UK REGIONAL THEATER REVIEWS

A little dated for sure, but with enough Ayckbourn (and even a touch of Fawlty Towers) to appeal to 21st century audiences, this is a pleasing, if unchallenging, evening's entertainment....

In a new UK tour currently playing at Bristol Old Vic, award-winning theatre company simple8 have joined forces with Northampton's Royal & Derngate to present Simon Dormandy's adaptation of E.M. Forster's novel A Passage to India....

Terry Johnson tells us of his lifelong friendship with Ken Campbell, an eccentric giant of English Theatre, in a funny, poignant and beautifully performed production....

The original production of Miss Saigon ran for more than ten years at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane throughout the 1990s, and a revised version - billed as the 25th Anniversary production - opened at the Prince Edward Theatre in 2014. Following its closure in May 2016, it's this version which ha...

Though Sacha Guitry is largely unknown in the UK, this production weaves five extracts of his plays into a single narrative and shows that the tag of 'The French Noel Coward' was not undeserved....

One for fans of Jane Austen and for anyone who likes to see an intelligent production performed with technical skill and rewarding wit....

A fine production that grapples with the play's tricky structure to bring home Brecht's political points with a relevance for today that can hardly be missed....

Shrek The Musical tells the tale of an ogre trying to get his swamp back. And David Lindsay-Abaire's adaptation has certainly managed to turn the famous Dreamworks animation into a real life spectacle....

George Bernard Shaw's Chekhovian black comedy has plenty of political heft, but lacks the dramatic clarity required to engage from first to last....

OperaUpClose condense and update Tchaikovsky's classic tragedy for a new space and a new culture, but never lose sight of its deep set Russian roots....

Gary Naylor looks back on 101 shows reviewed in 2017 and picks the best of the best....

Five talented performers share stories and songs in this contemporary British tribute to the tradition of the 'rent party'....

Charming, affectionate and exuberant - this latest version of the Wizard of Oz is a magical crowd-pleaser....

Traditionally, Dick Whittington tells the tale of a man who travels to London to find his fortune. And with infamous showman John Barrowman playing the staring role, Dick Whittington, and a charming Seventies duo, The Krankies, this production has the foundations to be a fantastic show. But despite ...

The Twilight Zone takes us into the world of early 60s cult science fiction TV in a bold and innovative adaptation that never quite transcends its structural weaknesses....

Embarking on its first UK tour, 'Beautiful' examines Carole King's remarkable transformation from schoolgirl to superstar, her relationship with husband and song-writing partner Gerry Goffin, and their close friendship and playful rivalry with fellow song-writing duo Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann....

The stage adaptation of the hit 2001 comedy film 'Legally Blonde' embarks on a second UK tour and doesn't disappoint, with excellent lead performances from Lucie Jones, Rita Simons and Bill Ward....

It's that time of year again... panto season. Oh no it isn't. Oh yes it is. Sleeping Beauty at Theatr Clwyd begins with the cast in the audience dressed as fairies, with bubbles blowing everywhere, much to the delight of the audience....

The Charles Court Opera Company's eleventh panto continues their tradition of bold re-interpretations and bad jokes....

Privates on Parade is often amusing, but time has not treated its approach to issues kindly, even for those unoffended by the casual racism and misogyny typical of its era....

Uncle Vanya at its simplest is a bleak take on the human condition. At its most complex, it's a harrowing look into the never-ending cycle of humanity and how easy it is to be consumed by your own mind....

Ordinary Days captures the ups and downs of romance in a big city with fine singing and warm, winning performances....

This is a great, complex, problematic, Shakespearean, mythic, disturbing, provocative play....

The Dark Room raises important issues but its lack of nuance and relentless emotional pain delivered at top volume and top speed, detract from its dramatic potential....

As it settles into its run, expect this production of 'Earnest' to bring out comedy that goes against the grain of the times, but is no less funny for that....