The high-heeled powerhouse that is Kinky Boots has strutted into the Theatre Royal Nottingham this week with all the razzle-dazzle you’d expect, though not without a few stumbles along the runway. Let’s start with the standout: Johannes Radebe’s Lola is simply magnetic. With effortless charisma, total command of the stage, and sublime movement, Radebe delivers…

Bat Out of Hell, currently playing at the Regent Theatre in Stoke as part of its 2025 UK tour, is a production of contradictions. It boasts one of the finest vocal casts currently touring the UK, but is utterly hamstrung by chaotic direction, a nonsensical script, and staging decisions that often confuse more than they…

Stage Productions’ amateur staging of Shrek the Musical is a triumphant, laugh-out-loud joyride packed with heart, humour, and some truly fantastic performances. Bursting with colour, energy, and character, the show proves a firm reminder of why the musical, based on the DreamWorks animation, is such a favourite for audiences of all ages. From the very…

While Calamity Jane herself was a real person, the story of the musical is entirely fictional: Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickock work as gunslingers in the Wild West town of Deadwood.  ‘Calam’ rides the stagecoach, protecting it from bandits and bringing in supplies and passengers to the otherwise isolated town, including talent for the local…

Alan Bleasdale’s Boys from the Blackstuff is a landmark in British drama, and its transition from the 1980s television screen to the contemporary stage comes with both challenges and triumphs. This touring production, directed by Kate Wasserberg, brings Bleasdale’s potent exploration of working-class despair and resilience into sharp focus – with a few bumps along…

The iconic, irreverent musical The Book of Mormon, the brainchild of Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Robert Lopez, has landed in Nottingham’s Theatre Royal this month, bringing with it a riot of laughter, showstopping tunes, and a reminder of how thrilling live musical theatre can be. Since its 2011 debut on Broadway – where it…

In a landmark moment for both the venue and the company, Les Misérables makes its long-awaited amateur debut at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal – and Nottingham Operatic Society’s production (in conjunction with Carlton Operatic Society and The Cast) rises superbly to the occasion. Directed by David Covey and staged as part of the society’s centenary year celebrations, this…

Currently touring the UK and stopping off at Stoke’s Regent Theatre, & Juliet is a glittering pop-powered reimagining of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, asking what might happen if Juliet didn’t die, but chose to rewrite her own story instead. Penned by Schitt’s Creek writer David West Read and bursting with pop anthems from Max Martin…

Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show has long been a gleeful, gender-bending rebellion against theatrical convention – and even after half a century, it continues to draw crowds ready to shout, sing, and step to the left. This week’s stop in Stoke sees the latest UK tour bring its usual blend of glam rock, B-movie…