ARCOLA THEATRE

by Clementine Scott - February 20, 2026

The premise of What I’d Be is disarmingly simple: two estranged sisters sit on a bench in a small town, and talk. In one unflinchingly cathartic hour of theatre, they’ve ricocheted from outright resentment to reconciliation....

by Gary Naylor - February 19, 2026

Innovative take on familiar comedy proves hit and miss as lovers and fairies fight...

by Cindy Marcolina - February 20, 2026

f we’re speaking technically, a dramatised lecture is an educational performance that joins drama and academia in order to make the topic more entertaining to the public. In this case, Conradi offers an engaging one-man show that makes the bulky five acts of Peer Gynt accessible and smooth. He lig...

by Louise Penn - February 19, 2026

Opening the London Handel Fetsival, this flawless presentation of Saul was a celebration of Handel that set the tone of the performances to follow. The acoustics in the hall were exceptional, with clear enunciation throughout and a sense of occasion....

by Laura Lott - February 18, 2026

Before Taylor Swift versus Charli XCX - but after The Beatles versus The Rolling Stones - came Blur versus Oasis. David Niven's debut comedy at Birmingham Rep takes us back to the summer of 1995, when temperatures and egos both soared and the nation was gripped by the chart battle between Oasis’ �...

by Gary Naylor - February 17, 2026

#MeToo and cancel culture needs a new angle sadly lacking in humdrum new play...

by Cindy Marcolina - February 18, 2026

While most people knew Chadwick Boseman for his blockbuster appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as T’Challa/Black Panther, the actor was also a playwright and director. His early career was spent treading the boards in New York, where he became a Drama League Directing Fellow at 24 years ...

by Aliya Al-Hassan - February 17, 2026

Multi-award-winning Cynthia Erivo is having a pretty good year: still riding high on the success of the Wicked films and nominated for an MBE in the 2026 New Year Honours list, she is now going back to her stage roots in Kip Williams's adaptation of Bram Stoker's gothic masterpiece, Dracula. Antici...

by Christiana Rose - February 16, 2026

Set beneath a vibrant circus tent filled with sparkling multicoloured lights and fluttering flags, the production opens with a jovial instrumental atmosphere that immediately invites children into the world of the show....

by Cindy Marcolina - February 15, 2026

Two best friends, the ghost of Katie’s brother, a secret. When Roni shows up at Charlie’s old flat, she finds Katie rummaging through his things while a party is in full swing upstairs. When Charlie died months prior, Katie disappeared from Roni’s life, leaving her without a place to stay and ...