All stories by Clare Brennan on BroadwayStars

Sunday, April 20, 2025

Piaf review " Audrey Brisson rises above the melee as the French singer by Clare Brennan

Watermill theatre, NewburyPam Gems's play with music sacrifices depth as its small cast play multiple characters " and musical instruments " but its star brings it all together Pam Gems's Pi…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:36AM[SHARE]
Sunday, April 13, 2025

Penguin review " revealing one-man show about a refugee's journey to self-acceptance by Clare Brennan

Live theatre, NewcastleFrom dodging bombs to dancing in nightclubs, Syrian theatre-maker Hamzeh Al Hussien enacts the story of his life "This is who I am." Hamzeh Al Hussien stands before us…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:03AM[SHARE]
Sunday, April 6, 2025

A Matter of Life and Death " a delightful adaptation of Powell and Pressburger's all-time classic by Clare Brennan

New Vic, Newcastle-under-LymeGrounding fantasy in emotional reality, director Theresa Heskins and her joyous 14-strong ensemble make the David Niven-starring film fly on stage The 1940s hit…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:32AM[SHARE]
Sunday, March 30, 2025

The week in theatre: The Women of Llanrumney; North By Northwest " review by Clare Brennan

Theatre Royal Stratford East, London; York Theatre Royal Azuka Oforka's bold, ambitious play confronts the horrors of slavery, while Emma Rice takes on Hitchcock's classic, sidelining suspen…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:36AM[SHARE]
Sunday, March 23, 2025

Wild Rose review " heart-grabbing musical of the Jessie Buckley-starring film by Clare Brennan

Royal Lyceum, EdinburghA Glasgow country-singing ex-con single mother dreams of the big time in Nicola Taylor's new musical, directed by John Tiffany Rose-Lynn is twentysomething and wild, f…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:48AM[SHARE]
Sunday, March 9, 2025

Edward II review " intrigue bows to spectacle in RSC's tragic game of thrones by Clare Brennan

Swan theatre, Stratford-upon-AvonDaniel Raggett's hit-and-miss Marlowe production has wonderful moments but errs on the side of excess in its staging of the king's doomed love affair Edward …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:36AM[SHARE]
Sunday, March 2, 2025

Housemates review " a dynamic rock'n'roll riff on a global gamechanger in neurodivergent care by Clare Brennan

Sherman theatre, Cardiff The remarkable true story of how the resident of a Cardiff institution and a student revolutionised supported living is told with agit-prop energy and via superb per…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:48AM[SHARE]
Sunday, February 23, 2025

The Autobiography of a Cad review " a playful mockery of entitlement and greed by Clare Brennan

Watermill theatre, NewburyA fine, multitasking cast of three deliver laughs aplenty in Ian Hislop and Nick Newman's adaptation of a 1930s satire, though the cad's true malice is lacking On p…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:42AM[SHARE]
Sunday, February 16, 2025

Escaped Alone and What If If Only review " a dislocating Caryl Churchill evening of two halves by Clare Brennan

Royal Exchange, ManchesterThese two short plays offer differing pleasures " one in the acting, the other in its subtle meditation on mourning Escaped Alone (2016) is first in this double bil…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:42AM[SHARE]
Sunday, February 2, 2025

We Will Hear the Angels review " five characters in search of connection by Clare Brennan

Fruitmarket, Edinburgh Multi-art form company Magnetic North celebrate 25 years with a drifting musical journey that moves from isolation to belonging Scottish theatre company Magnetic North…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:36AM[SHARE]
Sunday, January 26, 2025

A Man for All Seasons review " Martin Shaw excels in Robert Bolt's timeless Tudor morality play by Clare Brennan

Theatre Royal BathShaw conveys both the public and private Thomas More in a period-perfect if patchy production of Bolt's 1960 play of power and corruption A "monstrous baby whom none dared …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:24PM[SHARE]
Sunday, January 19, 2025

La Pendue: La Manékine review: puppets and dreams create an utterly strange fairytale by Clare Brennan

The Pit, Barbican, LondonFrench company La Pendue's MimeLondon curtain-raiser reimagines a Brothers Grimm tale with puppets and a one-man band The poet Pierre Quillard, defending the symboli…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:06AM[SHARE]
Sunday, January 12, 2025

Twelfth Night review " a musically uplifting, concept-heavy RSC production by Clare Brennan

Royal Shakespeare theatre, Stratford-upon-AvonShakespeare's fleet-footed romance is somewhat constrained by Prasanna Puwanarajah's direction, yet there are memorable moments Life and death; …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:06PM[SHARE]
Sunday, December 22, 2024

Aladdin review " wishes do come true by Clare Brennan

Stephen Joseph theatre, ScarboroughA stand-in Genie saves the day in a magical production of the age-old story that has audience members young and old suspending disbelief Audience participa…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:24AM[SHARE]
Sunday, December 15, 2024

The Borrowers review " Mary Norton's classic brought to vivid little-and-large life by Clare Brennan

Hull Truck TheatreThe audience sees above and below the floorboards " with a little help from puppets " as Mark Babych's production cleverly plays with scale A family forced to flee their ho…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:54AM[SHARE]
Sunday, December 1, 2024

The Three Musketeers review " a swashbuckler without a dramatic cutting edge by Clare Brennan

