All stories by Susannah Clapp on BroadwayStars

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Comus review – Milton meets the National Theatre of Brent by Susannah Clapp

Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, LondonChastity, family guilt and fairyland antics make a rich brewIn the uproar about the Globe, little has been said about its offshoot, the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:42AM

The Nest review – an unflinching tale of poverty by Susannah Clapp

Young Vic, LondonFranz Xaver Kroetz’s tale of a struggling couple is given added force by Ian Rickson’s staging and PJ Harvey’s musicThe director Ian Rickson has an exceptional gift fo…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:42AM

What Shadows review – Enoch’s touch of terror by Susannah Clapp

Birmingham Repertory theatreIan McDiarmid is uncanny as Enoch Powell in a timely examination of his controversial 1968 speech on immigrationI was brought up with such a visceral hatred of En…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:42AM
Sunday, October 30, 2016

The Grinning Man review – lovely, peculiar stuff by Susannah Clapp

Bristol Old VicTom Morris combines macabre fairytale, musical and puppetry in this ingenious tale of twisted loveI first saw the delicate Audrey Brisson sparkle in The Flying Lovers of Viteb…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:42AM

The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism… review – social anger strikes close to home by Susannah Clapp

Hampstead theatre, London The personal and the political are inexorably entwined in Tony Kushner’s fierce examination of a family at war with itselfAfter a faltering first scene or two, To…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:42AM

Amadeus review – a lush, high-voltage revival by Susannah Clapp

Olivier, LondonAdam Gillen’s Mozart and Lucian Msamati’s Salieri share the honours as Peter Shaffer’s 1979 hit returns to the NationalPeter Shaffer, who died in June, wrote plays fuell…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:42AM

The Globe isn't just a heritage project – Emma Rice understood that by Susannah Clapp

The ousting of the artistic director of Shakespeare’s Globe shows a fundamental failure to appreciate what makes the place uniqueIt has been a rotten week for the theatre. One of London’…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:42AM
Sunday, October 23, 2016

The Red Barn review – dark story of dissolving identity by Susannah Clapp

Lyttelton, LondonDavid Hare’s adaptation of a Georges Simenon novel is a tense affair featuring a mesmeric Elizabeth DebickiHow do you put on stage someone who is bored with being themselv…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:56AM

A Pacifist’s Guide to the War on Cancer review – a vital confrontation by Susannah Clapp

Dorfman, LondonThough Bryony Kimmings’s extraordinary musical is overlong and a little messy, it delivers an essential message about the experiences of real peopleMusical theatre has been …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:56AM

A Man of Good Hope review – a refugee’s journey across Africa by Susannah Clapp

Young Vic, LondonIsango Ensemble’s musical about a Somali boy fleeing from terror has marvellous songs and breathtaking actingA Man of Good Hope is not a story set to music. Music is the s…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:56AM

Oil review – Anne-Marie Duff burns bright by Susannah Clapp

Almeida, LondonElla Hickson’s new play about our relationship with ‘black gold’ is hardly subtle, but has a star turn at its heartYou could steer your way through Oil by Lucy Carter’…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:56AM
Sunday, October 16, 2016

One Night in Miami review – a crucible moment for black America by Susannah Clapp

Donmar Warehouse, LondonFine performances carry Kemp Powers’s dramatisation of a momentous meeting between Cassius Clay, Malcolm X, Jim Brown and Sam CookeStanding ovations have recently b…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:06AM

The Dresser review – Stott and Shearsmith are compelling by Susannah Clapp

Duke of York’s, LondonKen Stott and Reece Shearsmith go to town in a very funny revival of Ronald Harwood’s terrific backstage tragicomedyRonald Harwood thinks it is a mistake for a woma…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:06AM
Sunday, October 2, 2016

Father Comes Home from the Wars review – epic tales of slavery by Susannah Clapp

Royal Court, LondonSuzan Lori-Parks’s ambitious trilogy marries black history to a classical structure but suffers from static stagingThe London stage has always been a very white place. T…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:51AM

Imogen review – a golden girl in Adidas by Susannah Clapp

Shakespeare’s Globe, London EastEnders’s Maddy Hill stars in Matthew Dunster’s taut, intelligent reimagining of Cymbeline in an urban gangland settingAnyone who takes on the Globe gets…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:51AM

The Libertine review – Dominic Cooper's rake is charmless to a fault by Susannah Clapp

Theatre Royal Haymarket, LondonTerry Johnson gives Stephen Jeffreys’s 1994 tale of Restoration depravity the full rumpy-pumpy, but Cooper’s Rochester is stuck in surly modeOn stage, ever…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:51AM
Sunday, September 25, 2016

