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REVIEW: Boys from the Blackstuff – Regent Theatre – Stoke-on-Trent
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…
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REVIEW: The Book of Mormon – Theatre Royal – Nottingham
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…
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REVIEW: Les Misérables: Let The People Sing! – Theatre Royal – Nottingham
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…
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REVIEW: &Juliet – Regent Theatre – Stoke-on-Trent
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…
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REVIEW: War Horse – Royal Concert Hall – Nottingham
There are moments in the theatre that feel utterly spellbinding – when the stage disappears and you are immersed in another world. War Horse, now touring the UK and currently playing at the Theatre Royal Nottingham, delivers two hours of exactly that: theatre that transcends its form to tell a story of raw human emotion,…
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REVIEW: The Rocky Horror Show – Regent Theatre – Stoke-on-Trent
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…
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REVIEW: Much Ado About Nothing – Royal Shakespeare Theatre – Stratford-upon-Avon
Michael Longhurst’s modern reimagining of Much Ado About Nothing at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre is bold, stylish and emotionally charged. Replacing the backdrop of war with the world of top-flight football and celebrity culture, this production offers a contemporary take on Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, complete with WAG glamour, tabloid scandals and digital-age betrayal. It’s a…
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REVIEW: Titus Andronicus – Swan Theatre – Stratford-upon-Avon
Max Webster’s take on Titus Andronicus for the Royal Shakespeare Company is a blood-drenched triumph. This is a production that dares to draw laughter from horror, finds nuance in revenge, and extracts psychological depth from the play often dismissed as Shakespeare’s crude early tragedy. With razor-sharp vision, exquisite design, and a cast on blistering form, this Titus both shocks…
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REVIEW: Ghost Stories – Theatre Royal – Nottingham
Currently haunting the Theatre Royal Nottingham as part of its first full UK tour, Ghost Stories proves why it has become a worldwide cult phenomenon. Written and directed by Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman, the production manages the rare feat of bringing genuine horror to the stage — no easy task — and does so…
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REVIEW: Murder, She Didn’t Write – Theatre Royal – Nottingham
Stepping into Theatre Royal Nottingham for Murder, She Didn’t Write feels a little like checking into an Agatha Christie novel that’s been rewritten by Monty Python after too much coffee. The show’s concept is dazzlingly simple: the audience provides the raw ingredients—location, murder weapon, and even victim—while the cast spins these suggestions into a completely original murder…
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