Beautiful: The Carole King Musical review " a tapestry of greatest hits by Michael Billington

Aldwych, LondonThis West End musical's attempts to weave King's songs into her life story leaves you none the wiser as to who she wasFans of the singer-songwriter Carole King may be happy ju…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:00pm on February 24, 2015☆⚑

Closer review " as powerful and pertinent as ever by Michael Billington

Donmar Warehouse, London David Leveaux's fine production featuring an expertly balanced cast shows Patrick Marber's play is much more than the product of its time Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 5:00pm on February 23, 2015☆⚑

Farinelli and the King review " Mark Rylance stars in a celebration of music by Michael Billington

Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, LondonClaire van Kampen mixes story and song superbly in a tale about the celebrated castrato Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:30am on February 23, 2015☆⚑

Fireworks review " child actors light up Gaza crisis by Michael Billington

Royal Court, LondonThe young leads in Dalia Taha's play about family life in Gaza paint a frightening picture of lost innocence Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:39am on February 20, 2015☆⚑

Eugene Onegin review " lovestruck and snowblind in St Petersburg by Michael Billington

Barbican, LondonRimas Tuminas's production, though witty and full of memorable, inventive imagery, misses some of Pushkin's deft lightness Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:50am on February 19, 2015☆⚑

The Absence of War review " David Hare on message about political spin by Michael Billington

Crucible, SheffieldTime lends prescience to this dissection of Labour's election failure " but its revival delivers a warning to all parties about authenticity in a campaign yearThere is a c…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:04am on February 12, 2015☆⚑

How to Hold Your Breath review " magnetic Maxine Peake is bedevilled in morality play by Michael Billington

Royal Court, LondonZinnie Harris's apocalyptic new play sends its heroine on a downward spiral as Europe goes into financial freefallMaxine Peake was last seen on stage in Manchester as Haml…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 5:28am on February 11, 2015☆⚑

Jefferson's Garden review " Timberlake Wertenbaker's American tragedy by Michael Billington

Palace, Watford This sweeping study of US history uses a nine-strong ensemble to tell a riveting and richly complicated storyTimberlake Wertenbaker clearly has a taste for the epic. After he…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:00pm on February 10, 2015☆⚑

Little Light review " Alice Birch's play tests its performers (and our patience) by Michael Billington

Orange Tree, RichmondSuspense turns to frustration as this well-acted family mystery keeps the audience guessing Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 9:35am on February 9, 2015☆⚑

Tom Stoppard says audiences don't get his jokes " is that a hard problem? by Michael Billington

The playwright claims he now has to dumb down some lines for his literary references to be understood. But that doesn't mean audiences are less clever than they used to beI see Tom Stoppard …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:53am on February 9, 2015☆⚑

The Last of the De Mullins review " smuggles progressive ideas into traditional drama by Michael Billington

Jermyn Street theatre, LondonThis revival of a piece about a single mother reveals the largely forgotten Edwardian dramatist St John Hankin as something of a proto-feminist Continue reading.…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:50am on February 6, 2015☆⚑

Six Characters in Search of an Author review " a witty and withering theatrical satire by Michael Billington

Barbican, LondonThis striking French production of Pirandello's play shows how a classic can be reimagined without being subverted Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:56am on February 5, 2015☆⚑

Arcadia review " Stoppard revival has genuine emotion but loses marks on maths by Michael Billington

Theatre Royal, BrightonBlanche McIntyre's promising production of the manor-house play needs to work harder to help the audience understand the scientific theories Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:22am on February 4, 2015☆⚑

Geraldine McEwan: mischievously witty, from Mrs Malaprop to Miss Marple by Michael Billington

McEwan, who has died aged 82, excelled in an extraordinary range of roles, always displaying impeccable timingMy first sighting of Geraldine McEwan was as Olivia in Peter Hall's 1958 Stratfo…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:22am on February 1, 2015☆⚑

Di and Viv and Rose review " female friendship explored with wit by Michael Billington

Vaudeville, LondonAmelia Bullmore's sprightly play about three uni students and their lifelong alliance brings the best out of Tamzin Outhwaite and her co-stars Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:08am on January 30, 2015☆⚑

The Ruling Class review " James McAvoy's mock messiah is mesmerising by Michael Billington

Trafalgar Studios, London His bravura performance holds together an exuberant 60s period piece whose satire remains chillingly relevantPlays with fat star-parts tend to survive. Even if the …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 2:00am on January 29, 2015☆⚑

The Hard Problem review " rich, ideas-packed work underpinned by emotion by Michael Billington

Dorfman Theatre, LondonTom Stoppard tackles momentous ideas about consciousness, morality and human behaviour in stimulating play Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 7:50pm on January 28, 2015☆⚑

Dara review " epic drama depicts battling sons of man who built Taj Mahal by Michael Billington

National Theatre, LondonThe fascinating story of a 17th-century power struggle in the Mughal empire feels like a slightly earnest history lesson Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:58am on January 28, 2015☆⚑

Oppenheimer five-star review " father of atomic bomb becomes tragic hero at RSC by Michael Billington

The Swan, Stratford-upon-AvonTom Morton-Smith's massively impressive play explores the moral chain reactions before and after the bombing of Hiroshima"Oppenheimer's stature is not in questio…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:01am on January 23, 2015☆⚑

The Caucasian Chalk Circle review " rare staging reveals the true Brecht by Michael Billington

Unicorn, LondonThis production of Brecht's political morality tale underlines his instinctive theatricality with heartstopping scenes and one of modern drama's best comic figures Continue re…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:16am on January 22, 2015☆⚑

Rufus Norris's National Theatre must celebrate the new and honour the past by Michael Billington

Established names such as Hare, Bennett and Frayn are absent from director's opening year as he introduces a new team and a promising lineup. The big question concerns his 'reimagined classi…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 8:39am on January 21, 2015☆⚑

The Changeling review " Hattie Morahan is chillingly good in grisly masterpiece by Michael Billington

Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, LondonStar's expert portrayal of a woman on the edge of neurosis is the highlight as this venue continues to grow in stature Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 6:35am on January 21, 2015☆⚑

Islands review " grotesque drama about tax havens avoids the real issues by Michael Billington

Bush theatre, LondonCaroline Horton's toothless, self-delighting show leaves its object of ridicule serenely untouchedNothing is more frustrating than seeing a satirist, or a footballer, mis…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:19am on January 20, 2015☆⚑

Upper Cut review " love, Labour and loss in whistlestop tour of parliament by Michael Billington

Southwark Playhouse, LondonJuliet Gilkes Romero's fiery drama puts Labour in the dock for failing multicultural Britain Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:01am on January 19, 2015☆⚑

Tom Stoppard: playwright of ideas delivers a new Problem by Michael Billington

Tom Stoppard's new play The Hard Problem opens on 21 January. Michael Billington, who first reviewed him in 1966, salutes a playwright who, at his best, achieves a perfect balance of intelle…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 4:30am on January 17, 2015☆⚑