Gary Naylor

Theatre is, of course, a window on another world, often glitzier and brighter than our own, sometimes a reflection that can comfort or discomfit us and sometimes a portal into what it is to be human at all. It is an escape - and who can deny that we need such refuges more than ever - but it can be so much more than mere escapism. The best theatre of 2025 made those lofty promises - and kept them.

Perfect medicine for the winter blues

Part-panto, part-pastiche, an affectionate and funny homage to genres past and present

Musically impressive with real high points, the drama does not quite hold together

A free exhibition at the National Theatre proves an eye-opener for those of us who, too often, take stage design for granted

Richhard Linklater's film is set of the opening night of Oklahoma! in 1943, the beginning of the end for Richard Rodgers' first lyricist

'True', 'Gold' and plenty of easy listening classics gives his adoring public exactly what they want

Hundreds flood the stage to reaffirm the magic of theatre and the value of all

Touring production wears its heart on its sleeve

Tosca in Italian with English surtitles, from £20 in January, is next on this stage

Ardent Theatre Company focuses on Britain's forgotten twentysomethings - and not just for the plot

It’s easy to forget that, while we all know that theatres have four walls, they also have two doors. The one we all know has bright lights, glossy playbills, a welcoming foyer and, sometimes, a queue for a bag search, that mark of 21st century life. But where is the other? Hard to find, hard to get past a code pad for entry / scowling guard and hard to know what to do even if you’ve cleared those hurdles. You guessed it, it’s all a bit on the nose as a metaphor for breaking into theatre as a career.

A touch of Grand Guignol and a soupçon of French farce can't land a show whose style swamps its substance

Olly Hawes excavates the anxieties of a man adrift in a hostile and confusing life

An evening of contrasting pieces, leading to a conclusion about the need to connect

Lovely intimate adaptation of immensely popular novel is a pleasing diversion in these troubled times