UK REGIONAL THEATER REVIEWS

Lovely to look at, but horrid to contemplate...

Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre are known for their twists on fairytale classics, including this year’s Christmas production of Scouse Red Riding Hood. ...

Intellectually stimulating, if somewhat bloodless, version of a tragedy born of racism, jealousy and naivety...

Siân Phillips steals the evening in Theatre Royal Bath's twin-bill tribute to Terence Rattigan's one-act plays: lesser-known Table Number Seven, and The Browning Version ­– hailed by critics as 'a 70-minute masterpiece' when first performed at London's Phoenix Theatre in 1948....

This is a toolkit to help creatives in a business which is often hard to navigate, and I feel it is an excellent addition to the material currently available on the subject. It is written in a chatty and approachable style, and the bitesize structure is perfect for reading on the go....

Cheese and pineapple on a stick, anyone? The latest musical from Birmingham Rep takes us back to 1970s Britain, where trousers were flared, birthday parties required Iced Gems, and boys definitely didn't play girls in school musicals without everyone having something to say about it. BWW's critic we...

As Halloween creeps closer, things are starting to get spooky. And, following a sell-out tour in 2023, Ghost Stories by Candlelight is back for More. ...

If you're looking for sparkles, then Aladdin has you covered. The Broadway and West End hit is currently touring the UK and comes complete with heavily sequinned costumes and set pieces so drenched in gold they could have been created by King Midas. It's a slightly uneven production, but there are e...

Following a critically acclaimed run in 2019, Girls Don’t Play Guitars is back at Liverpool’s Royal Court. ...

The Irish are renowned for good story telling. From James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and George Bernard Shaw, to simply a good yarn over a pint in a pub. In a long line of cracking good tales, you couldn't get much better than the new immersive revival of Marie Jones' tragicomedy Stones in H...

“In death we are the same” – a phrase which Kelly Jones’ captivating play (…within a play… within a play) beautifully dissects. My Mother’s Funeral: The Show was first developed by Jones through the Mercury Theatre’s Playwrights Development Programme, before being picked up through a...

The King's Speech achieves something other screen to stage adaptations struggle with: staying true to the spirit while feeling like its own entity. Anchored by a still compelling script and captivating lead duo, the Watermill's production is a beautiful tribute to David Seidler's magnum opus....

What did our critic think of 1984 at Theatre Royal Bath?...

More than 17 years since its onstage premiere, The National Theatre’s acclaimed production of War Horse is providing yet another unforgettable theatrical experience for audiences on its current UK and Ireland tour....

All Things Considered Theatre Company opened their latest production, 8 Hours There and Back, at Liverpool’s Unity Theatre on 13 September....

The Irish writer Brendan Behan described critics as “eunuchs in a harem; they know how it’s done, they’ve seen it done every day, but they’re unable to do it themselves”. Quite a damning characterisation. Anand Tucker introduces an ageing critic, Jimmy Erskine, whose name and ruthlessness ...

Brick Up the Mersey Tunnels and Council Depot Blues writer Dave Kirby is back at Liverpool’s Royal Court with Lost Soul 2....

Even if this summer has been a bit of a washout, there's much sunshine to be had at Open Bar Theatre's touring production of Much Ado About Nothing....

If you're after certainty, then you should certainly steer clear of the revival of Harold Pinter's unsettling The Birthday Party at the Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal Bath. However, if you're up for an intriguing evening of comic surrealism mixed with creepy horror – think the Coen brothers meet We...

'‘Tis time to fear when tyrants seems to kiss.” It’s true that most of Shakespeare’s most well-known works remain perpetually relevant, particularly in the difficult times that continue to afflict populations worldwide, but sometimes it’s worth shuffling the pack and pulling out a lesser p...

'To promise nearly fifty million people truly universal health care - ‘cradle to the grave’ - is crackers.' Despite this quote featuring quite prominently in promotional material, and the poster image showing a pair of midwives, The Promise isn’t wholly about the founding of the NHS. Paul Unwi...

A stage adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1930’s spy film (which was in turn was an adaptation of John Buchans novel), The 39 Steps is a madcap dramedy set in 1935 but many of its themes feel relevant today, despite the wacky premise of just four actors playing 139 characters....

Following the success of A Thong for Europe at Liverpool’s Royal Court in 2023, writer Jonathan Harvey and director Stephen Fletcher are back with another five star comedy hit - Sisters of Mersey....

The Watermill’s dazzling production fully immerses the audience into the showman’s wondrous world in spite of its inherent script issues. With an all-round talented cast led by the ever charismatic Matt Rawle, you’d be justified if you wanted to run away and join the circus after watching this...

It's a testament to Lin-Manuel Miranda's almost perfect show that even with some performance issues, Hamilton is still a stunning and moving experience. Its impact isn’t diminished even after several viewings, and its themes of love, grief, ambition, freedom, forgiveness and family are always reso...