The beloved writer's work will be the centrepiece of BBC2's Christmas Eve. Now 82, he talks about trying not to be an old git and waging war on squirrels'I'm afraid I really haven't got much…
Lyttelton, London Its star and writer cannot be faulted, but Ivo van Hove's production could do with a change of paceRuth Wilson has brought a new dimension to Hedda Gabler. I have seen comp…
Almeida, LondonLia Williams and Juliet Stevenson switch roles seamlessly at the toss of a coin to play warring queens in Robert Icke's explosive productionLast year Robert Icke made Oresteia…
Producers of new version of Journey's End want audiences to see human side of conflictWhen Journey's End, RC Sherriff's powerful play about the first world war, was first staged in 1928, hug…
As Nicholas Serota, Kasper Holten and Martin Roth move on, the race is on to protect their legacy as funding cuts biteFor at least a decade, the arts have reliably made headlines in this cou…
Former Royal Ballet principal ballerina to replace Alesha Dixon on BBC show's judging panel in autumn 2012Darcey Bussell might have hung up her pointe shoes, but she's set to dish out scores…
A new season of shows, on stage and screen, give a strong sense of deja vu. But are remakes always an artistic upgrade?The top-grossing films of 2016 in the UK are The Jungle Book and B…
Her jokes can be uncomfortable, but then they come from uncomfortable situations Do you remember that TV channel, Trouble? In the late 90s/early 00s, it was a colourful graveyard for Am…
Lyceum, SheffieldThere's tragedy at the core of French's roly-poly persona " yet the place she finds herself in appears to be a good oneIt's extraordinary to consider that Dawn French has li…
He waltzed into living rooms 14 years ago, and helped turn Saturday-night family TV into a fixture again. We salute the BBC's lord of the dance as he steps out for his last grand finalLen Go…
Our friend Charles Boardman, who has died aged 89, was a bank manager, bibliophile and director of amateur dramatics in his home town of Edwalton, Nottinghamshire.Charles was born in Warring…
Almeida, LondonSharing the roles of Elizabeth and her Scottish cousin, Stevenson and Williams are a pleasure to watch but Robert Icke's production lacks subtlety elsewhereJuliet Stevenson an…
The Snow Queen | The Little Matchgirl And Other Happier Tales | Five Guys Named Moe | This House | Thebes Land | The Nutcracker | Russian State Ballet Of Siberia | The Little Match Girl Cont…
From newsagent sandwiches to the Day Today, the standup and John Oliver collaborator reveals the things that make him laugh the mostI supported Lee Mack when I was quite new on the circuit. …
Imogen took your breath away, The Damned United hooked you and The Grinning Man made you smile darkly. We asked for your top shows of the year and were flooded with rave reviews " here's a s…
Leon Neal goes behind the scenes at the Hackney Empire in London for this season's Christmas panto, Sleeping Beauty Continue reading...
For more than 40 years, Barry Crimmins has honed his political skewering of the American dream to a fine artFrustratingly, I missed veteran US standup Barry Crimmins when he performed his de…
Sadler's Wells, LondonAn aspiring ballerina falls under the spell of a charismatic impresario in a vivid stage version of the classic tale of artistic ambitionsWhen Powell and Pressburger's …
Couldn't get to the revival of Pinter's classic but need to save face with your friends? Mark Espiner rounds up the reviewsIn these credit crunchy times, you tell your assembled friends, the…
Repertory theatre and symphony orchestra among those to receive less local authority funding than any regional equivalentsArts organisations in Birmingham have been hit with further council …
St James, LondonThere is vocal magic and energetic choreography in Bruce Guthrie's production of Jonathan Larson's New York musicalJonathan Larson's musical is 20 years young and still rocks…
London PalladiumPaul O'Grady, Nigel Havers and Amanda Holden are among the stars in an outrageous and deeply knowing pantomimeWith Paul O'Grady and Julian Clary in the leads, pantomime pitch…
Isadora Duncan's half-naked, nymph-like movements changed the nature of ballet - and anticipated modern choreography. Judith Mackrell celebrates her influenceWhen Frederick Ashton choreograp…
Savoy theatre, London Glee's Amber Riley gives a gutsy performance in the UK premiere of the Broadway musical that bursts with snappy numbers and tight dance routinesFrom the first swish of …
There's a renewed interest in the lost age of music hall and this West End wonder, which keeps its tongue firmly in its cheek, continues to be a class actJohn Nevil Maskelyne was a 19th-cent…