New Vic theatre, Newcastle-under-LymeTheresa Heskins's Dumas adaptation provides fantastic action yet reduces the scheming servant Milady to a plot device Flashing swords, swirling capes and…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:24AM[SHARE]
Sunday, November 24, 2024

The Sound of Music review " a joyous blast of song and hope that speaks to today by Clare Brennan

Pitlochry Festival theatreThis captivating production of the evergreen musical is a fitting swansong from Pitlochry's outgoing artistic director, Elizabeth Newman Light breaks through darkne…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:36AM[SHARE]
Sunday, November 10, 2024

Kenrex review " co-writer Jack Holden plays an entire town in 'true' crime thriller by Clare Brennan

Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse, SheffieldHolden and Ed Stambollouian's one-man drama based on a real-life murder in 80s America uses film tropes to great effect " but it plays with the facts t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:12AM[SHARE]
Sunday, November 3, 2024

Summer 1954 review " Rattigan double bill packs an intellectual and emotional punch by Clare Brennan

Theatre Royal, BathMen struggling to hide their feelings are uncloaked in James Dacre's astute revival of the playwright's Table Number Seven and The Browning Version Director James Dacre pr…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:06AM[SHARE]
Sunday, October 27, 2024

The New Real review " the spin doctors fight it out in David Edgar's sweeping political satire by Clare Brennan

The Other Place, Stratford-upon-AvonTwo American strategists compete to influence an eastern European election in a nuanced new play that suffers from tackling too many subjects In the 21st …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:18AM[SHARE]
Sunday, October 20, 2024

Becoming Nancy review " 70s-set coming-out musical radiates optimism by Clare Brennan

Birmingham RepTerry Ronald's true-life tale of a bullied gay teenager who prevails in the school production of Oliver! is performed with affecting verve Today, Terry Ronald is a successful w…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:06AM[SHARE]
Sunday, October 13, 2024

Reverberation review " Matthew López's romcom is rooted in violence and rejection by Clare Brennan

Bristol Old VicFussy filmic visuals hobble fine performances in the European premiere of the Inheritance writer's study of three characters struggling for connection London-based American wr…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:06PM[SHARE]
Sunday, October 6, 2024

Bright Lights Over Bentilee review " UFO show shines a light on Stoke by Clare Brennan

The Dipping House, Stoke-on-TrentClaybody Theatre's show about a famed flying saucer sighting on a housing estate is whimsical fun Back in 1967, the most extraordinary thing about Bentilee w…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:18AM[SHARE]
Sunday, September 29, 2024

Angela Carter's The Company of Wolves review " a moving variation on Red Riding Hood by Clare Brennan

New Vic theatre, Newcastle-under-LymeChoreography accentuates the otherness of the creatures in a fluid take on the dark coming-of-age fable Form thrillingly matches content in this new stag…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:12PM[SHARE]

The Lieutenant of Inishmore review " savage sectarian satire that lacks real bite by Clare Brennan

Everyman, LiverpoolMartin McDonagh's black comedy about a violent republican terrorist can feel like a parody of 007 in its action but it is hard to be stirred by the dully repetitive scenes…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:12PM[SHARE]
Sunday, September 22, 2024

Romeo and Juliet review " diversity doubles the power of Shakespeare's tragedy by Clare Brennan

Shakespeare North Playhouse, PrescotA cast of deaf, disabled and neurodivergent actors throw new light on the star-crossed lovers in Graeae's uneven yet often thrilling show Actors appear, o…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:32AM[SHARE]
Sunday, September 15, 2024

Show & Tell review " Alan Ayckbourn's clever, very funny 90th play by Clare Brennan

Stephen Joseph theatre, ScarboroughA 'sprightly comedy' isn't all it seems in this beautifully performed drama, which the playwright directs On one level, Alan Ayckbourn's 90th play is a spr…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:24AM[SHARE]
Sunday, September 1, 2024

Stones in His Pockets review " immersive revival of the rural Ireland film shoot tragicomedy by Clare Brennan

Barn theatre, CirencesterMarie Jones's 1996 hit play is given a spectacular, Hollywood-style makeover by her son Matthew McElhinney, though the momentum of the drama suffers Throw a stone in…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:54AM[SHARE]
Sunday, August 25, 2024

Bedroom Farce review " deliciously funny production of Ayckbourn's 1975 classic by Clare Brennan

The Mill at Sonning, ReadingA fine ensemble cast deliver plenty of laughs and more in Robin Herford's terrific production of the playwright's intertwined tale of three couples Reviewing the …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:54AM[SHARE]
Sunday, August 18, 2024

The Birthday Party " Pinter's strangeness reframed by Clare Brennan

Ustinov Studio, BathDirector Richard Jones tries to capture the menace felt by the play's first audiences, but the result is overmannered Harold Pinter's The Birthday Party was almost univer…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:30AM[SHARE]
Sunday, August 4, 2024

Alice in Wonderland review " a perfect promenade show for children by Clare Brennan

Williamson Park, LancasterAndrew Pollard turns Lewis Carroll's classic into a delightful quest, tirelessly acted and cleverly designed We are sitting in a wooded dell, ranged on felled tree …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:30AM[SHARE]

All that Chat

2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off