UK REGIONAL THEATER REVIEWS

Gary Naylor sees a tremendously impassioned production of Puccini's masterpiece, its power given full rein by musicians and singers who can fill a large theatre with this magical opera....

Gary Naylor sees a rare revival of one of Gaetano Donizetti's many works and finds it lovely to listen to and as packed with emotion as one has come to expect from Italian opera....

Gary Naylor sees a reminder of the persistence of the brutality of war sung wonderfully well with the power of an orchestra in the pit and a libretto that does not flinch in the face of horror....

Gary Naylor sees a show full of great songs and strong performances and the professional debut of Liberty Buckland - a name to remember....

Gary Naylor sees a Romeo and Juliet that boldly goes into territory often left dormant by more orthodox directorial decisions....

Gary Naylor sees a show that will appeal to teens, show that takes plenty of liberties with computing history, but that fails to deliver its potential due to sound problems....

Debuting earlier this month in Chichester, The King's Speech opened to critical acclaim. The show is a co-production with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre where I had the privilege of watching last night. When the film was released in 2010 starring Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush, it became the most s...

Timed for the centenary of the First World War, Terry Johnson's revival of Oh! What A Lovely War still packs a serious satirical punch. It felt just as relevant and almost as hard hitting today as it would have done in 1963 - when it was first produced by Joan Littlewood at the Theatre Royal Stratfo...

Gary Naylor sees an entertaining revival of Gilbert and Sullivan's tale of reviving ancestors delivered with the Charles Court Opera Company's undying joie de vivre....

Based on the 2003 novel by Mark Haddon, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time premiered at the National Theatre in 2012. By the following year, it had transferred into the West End and won a massive seven Olivier Awards including Best Play. As well as continuing in London, it is also pla...

The Sheffield Theatres' Sarah Kane season gets off to a dynamic start with this 20th anniversary production of Blasted....

After wowing crowds and the Olivier Award judges, Top Hat is touring the country bringing its infectious enthusiasm and the spirit of Fred Astaire around the country. Manchester's Opera House theatre hosted the latest leg of this affectionate adaption of irving Berlin's 1935 film staring Astaire and...

Gary Naylor sees a fascinating, powerful play that examines the life of cult Hollywood director James Whale, a man wrestling with a past and present that grants him no comfort at the end of a long and fulfilling life....

Gary Naylor sees a revival of a 1963 musical that looks gorgeous and is filled with lovely melodies, but doesn't reach its potential due to its leads not quite sparking as lovers....

Gary Naylor sees a play about cancer - or rather, about how cancer is faced by patients and medics. He is entertained by music and comedy, and is given much on which to ponder....

Gary Naylor sees a fine, serious, thought-provoking production of the classic late 50s story anchored by splendid music and a marvellous central performance....

Gary Naylor sees a now legendary show based on a legendary film and a legendary King. So, does it live up to its status?...

Islands at the Bush Theatre is both written by and stars Caroline Horton as the grotesque character Mary, a self-proclaimed god who lives in Haven with her two very camp assistants Swill (Seiriol Davies) and Agent (John Biddle). Floating safely 30 feet in the air above Shitworld, the inhabitants are...

Re Theatre's hour-long movement and music was performed this week at Jackson's Lane as part of the London International Mime Festival....

Gary Naylor sees a brilliantly staged update of Shakespeare's tale of jealousy, love and misunderstandings that reaches out to a young audience and may hook them forever....

Gary Naylor takes his seat to watch a live transmission of a classic operetta beamed from The Big Apple to The Big Smoke and losing little en route....

Gary Naylor sees a poignant, funny, disorienting monologue about a man who is not from here, but appears to be inside all of us, somewhere....

Gary Naylor sees a production that squeezes an epic play into a tiny space, capturing its essence, if not quite its clarity....

Gary Naylor sees a bold, and ultimately fulfilling, revival of Jerry Herman's 1979 musical, one that makes up in drama and pathos what it lacks in characterisation....

Having visited the Belgrade a couple of weeks ago to see their annual pantomime (which was rather good I might add), I was also invited to see their 'alternative' panto or "udderly gripping comedy thriller" as it has been branded. The production is aptly named Oh No It Isn't! and is back by popular ...