Tag Archives: Mark Hadfield

Writer: Eugene O’Hare Director: Alice Hamilton Reviewer: Stephen Bates In the first of his two plays receiving their world premieres at the Park Theatre this year, Eugene O’Hare turns to a retro style of black comedy in order to explore deeply disturbing modern themes. At first glance, The Weatherman appears to be an undisguised homage to Harold Pinter’s 1960 play, ...

Writer: Stephen Jeffreys Director: Terry Johnson Reviewer: David Guest Anyone salivating over the salacious poster promoting The Libertine at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, is in for a big disappointment. Apart from a lewd and largely irrelevant song at the opening of Act Two, this production delivers little of the sauciness it teases. Stephen Jeffreys’ 1994 faux-Restoration romp (which he has ...

Writer: Francis Veber Adaptor and Director: Sean Foley Reviewer: Dan English   Kenneth Branagh and Rob Brydon provide a comedy masterclass as Branagh’s Theatre Company opens their new offering, The Painkiller, at London’s Garrick Theatre. Directed by Sean Foley, this adaptation of Francis Veber’s Le Contrat sees Branagh and Brydon star as neighbours in the boutique hotel ‘Maison de Lit’. ...

Book: Richard Bean Lyrics: Richard Thomas Music: David Arnold Director: Rupert Goold Reviewer: Maryam Philpott   Turning a film into a play or stage musical has become fairly commonplace; yet in a discerning market, for every success like Grease or Hairspray there’s a misfire like Fatal Attraction. How much more difficult that becomes when the you take a film that ...

Writer: The Goodale Brothers, from the works of PG Wodehouse Director: Sean Foley Reviewer: Christopher Hong [rating:3.5] On a bare stage, Bertie Wooster begins the play by addressing the audience about reenacting the happenings ofthe past few days. He has been told he is a wonderful actor, so he has decided to tell this story in a theatre himself. Soon, ...

Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Adrian Noble Reviewer: Shane Morgan [rating:3.5] The Isle is full of noises as we are told by the captive Caliban. The shipwrecked Ferdinand also speaks of fury and passion. These extremes are dealt with throughout what is arguably Shakespeare’s final play. Adrian Noble’s production focuses on discovery. From the shipwrecked nobles through to the island’s residents, ...