Shackleton's Carpenter review " forgotten hero tells his own tale by Arifa Akbar

Jermyn Street theatre, LondonMalcolm Rennie is stunning as Harry McNish, a carpenter on Shackleton's ill-fated voyage, whose key part in the famous story has been overlooked The lights go up…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 1:36pm on August 1, 2019☆⚑

Uncle Vanya review " Rupert Everett is flamboyant in Hare's comic Chekhov by Arifa Akbar

Theatre Royal, BathA dark, growly Everett pushes the humour in David Hare's absurdist adaptation of the classic drama of mid-life malaise Last year, Rupert Everett gave a heart-wrenching per…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 9:03am on July 31, 2019☆⚑

Rupert Everett: 'I'd have done anything to be a Hollywood star' by Arifa Akbar

He lit up the screen in the 80s " but things did not go as planned. As he takes on Chekhov, Everett speaks about stardom, midlife crises and penis padding Rupert Everett is directing his fir…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:36am on July 31, 2019☆⚑

Peter Pan review " dark mischief and a wicked Tinkerbell steal the show by Arifa Akbar

Troubadour White City theatre, LondonSally Cookson's stunning production brims with naughtiness, bloodlust and menace " recalling JM Barrie's original intentions for the story Peter Pan open…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:03am on July 28, 2019☆⚑

Malory Towers review " Emma Rice takes Blyton to the top of the class by Arifa Akbar

The Passenger Shed, BristolWith a diverse cast bringing an affectionate subversiveness to Enid Blyton's postwar school tales, Rice's musical is huge fun and surprisingly contemporary Emma Ri…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 9:54am on July 26, 2019☆⚑

Our Church review " quietly powerful parish abuse reckoning by Arifa Akbar

Watermill, NewburyMarietta Kirkbride's play about a village torn over forgiving a sex offender convincingly channels older voices The #MeToo movement has inspired a number of plays giving v…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 5:36pm on July 18, 2019☆⚑

Lunatic 19s: A Deportational Road Trip " powerful US immigration drama by Arifa Akbar

Finborough, LondonGabriela Garcia and Devon Anderson shine as a prisoner and her guard in a story where the lines are blurred Tegan McLeod's drama about American citizenship, illegal immigr…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 9:32am on July 12, 2019☆⚑

Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner review " social media storm lit up by Arifa Akbar

Royal Court, LondonJasmine Lee-Jones's play follows an online battle about the Instagram star and tackles racism, misogyny and colourism The lights are still dead when this play opens. A wra…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:24am on July 9, 2019☆⚑

Whitewash review " mother and son on the frontline of racial tension by Arifa Akbar

Soho theatre, LondonA young man plans to privatise the estate where he grew up in Gabriel Bisset-Smith's quick-witted drama about identity and belonging Mary is mixed-race; her son Lysander …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:36am on July 8, 2019☆⚑

Grey review " the racial politics of mental health by Arifa Akbar

Ovalhouse, LondonThe second instalment of Koko Brown's colour trilogy is a darkly humorous piece about depression White, the first part of Koko Brown's "colour" trilogy, was about growing up…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 4:03pm on July 4, 2019☆⚑

Chasing Rainbows review " boldly going into the white, male space race by Arifa Akbar

Hoxton Hall, London Donna Berlin is intense as an astronaut in Oneness Sankara's play about the emotional cost of female ambition 'I would like to tell you a story about being the first," Am…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:24pm on June 27, 2019☆⚑

'Your cat is watching you!' The fearless felines hidden by their author by Arifa Akbar

William Baldwin concealed his 16th-century book Beware the Cat because of its satirical swipes at the Catholic church. Now, it's celebrated on stage What was the first novel in the English l…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:36am on June 25, 2019☆⚑

Blithe Spirit review " Jennifer Saunders is spookily funny by Arifa Akbar

Theatre Royal BathSaunders is a fizzy delight as the medium in Richard Eyre's revival of the Noël Coward comedy about a couple haunted by the ghost of the husband's first wife Noël Cow…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 5:54pm on June 20, 2019☆⚑

