All stories by Ds on BroadwayStars

Thursday, December 10, 2020

FLIGHT Bridge, SE1 by Libby Purves and Friends

Great journeys told in tiny windows       The daily epics of the refugee crisis haunt us on every bulletin:: small boat crossings, lethal lorry journeys, arrests and detentions. It. Is r…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 01:09PM
Sunday, December 6, 2020

POTTED PANTO Garrick, WC2 by Libby Purves and Friends

MINIATURE REVELS They’re at it again. And in this dour year, crowned with the financially reckless renaissance of West End theatre, Dan and Jeff – Daniel Clarkson and Jeff Turner – are…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 11:01AM
Friday, October 30, 2020

HOWERD’S END Golden Goose Theatre, Camberwell by Libby Purves and Friends

TITTER YE NOT: IT WAS TOUGH         An element of pilgrimage here: new-fledged theatre, new play, worth the long masked train to London and then a bus’s wild wanderings south of the ri…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 08:29AM
Tuesday, October 6, 2020

THE LAST FIVE YEARS Southwark Playhouse SE1 by Libby Purves and Friends

And so to a real press night, an event now as rare as a mystical apparition , a shining sword rising from a dark lake. . The gallant Southwark Playhouse offers a miniature musical, Jason Rob…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 07:19AM

TALKING HEADS – PLAYING SANDWICHES/ LADY OF LETTERS Bridge, SE1 by Libby Purves and Friends

TWO MORE FROM ALAN BENNETT              One of the darkest and one of the merriest.   PlAYING SANDWICHES  is an even more than usually sombre one of Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads.�…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 04:30AM
Thursday, September 3, 2020

BEAT THE DEVIL Bridge, SE1 by Libby Purves and Friends

BACK IN THE STALLS!   AND A VERY FIENNES START         After nine months’ exile – my chemotherapy ended slap bang at the start of lockdown –  I felt like the Ancient Mariner, goo…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 09:15AM
Saturday, August 1, 2020

TWELFTH NIGHT Red Rose Chain by Libby Purves and Friends

A SINGING, SEASIDE,  STRIKING DEFIANCE OF THE NEW SEPARATION   Theatrecat remains dark,  as it has been since December when chemotherapy began and then ran seamlessly, in March, into loc…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 11:38AM
Thursday, March 19, 2020

AS THE VIRUS SAFETY CURTAIN FALLS… by Libby Purves and Friends

…FROM ME AND FROM THEATRECAT.COM (&HOUSE ARTIST ROGER HARDY)  HERE’S THE CAT AND THE MICE .     THEY COLLABORATE FOR ONCE TO WISH EVERY THEATRE, ARTIST AND SUPPORT WORKER LUCK, SO…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 01:39PM
Saturday, February 1, 2020

What to see this week in the UK by Andrew Pulver, Michael Cragg, John Fordham, Andrew Clements, Jonathan Jones, Miriam Gillinson and Lyndsey Winship

From The Lighthouse to The Haystack, here’s our pick of the best films, concerts, exhibitions, theatre and dance over the next seven days Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:24AM
Saturday, January 25, 2020

What to see this week in the UK by Andrew Pulver, Sophie Harris, John Fordham, Andrew Clements, Jonathan Jones, Miriam Gillinson and Lyndsey Winship

From The Personal History of David Copperfield to Madonna, here’s our pick of the best films, concerts, exhibitions, theatre and dance over the next seven days Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:36PM
Friday, January 17, 2020

What to see this week in the UK by Andrew Pulver, Sophie Harris, John Fordham, Andrew Clements, Jonathan Jones, Miriam Gillinson and Lyndsey Winship

From Waves to Beat Horizon, here’s our pick of the best films, concerts, exhibitions, theatre and dance over the next seven days Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:03AM
Monday, January 6, 2020

Stop mewling! Cats is no turkey, say our dance and theatre critics by Arifa Akbar and Lyndsey Winship

Film reviewers sank their claws into Cats, but is it really so awful? Our stage reviewers steeled themselves for the caterwauling ... but ended up quite enjoying it It can be very pleasurab…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:24AM
Thursday, January 2, 2020

Star debuts and happy returns: theatre, dance and comedy in 2020 by Arifa Akbar, Lyndsey Winship and Brian Logan

Tom Stoppard gets personal, Cush Jumbo does Hamlet, Hollywood names bring everything from tragedy to comedy … plus dance confronts shame and there’s standup open heart surgery Continue r…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:36AM
Monday, December 30, 2019

On the Arts: Which nights sell best for Pittsburgh’s cultural organizations? by Jeremy Reynolds and Sara Bauknecht / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Whether you prefer a full house or more legroom, here’s a quick guide on which cultural institutions’ performance days tend to fill fastest.

