Monthly Archives: May 2016

The Philanderer, one of Bernard Shaw’s earliest comedies, a cynical, heartless, semi-autobiographical piece, was written in 1893 when its satire on Ibsen and the New Woman was topical. Artistic director Paul Miller stages the four act version, which Shaw was … Continue reading →

Howard Brenton’s interesting new play takes up the story after the Arab Revolt (1916-1918) was over. The Arabs had fought on the understanding they would be granted independence. The Brits and the French reneged on their promise and carved up … Continue reading →

American playwright Steven Dietz’s drama is about the legacy the Vietnam War continues to have on those who survived and those who lost loved-ones; but a play about the Vietnam War does not have the resonance for British audiences that … Continue reading →

The first Globe Theatre burnt down in 1613 and audiences had to wait a long time, until 1997 in fact, for it to be rebuilt. The whole purpose of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre was for it to be a replica of … Continue reading →

Charlotte Keatley’s play, written in 1985 when she was 25, is the most performed play by a woman writer. It’s an A level set text and schoolgirls love it. The action is spread over four generations and deals with the … Continue reading →

The performance, created by Lin Hwai-min for Cloud Gate Theatre of Taiwan is inspired by Buddhist meditation and the quest for enlightenment. The pilgrimage, choreographed in slow motion and notable for its stamina, serenity and pictorial beauty, is accompanied by … Continue reading →

J B Priestley’s play, written in 1937 and rarely revived, is not a patch on his other Time plays, Time and the Conways and Dangerous Corner. A mysterious German professor (Edward Halsted, very creepy), a Jewish exile, arrives at an … Continue reading →

Oscar Hammerstein II and Jerome Kern’s Show Boat, a milestone in the history of musical theatre, was the first musical to merge a traditional show biz story with serious drama. Premiered in 1927 it has been revived and revised constantly … Continue reading →