Having won over London audiences in style last year with The View UpStairs, Max Vernon can boast success on both sides of the pond. The show premiered off Broadway in 2017 and subsequently enjoyed productions in the US and Australia before landing in London for a run at Soho Theatre. As with previous work KPOP,... Continue Reading →
Interview: Oddsocks Productions’ Elli Mackenzie & Andy Barrow
As an outdoor theatre company priding themselves on a party atmosphere and accessible entertainment for all, Oddsocks have been delighting audiences as an independent theatre company for just over 30 years. Their wonderful work bringing Shakespeare’s plays to life in brave and whacky ways places them firmly in my top five theatre companies line-up, so... Continue Reading →
Alone in Berlin: A Study of Human Nature in Times of Danger & Discord
Friday 6th March 2020 at York Theatre Royal. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Alone in Berlin comes to the stage as Alistair Beaton’s translation and adaptation of Hans Fallada’s 1947 novel Every Man Dies Alone. Set in wartime Berlin as the Gestapo roam the streets with menace, the story is one which builds on details of the life and... Continue Reading →
Oliver Twist: Embracing the Grittier Origins of Dickens’ Story
Wednesday 4th March 2020 at Leeds Playhouse (Quarry Theatre). ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Oliver Twist has once more found his way back to a stage and in this production Amy Leach directs a brand new Dickens adaptation from Bryony Lavery - one that wholly embraces its gritty and disturbing origins. A co-production of Leeds Playhouse and Ramps on... Continue Reading →
The Welkin: A Perilous Standoff between Damnation & Defence
Saturday 22nd February 2020 at the National Theatre, London. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Welkin is a fantastic example of past and present colliding. Lucy Kirkwood’s new play offers harsh realities, intelligent light relief and dramatic revelations to leave craters in the stage. Educating and entertaining as much as it interrogates and grips, we are presented with shifting... Continue Reading →
Crongton Knights: A Refreshing Take on the Coming of Age Story
Wednesday 26th February at York Theatre Royal. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Based on Alex Wheatle’s novel and adapted here by Emteaz Hussain, Crongton Knights is a refreshing force, spotlighting young voices and experiences in a production which looks at everything from the classic glorification of friendships to gender politics and the dangerous situations which can so easily sneak... Continue Reading →
Interview: Ollie Norton-Smith Talks Our Man in Havana & Speed Dial
Spies Like Us are bringing not one but two pieces to the 2020 Vault Festival. One - Our Man in Havana - is a fully fledged production which has already gained significant recognition and the other - Speed Dial - is a work in progress. With both arriving on the Vault scene between 3-7th March... Continue Reading →
Seeds: Impressively Unrelenting
Monday 23rd February 2020 at Leeds Playhouse (Bramall Rock Void). ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Evelyn (Judith Jacob) is lighting candles on a Birthday cake when a ring of the doorbell brings Jackie (Penny Layden) out from the cold and into the fire as it were, placing her centre stage in a living room which periodically doubles as courtroom. ... Continue Reading →
A Monster Calls: Insightful & Poignant
Tuesday 18th February 2020 at Nottingham Theatre Royal. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Monster Calls has captured many hearts since Patrick Ness’ novel was published in 2011 - a work inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd. From that debut to this stage play, the journey has been an impressive and important one. Telling a tough to tackle... Continue Reading →
Riot Act: Vital Recognition of LGBTQ+ History & Experience
Friday 7th February 2020 at Harrogate Theatre (Studio). ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Alexis Gregory’s arresting solo show takes the testimonies of three important figures in the LGBTQ+ community and places their words and experiences at the centre of an impressive hour long verbatim piece. Though the stage is an empty space ripe for conjuring the past through the... Continue Reading →