Torn review – charged family drama by Susannah Clapp

Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court theatreForm mirrors content in this fraught play full of tension, secrets and fractured dialogueEverything is shredded in Nathaniel Martello-White…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:28AM

No Man’s Land review – a wan take on Pinter’s classic by Susannah Clapp

Wyndham’s theatre, LondonOnly Ian McKellen flourishes in a lacklustre production of this beloved, strange and rich playThe legacy of No Man’s Land is overwhelming. In 1975, John Gielgud …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:28AM

Good Canary review – the real star is Malkovich's direction by Susannah Clapp

Rose theatre, Kingston upon ThamesFreya Mavor excels in Zach Helm’s compelling tale of a woman trapped in addiction The Rose at Kingston has suddenly bloomed. John Malkovich’s production…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:28AM
Sunday, September 18, 2016

Labyrinth review – financial crisis strikes again by Susannah Clapp

Hampstead theatre, LondonBeth Steel’s play aims to underline the cyclical nature of crash and austerity, but compares poorly to similarly themed worksWe have been here before it seems. Swa…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:36AM

A Streetcar Named Desire review – Maxine Peake stalks to the heart of Blanche DuBois by Susannah Clapp

Royal Exchange, ManchesterMaxine Peake’s creative partnership with the Royal Exchange hits another high in Tennessee Williams’s classicMaxine Peake and the Manchester Royal Exchange. The…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:36AM

The Emperor review – Kathryn Hunter's shape-shifting brilliance by Susannah Clapp

Young Vic Studio, LondonColin Teevan’s adaptation of an account of Haile Selassie’s reign by Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuściński maintains a devastatingly light touch The Young Vic i…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:36AM
Sunday, September 11, 2016

Britten in Brooklyn review – bohemian travesty by Susannah Clapp

Wilton’s Music Hall, LondonSadie Frost as Gypsy Rose Lee fails to enliven Zoe Lewis’s play about a wartime gathering of Britten, Auden and McCullersThere is always an excitement at being…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:07AM

Burning Doors review – dark stories from eastern Europe by Susannah Clapp

Soho theatre, LondonDespite some magnetic moments – and a Pussy Rioter – Belarus Free Theatre fails to catch fireIn their home country, the founder members of Belarus Free Theatre face d…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:07AM

King Lear review – more engaging than raging by Susannah Clapp

Royal Shakespeare theatre, Stratford-upon-AvonAntony Sher is a shade too controlled as the maddened king in Gregory Doran’s fluent productionThe play that Dr Johnson thought too painful to…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:16AM
Sunday, September 4, 2016

Unfaithful review – fourway pleasure through pain by Susannah Clapp

Found 111, LondonOwen McCafferty’s sharp drama of sexual entanglement features a crackling performance from Niamh Cusack“We are still ourselves when we lie.” Unfaithful is made up of …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:30AM

The Entertainer review – an off-key swan song by Susannah Clapp

Garrick, LondonJohn Osborne’s venomous 1957 play lends itself well to the Brexit era, but Kenneth Branagh’s farewell Garrick production fails to igniteIt seemed, John Osborne said, “as…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:30AM
Sunday, August 21, 2016

Groundhog Day review – less harmony and more anarchy please by Susannah Clapp

Old Vic, LondonMatilda maestro Tim Minchin and team have ingenious fun with his new musical adaptation of the movie classic – but would you want to see it more than once?Groundhog Day has …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:07AM

946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips review – carnival and tragedy by Susannah Clapp

Shakespeare’s Globe, LondonThere’s method in the puppet mayhem of Emma Rice’s Kneehigh musical adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s D-day taleAt the Globe, artistic director Emma Rice an…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:07AM
Sunday, August 7, 2016

Yerma five-star review – Billie Piper is earth-quaking as Lorca's heroine by Susannah Clapp

Young Vic, LondonPiper makes a shattering Yerma in Simon Stone’s inspired present-day reworking of Lorca’s tragic study of childlessnessIn one fell – but felicitous – swoop, Simon St…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:20AM

The Plough and the Stars review – women rise highest in O’Casey’s Easter Rising drama by Susannah Clapp

Lyttelton, LondonHis powerful female characters redeem this handsome but hackneyed revival of Seán O’Casey’s great 1926 playThe Plough and the Stars is now most famous for causing a rio…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:13AM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 01, 2025: Glengarry Glen Ross
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre
TBA: Titanic