Summerhall, Edinburgh A sprint through the modern history of surveillance and the arguments states use to legitimise it makes for a chilling hour in the company of Proto-Type TheatreRachel B…
The Crazyhead and Chewing Gum actor on a podcast about grief, some mind-blowing electronica, and the perfect pre-theatre venueBorn in Southwark, south London, Susan Wokoma made her acting de…
Donmar Warehouse, LondonDavid Harrower's 1995 play explores the feral intensity of a marriage in medieval times, staged here with a fluid physicalityDavid Harrower's Knives in Hens (1995) is…
Almeida, LondonChristopher Shinn's elegant play about the nature of violence in the modern world asks intriguing questions but is short on answersChristopher Shinn's Against, receiving its p…
Minerva, ChichesterGitha Sowerby's superb 1924 play, with Ophelia Lovibond in the title role, reminds us that being a woman of means isn't always enoughIn a house in Surrey in 1911, the smal…
Zoo Southside; Dancebase; Summerhall, EdinburghCécile da Costa hurls her fury at fate, Bill Coleman suffers like a medieval martyr, and Edinburgh proves that the most vital work is happenin…
Next Generation will encourage 20 talented children from black, Asian, minority ethnic and low-income backgrounds to tread the boardsDame Judi Dench is among those leading actors who have wa…
Mike Bartlett tells of his new stage play, Albion, exploring British identity " and the return of the BBC series with Suranne JonesHe has made waves in television with the smash hit Doctor F…
If this satire were to tour the whole country, who knows what effect it might have?The Edinburgh festival fringe at its peak mounts more than 1,800 shows a day, but this year from my sample …
Buzzcut festival, GlasgowIt's hardly sophisticated but this shambolic show about a night on the tiles makes us recognise its tales of shame and triumphThere's a new wave of female-led compan…
Relationship breakdown and homophobia in Australia pick up a prize " or two " for John Robins and Hannah GadsbyThe longest ever shortlist. The first ever joint winners. And clearly, the most…
Judges could not choose between shows by Hannah Gadsby and John Robins " so have given both the £10,000 first prizeFor the first time in the history of Edinburgh's festival fringe, the to…
Rachel Mars asks us to look into our hearts, Jordan Brookes eyeballs the audience, Elf Lyons clowns around with Swan Lake and Jon Snow considers the social divide. As the Edinburgh festival …
The legendary stage producer talks to Andrew Dickson about marriage, Shakespeare and bloody-minded determination"My life and times?" says Thelma Holt. "I love talking, but" " her voice …
He was living with his mum and working as a dish-washer. But he threw all he had into a brutal play that became a Scottish classic. The dramatist talks about the return of Knives in Hens " a…
The standup stalwart and TV host lets us in on the things that make him laugh the most, from The Simpsons to Monty PythonI watched the Monty Python spam sketch when it first went out " that …
Heroes @ Monkey Barrel, EdinburghThe laughs keep coming in The Audition, a ramshackle tale of Steven Spielberg, talking robots and a bank-robbing fishThere aren't many ways that a Spencer Jo…
A new wave of comedians probing faults in leftwing politics provoke a crucial debate, but does their exaggerated antagonism hamper the cause?Identity politics has gone too far. PC has gone m…
Underbelly Med Quad, EdinburghWith a parrot costume, Jacques Brel songs and silly set pieces, Lyons dreams up an almost aggressively winsome hour of complete nonsenseIs it comedy, or a spiri…
Zinnie Harris's retelling of Aeschylus's drama adds muscle to the tale, while As You Like It is the inspiration for James Cousins' latest choreography1 Oresteia: This Restless HouseThe exper…
Television shows built around standup comics have taken a turn for the despairing. Louis CK has a lot to answer for"Are you havin' a laugh?"Not recently, no. Continue reading...
Some people are angry that Channel 4 is developing Hungry, a comedy set in one of Ireland's darkest times. But don't judge a script before it's writtenThe idea dies hard that comedy automati…
Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghYou seldom know exactly what's happening in this set as our host prowls the room, eyeballs the audience and wreaks confusionIs the comedy world big enough for a…
Pleasance Dome, EdinburghShoÌ‚n Dale-Jones delivers a thoughtful piece about inequality, myths and taking control of your own storyShoÌ‚n Dale-Jones's greengrocer father was a devotee …
The University of Southern California's decision to spell the Bard's name as 'Shakespear' sparks some gentle joshing " but is it wrong?Amid other, far uglier confrontations around statues in…