3,476 stories from The Arts Desk
Tabloid excess in the 1980s; gallows humour in reflections on life and death
Monstering the Rocketman by Henry Naylor, Pleasance Dome ★★★★
Twists in the tail bring revelations in two fine shows at the Traverse Theatre
Lost Lear, Traverse Theatre ★★★★
A rehearsal room; a tense preparation session for a p…
James Graham's dazzling comedy-drama on the rise and fall of RBS fails to snarl
You could distinctly hear the murmurs of recognition from the Edinburgh audience " responding to knowing menti…
An intimate one-to-one encounter and an examination of brotherly love at the Traverse Theatre
I'm Ready to Talk Now, Traverse Theatre ★★★★
Three early Fringe theatre shows offer blissed-out beats, identity questions and powerful drama
Alright Sunshine, Pleasance Dome ★★★★★
★★★★ TOP HAT, CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE Lovely to look at, but don't think too much
Glitz and glamour in revived dance show based on Fred and Ginger's movie
Af…
The writer did impressive research but shouldn't have fleshed out Josephine Tey's story
Following confirmation that he was the owner of the bones found in a Leicester car park in 2012, Ri…
Andrew Lloyd Webber's best musical gets a brave, biting makeover for the modern age
Would Jamie Lloyd's mind-bending revival of Evita win through twice in four weeks, I wondered to myself, …
★★ MAIDEN VOYAGE, SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE All women crew sail around the world, singing, grouching and bonding
Pleasant tunes well sung and a good story, but not a good show
As th…
★★★★★ BRIXTON CALLING, SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE The story of two men & one venue is a delight
Nostalgic, but the message is bang up to date
What a delight i…
★★★ THE WINTER'S TALE, RSC, STRATFORD Bleak production that skewers male jealousy
Strong women have the last laugh, but the play's bizarre structure overwhelms everything
T…
Suzie Miller's follow up to her massive hit Prima Facie stars Rosamund Pike
Rosamund Pike is back. For her first stage appearance since 2010, when she played Hedda Gabler in Adrian Noble's …
Rebecca Frecknall shifts American gears to largely satisfying effect
Michael Shannon's long legs reach to the stars - or perhaps one should say the moon - in the Almeida's hypnotic revival …
Adaptation of 2010 film is busy, bustling - and bad
"It all starts with a snap," or so we're told early in the decidedly un-snappy Burlesque, which spends three hours borrowing shamelessly …
★★★★ DON'T ROCK THE BOAT, THE MILL AT SONNING Sound of shared laughter excuses flaws
Great fun, if more 20th century than 21st
Now 45 years in the past, its dazzling …
Comedy debut stars Adeel Akhtar, but is an awkward mix of the personal and the political
The first rule for brown people, says the main character " played by BAFTA-winner Adeel Akhtar " in …
★★★★ POOR CLARE, ORANGE TREE THEATRE Chira Atik's award-winning comedy packs a punch
Funny and clever show illuminated by a dazzling debut from Arsema Thomas
What am …
James Inverne enjoyably reconstructs the rivalry between Puccini and Leoncavallo
Before Luigi Illica wrote the libretti for Puccini's Tosca and Madama Butterfly, he had joined the composer …
Beth Steel makes a stirring West End debut with her poignant play for today
The 2024 play at the National Theatre that put writer Beth Steel squarely centre-stage has now received a West End…
Revisiting Tim Price's dream-set account of the founder of the health service
The National Health Service was established seventy-seven years ago this month. Resident doctors are about to s…
★★★ GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY, OLD VIC Conor McPherson's smash hit is looking dated already
Fragmented, cliched story rescued by tremendous acting, singing and music
Well…
Muti revitalised by young musicians, and a three-year theatre project reaches completion
Anyone seeking local genius in an international festival should look no further than the annual Raven…
Emma Pallant and Katherine Pearce are formidable opponents to Falstaff's buffoonery
Shakespeare's Prince Hal may have rejected Sir John Falstaff as a symbol of his misspent youth, but the re…
Chloë Moss's latest play about the different lives of two sisters is deeply felt
Near the start of Chloë Moss's latest play, Run Sister Run, one character tells his wife to "Calm your…
★★★ HERCULES, THEATRE ROYAL Show aimed at a family audience delivers enough, but no more
Big West End crowdpleaser lacks punch and poignancy with join-the-dots plotting …