Kill Climate Deniers review " eco-warriors turn up the heat by Arifa Akbar

Pleasance, LondonDavid Finnigan's bold play about protesters who take an environment minister hostage is stalled by metatheatrics In London's Parliament Square last October, teenage activist…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:24am on June 10, 2019☆⚑

The Glass Menagerie review " bold and bewitching take on Tennessee Williams by Arifa Akbar

Arcola, LondonFemi Elufowoju Jr's engaging production puts an African American family at its centre but misses some of the play's quietly heart-wringing moments Playwright August Wilson bel…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:42am on June 4, 2019☆⚑

The Audience review " Theresa May joins conveyor belt of PMs meeting the Queen by Arifa Akbar

NST City, SouthamptonUpdated to include Brexit, Peter Morgan's 2013 drama about the Queen's off-the-record conversations with her prime ministers seems underpowered Peter Morgan's play about…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:18pm on June 3, 2019☆⚑

Blueprint Medea review " Euripides explodes in modern London by Arifa Akbar

Finborough theatre, LondonJulia Pascal's dynamic production sees Medea reborn as a former fighter against Isis who finds Jason in the British capital Euripides' Medea is not just a bloodthir…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:24pm on May 27, 2019☆⚑

Does My Bomb Look Big in This? review " fierce, witty study of radicalisation by Arifa Akbar

Soho theatre, LondonNyla Levy's play about London schoolfriends, divided when one goes to Syria, is savvy, streetwise and energetic What makes a 15-year-old from Mitcham, south London, leave…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:03am on May 23, 2019☆⚑

Hoard review " emotional wreckage from a drive-by family visit by Arifa Akbar

Arcola theatre, LondonThere are entertaining performances in Bim Adewunmi's lively debut play about a British-Nigerian family with a dinner guest The dinner party has served as the setting f…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:03pm on May 22, 2019☆⚑

The Firm review " pub drama overflows with banter and rage by Arifa Akbar

Hampstead theatre, LondonZingy repartee and energetic performances fail to enliven Roy Williams' tale about a criminal gang's unresolved grievances The Firm opens in high mood as four middle…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:06pm on May 15, 2019☆⚑

Rejoicing at Her Wondrous Vulva … review " listen to this clitoris by Arifa Akbar

Ovalhouse, LondonNothing feels gratuitous in Bella Heesom's bold and poetic play about female sexuality which ends in catharsis not climax More than 20 years ago, Eve Ensler dared to say the…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:12pm on May 14, 2019☆⚑

A Thousand Splendid Suns review " comic fog clouds Hosseini drama by Arifa Akbar

Birmingham RepThis staging of the bestseller loses the story's gut-wrenching power in a sea of lighthearted flourish Khaled Hosseini's bestselling book The Kite Runner is about fathers, sons…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 3:18pm on May 9, 2019☆⚑

Captain Corelli's Mandolin review " wartime weepy is shocking and wondrous by Arifa Akbar

Rose theatre, KingstonRona Munro's adaptation of the Louis de Bernières classic cuts back the love story to drum home the bloody trauma of conflict Louis de Bernières's Greek island epic a…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:34am on April 26, 2019☆⚑

Other People's Money review " good capitalism goes to war with greed by Arifa Akbar

Southwark Playhouse, LondonUnfettered excess and predatory humour combine in a timely reflection on big business Jerry Sterner's play about Wall Street avarice first opened off-Broadway two …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:37am on April 24, 2019☆⚑

Tumulus review " chemsex, murder and social satire in 'queer noir' thriller by Arifa Akbar

Soho theatre, LondonThere's comedy and mystery but darker themes are under-explored in this original but tricksy meta-theatre production Anthony (Ciarán Owens) is a thirtysomething gay ma…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:21am on April 19, 2019☆⚑