SOURCE: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at 08:00AM
Friday, December 27, 2019

What to see this week in the UK by Andrew Pulver, Michael Cragg, John Fordham, Andrew Clements, Jonathan Jones, Miriam Gillinson and Lyndsey Winship

From Jojo Rabbit to Craig David, here’s our pick of the best films, concerts, exhibitions, theatre and dance over the next seven days Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:06AM
Sunday, December 15, 2019

Top 10 dance shows of 2019 by Lyndsey Winship and Sanjoy Roy

A snogtastic Romeo and Juliet from Matthew Bourne and an international dance-a-thon celebrating Merce Cunningham join a mixed troupe of winners More on the best culture of 2019 Continue read…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:03PM
Friday, December 6, 2019

THEATRECAT IS UNDER THE VET… by Libby Purves and Friends

A MESSAGE FOR THOSE KIND ENOUGH TO DROP INTO THIS SITE… Theatrecat followers: a bit of news below, in detail for your information or in case any of you are undergoing the parallel thing. …

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 11:56AM
Tuesday, November 26, 2019

THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE        Bridge Theatre, SE1 by Libby Purves and Friends

 MONSTROUS AND MAJESTIC ,  A NARNIA FOR NOW      How to interpret an old favourite?  A Christian fantasy allegory, the world of Narnia,  the first of C.S.Lewis’ immortal children’…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 11:26AM
Friday, November 22, 2019

What to see this week in the UK by Andrew Pulver, Michael Cragg, John Fordham, Andrew Clements, Jonathan Jones, Miriam Gillinson and Lyndsey Winship

From Frozen II to Anselm Kiefer, here’s our pick of the best films, concerts, exhibitions, theatre and dance over the next seven days (Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck, 2019, US) 103 mins Continue…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:06AM
Thursday, November 21, 2019

DEAR EVAN HANSEN Noel Coward Theatre by Libby Purves and Friends

BEN DOWELL REVIEWS: A bright, socially withdrawn teenager called Evan is desperately lonely, taking comfort in the internet and not much else. He has a crush on a girl from his school, but c…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 05:39AM
Friday, November 15, 2019

MARY POPPINS. Prince Edward Theatre. w1 by Libby Purves and Friends

BEN DOWELL AND DAUGHTER POP WITH PLEASURE AT ITS PEP.. It has floated in one the chilly autumn breeze like a much-needed blast of summer sunshine. Yes, this Mary Poppins is as supercalifragi…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 01:08PM
Wednesday, November 13, 2019

THE SEASON Wolsey, Ipswich & then Northampton by Libby Purves and Friends

A BIG APPLE ROMANCE WITH CRUNCH        How romantic New York is to the British heart!  From Superman to Friends we seem to know it,  from Elf and 34th Street (not to mention the Pogues…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 01:52PM
Wednesday, October 30, 2019

LIGHT FALLS             Royal Exchange, Manchester by Libby Purves and Friends

NORTHERN GUEST REVIEWER HELEN GASKELL TIRES OF THE RELENTLESS GRIT…   A family of five, scattered across the North of England, are brought together by tragedy.  The play shows a picture …

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 12:19PM

WHEN THE CROWS VISIT Kiln NW6 by Libby Purves and Friends

ARROGANCE, ANGER ,   INDIA’S  SHAME     Hema’s is a house of women now.  The old grandmother is in bed below the tall screen doors ,  feeding  crows who move shadow-shapes behind…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 07:16AM
Tuesday, October 29, 2019

VASSA Almeida, N1 by Libby Purves and Friends

GUEST CRITIC BEN DOWELL DOES NOT HAVE A GOOD NIGHT OUT   What a strange evening this is. Young director Tinuke Craig has taken Maxim Gorky’s 1911 play (there was a revision in 1935 but s…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 06:21AM
Thursday, October 24, 2019

BOTTICELLI IN THE FIRE Hampstead, NW3 by Libby Purves and Friends

RENAISSANCE  RUTTING,   VENUS AND  VANITIES   Sandro Botticelli, he makes clear to us at the start, plans to tell his version. He’s Dickie Beau: skinny and swaggeringly queeny in blac…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 07:54PM

​LUNGS.    Old vic, SE1​​​ by Libby Purves and Friends

​​IT TAKES TWO​​…​   Here’s  a sharp eyed little gem about coupledom and the wary, fretful road towards parenthood in an age of easy contraception and illimitable expectation…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 04:47AM
Wednesday, October 23, 2019

A MUSEUM IN BAGHDAD Swan, Stratford upon Avon by Libby Purves and Friends

TWO CURATORS,  ACROSS EIGHTY YEARS     The little Swan , a jewel-box of a theatre, often sees the new plays the RSC does best: immaculate technique and careful clarity elucidating complex…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 03:34AM
Sunday, October 20, 2019

AN INSPECTOR CALLS Touring by Libby Purves and Friends

INSPECTOR GOOLE,  BACK  BACK ON THE ROAD    Below,  edited, is my original London review of this remarkable production.  This new tour deserves to be marked, though:   regarding the t…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 05:46AM
Friday, October 18, 2019

[BLANK] Donmar, WC2 by Libby Purves and Friends

A COOL EYE ON SHATTERED LIVES          Of all the well known flaws of our criminal justice system,  one of the most glaring is how badly it fits women – though they  are only around…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 04:44AM
Thursday, October 10, 2019

ASSASSINS           Watermill, Bagnor Newbury by Libby Purves and Friends

THE DARK AND THE CRAZY       This is  – for us anyway – the first  production in the Trump era of this savage musical:  a revue reimagining of all the attempts, successful or not,�…

SOURCE: theatrecat.com at 05:03AM

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