Central Reviews

Writer: Tom Stoppard Director: Rachel Kavanaugh Reviewer: Dave Smith It is entirely possible that somewhere deep within Rough Crossing there’s actually a work of genius still just waiting to be unearthed by the right director and the right cast. This can’t be entirely ruled out as a theory because Tom Stoppard has, of course, written some of the finest British plays ...

Book: Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer Music: Green Day  Lyrics: Billie Joe Armstrong Director: Racky Plews Reviewer: Gemma Fincher Green Day‘s explosive rock musical American Idiot is back in Birmingham as it celebrates its 10th anniversary and also the 15th anniversary of the influential, Grammy-award winning concept album on which it is based. Winner of two Tony Awards, American Idiot tells the ...

Writer: Emma Rice, adapted from the novel by Angela Carter Director: Emma Rice Reviewer: Selwyn Knight Wise Children is the acclaimed final novel by Angela Carter, now adapted by Emma Rice as the inaugural production of her new company, also called Wise Children, following her tenure as artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe. The plot concerns twin girls, Nora and Dora ...

Book, Lyrics and Directors: Sam Cochrane and Chris Baker Music: Theo Caplan and Tom Slade Reviewer: Tim Harding Are you a Montashoe or a Keypulet? That is the amusing question posed by the portrait of William Timpson, founder of the eponymous High Street retailer, at the start of this 110 minute romp through Victorian London. Imagine Tesco the Panto! written by ...

Writer: Eleanor Bergstein Director: Federico Bellone Reviewer: Clare White Dirty Dancing, the film,  enjoyed reasonable box office success when it was released in 1987, but it was its subsequent soundtrack that elevated the coming-of-age tale into a much-loved cult classic. Now, three decades later, that soundtrack is well used in the latest stage adaptation of film featuring over 40 songs including ...

Writer: David Mamet Director: Sam Yates Reviewer: Maggie Constable Be warned! If you are heading to Milton Keynes Theatre this week, you may feel you are being inveigled into buying some very dodgy property such as Glen Ross Farm. On the other hand, it could just be that you are watching four U.S purveyors of real estate compete with each ...

Writer: Kristina Gavran Director: Tilly Branson Reviewer: Hannah Powell What does home mean for those whose lives are left precariously in the balance by looming post-Brexit Britain? Notnow Collective present the premiere of their new one-woman show Pepper & Honey on the day after the UK was planned to leave the European Union. Twelve Years, Seven rented apartments, Five jobs, and three different ...

Writer: Sabrina Mahfouz from the novel by Malorie Blackman Director: Esther Richardson Reviewer: Selwyn Knight Imagine an alternative Britain. A Britain in which discrimination on the basis of your skin colour is rife. Where the underclass isn’t allowed mobile phones or even such luxuries as milk every day. Where schools and jobs are segregated. In this Britain, the ruling class ...