The Gender-Plays of Theatre
At first, it almost sounds like a pantomime: the tyrannical rule of Julius Caesar embodied by a sadistic Frances Barber; the regal authority of Henry IV assumed by a masculine […]
Category Archives: Theatre
Dara, National Theatre, 2015
There is no doubting that the tale behind Dara is an powerful one. In 17th century India, the sons of Shah Jahan, the man who built the Taj Mahal to […]
Great Britain, Theatre Royal Haymarket, 2014
Opening just days after Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson were tried in connection with phone-hacking at News International, Richard Bean’s Great Britain turns this deep-seated scandal into a darkly satirical […]
The Cherry Orchard, Young Vic, 2014
Following on from the soaring, sell-out productions of A View from the Bridge and A Streetcar Named Desire, expectations on the Young Vic’s production of The Cherry Orchard were inevitably high. It’s widely […]
Wildefire, Hampstead Theatre, 2014
The first of a season at Hampstead Theatre shining a spotlight onto Britain’s public services, Wildefire takes on the world of modern policing. The play casts an honest glance at […]
On Stage, On Screen
First photography, then books – and now not even theatre can resist the influence of the digital age. When National Theatre Live broadcast its first performance of Phèdre in 2009, […]
Seminar, Hampstead Theatre, 2014
A writer writing about writers – it’s a concept which, on the surface, can’t help sounding slightly self-indulgent. Yet this is the exact undertaking of Theresa Rebeck in her play, […]
My Night With Reg, Donmar Warehouse, 2014
It’s a tragedy in itself that Kevin Elyot passed away before the revival of My Night with Reg. For his play, in its portrayal of a group of gay male […]
The Importance of Being Earnest, Harold Pinter Theatre, 2014
There is often a misconception in theatre that when a classic play is performed, the purpose of its revival must be justified creatively. That is, there is often a self-imposed […]
A Small Family Business, National Theatre, 2014
The revival of any play always begs a new question about its significance. Has its relevance endured? Will it still stand up and speak to us on a second viewing, […]
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