Tag Archives: Theatre Royal

The talk in York at the moment is not about Brexit, I’m A Celebrity or even Strictly, it is far more important than any of these. It is quite simply this, that after performing as Dame in 40 pantos at the City’s Theatre Royal, the much loved and revered Berwick Kaler has decided at the age of 72 to retire ...

Book: Joe Kinosian and Kellen Blair Music: Joe Kinosian Lyrics: Kellen Blair  Director: Luke Sheppard Reviewer: James Garrington The tale of the country-house murder has been around for a long time, and Murder for Two is another incarnation of the concept, but with a few twists along the way. It’s the same basic concept, though, and builds on the sort of thing ...

Writer:  Carl Grose Director: Simon Stokes Reviewer: Joan Phillips In the programme notes writer Carl Grose talks about being taken to United Downs as a child and how he always wanted to write about the area and the people he saw there. If you Google United Downs, the first five things that come up are: tip, dump, waste, industrial estate and banger racing. It ...

Writers: Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, Henry Shields Director: Mark Bell Reviewer: Lauren Humphreys The mighty Mischief Theatre return. Hoorah! On the heels of their world-wide success with The Play That Goes Wrong (Olivier Award-winning, a run on Broadway and around the globe and several UK tours) and Peter Pan Goes Wrong (West End, UK tour and a screening on the ...

Writer: Christine Mary Dunford (adapted from the book by Lisa Genova) Director: David Grindley Reviewer: Joan Phillips Dementia can seem one of nature's cruelest conditions. Young on-set Alzheimer's is even more vicious. Lisa Genova's book Still Alice, published in 2007, was first adapted for the stage by Christine Mary Dunford before it was then made into an academy award winning ...

Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Tim Rice Director: Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright Reviewer: Michael Hootman It’s hard to analyse exactly why this production of Evita doesn’t quite work; it does nothing obviously wrong and everyone involved seems perfectly competent. But it never soars or emotionally engages the viewer, and the hairs on the back of my neck remained steadfastly ...

Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Rufus Norris Reviewer: Lu Greer The National Theatre’s Macbeth, one of Shakespeare’s most popularly retold plays, tells the story of the aftermath of a ruinous civil war and the Macbeths being inexorably pulled towards the crown by forces of darkness. The tone of the show is evident immediately from the set which is dominated by an ...

Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Rufus Norris Reviewer: Joan Phillips Raven-black and using the full depth of Theatre Royal Plymouth's deep stage, designer Rae Smith's cavernous, almost subterranean set, ominously establishes the doomed atmosphere that permeates throughout the National Theatre's production of Macbeth. A huge arched bridge descends sharply to the front of the stage at floor level, and ascending to ...