyart Reviewer: Ron Simpson It’s good to see the ever-enterprising East Riding Theatre reviving Maxine Peake’s ingenious and heartfelt play about Beryl Burton comparatively soon after its Leeds premiere and subsequent tour. The initial premise of the play is that nobody has heard of Beryl Burton despite her ...

Book: Thomas Meehan Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Martin Charnin Director: Nikolai Foster Reviewer: Kelyn Luther Who doesn’t need the optimism of plucky orphan Annie in a doubtful political climate? Whilst the show can be transported to other eras (such as the recent film adaptation), its spirit and many of its references - the play on name of Warbucks (war profiteering), ...

Writer: Hattie Collins Director: Hattie Collins Sound and Music: Santiago Frew Reviewer: Margarita Shivarova A production set in the context of an imaginary future, but not one far away from what an exaggerated reality of today’s world would look like. The opportunities and drawbacks of technological advancement versus the alternative views of how rising population on a finite planet should ...

Writer: John Nicholson and La Navet Bete Music: Peter Coyle Director: John Nicholson Reviewer: Charlotte Robson The four-man company of La Navet Bete returns to the adventures of their childhood, in their heroic roles as – and in – The Three Musketeers. And as they don their homemade costumes, assign parts and fling stuffed mallards about with abandon, they invite ...