We take a look at what critics have had to say about Mother Goose at the Duke of York’s Theatre & touring, the pantomime starring John Bishop and Ian McKellen, currently touring until April.
‘A kind of triumph’: MOTHER GOOSE – Duke of York’s Theatre & Touring ★★★★★
The pleasure of Mother Goose at the Duke of York’s Theatre is in the feeling that despite the topflight cast and the direction of Cal McCrystal, peerless physical comedy guru, it has the feeling of a local panto, even a community one. No big technical showpieces, but plenty of old-fashioned gags: puppets popping out of pans, a ‘self-raising flower’ swannee-whistling up from a table, a custard pie scene and rapid costume changes.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: Hamlet at Theatre Royal Windsor
Love London Love Culture round up the reviews for this eagerly-anticipated production of Shakespeare’s tragedy starring Ian McKellen.
‘Ian McKellen scales new heights’: HAMLET – Theatre Royal, Windsor
Ian McKellen has never been an actor to shirk a challenge — or do things by halves. Having first played the title role of Hamlet fully 50 years ago, aged 31 — the age that Hamlet is at the end of the play — he has now returned to it, aged 82.
So another delay to the ‘cautious, irreversible’ roadmap out of lockdown: It’s beginning to feel like Groundhog Day
In what is becoming a wearyingly predictable cycle, Boris Johnson’s latest failure to act fast enough to lockdown the country from the arrival of what is now known as the Delta variant of Covid, which originated in India, has resulted in it becoming the dominant strain of the virus in Britain — with the added problem that it is much more easily transmissible than previous strains.
Mark Shenton’s weekly chart of forthcoming theatrical comings & goings has some new entries
This weekly column keeps track of the shows that are coming back, or are newly being announced, as theatres prepare to re-open from next month onwards. It will be updated weekly until such time as it becomes a reality, and from then on will provide a weekly update to that week’s openings and future ones.
Returning & new productions heading for the West End & beyond post-lockdown: Are you up to date?
Meanwhile, I want to start keeping track of the shows that are coming back, or are newly being announced, in a new feature here that will be updated weekly until such time as it becomes a reality, and from then on will provide a weekly update to that week’s openings and future ones.
NEWS: Hamlet starring Ian McKellen will open Theatre Royal Windsor’s new season in June 2021
The Theatre Royal Windsor’s summer season will open with Shakespeare’s Hamlet, directed by Sean Mathias and starring Ian McKellen in an age-blind interpretation of the young Prince.
NEWS: SOLT & UK Theatre survey reveals 95% of theatre organisations are worse off due to Covid
A year ago, on 16 March 2020, theatres across the country closed their doors due to the pandemic. Survey results collected by the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and UK Theatre from across the theatre sector paint a picture of an industry that has struggled to survive the past 12 months and faced huge financial strain – but remains resilient and adaptable.
Mark Shenton offers a bittersweet celebration of his Top Ten Favourite West End Theatres
My latest ShenTens is particularly bittersweet, as we can’t actually go to any at the moment: my favourite West End theatres.
Being at home with who & what you are: Is actors’ openness about their sexuality the sign of a better future?
Mark Shenton reflects on the careers of two young gay actors, the late Marcus D’Amico and Jonathan Bailey (recently seen in Bridgerton), & their different experiences of the arts industry in different eras.
‘I don’t want to forget the shows that happened’: A reflection on theatre in 2020
I resolutely wasn’t doing a round up for 2020. I mean what on earth were we going to round up? This year has, with no exaggeration, broken our hearts in theatre. There’s no other way to put it. We watched our industry disappear overnight. We…
NEWS: Don Black & Ian McKellen will be honoured as part of the Olivier Awards 2020
The announcement of this year’s Olivier Awards winners will be broadcast on ITV on 25 October 2020 at 10.20pm. Lyricist Don Black receives The Olivier Special Award for contribution to theatre and Ian McKellen will be honoured in his 80th year for his Ian McKellen On Stage tour.
NEWS: ‘Age-blind’ Hamlet starring Ian McKellen begins rehearsals for eventual run
A new production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, directed by Sean Mathias with Ian McKellen in an age-blind interpretation of the young Prince, will go into rehearsals on Monday 29 June 2020.
10 wish-list productions for future National Theatre At Home screenings
Following on from the instant success of National Theatre At Home streaming event, it’s got me thinking about all the other wonderful NT Live screenings that I’d love to come to the small screen as part of this series. I have narrowed it down to my top 10.
NEWS: Double win for Sheffield Theatres at The Stage Awards 2020
Sheffield Theatres scooped two awards in The Stage Awards 2020: Regional Theatre of the Year and Achievement in Technical Theatre.
NEWS: Ian McKellen is the first actor to top The Stage 100
Stage and screen star Ian McKellen has been named number one in The Stage 100, ‘the definitive guide to the most influential figures working in the UK theatre and performing arts industry today’. He is the first actor to ever top the list.
FEATURED SHOW: Is The Exorcist as scary as ever? Reviews are in from Windsor
The West End hit, Bill Kenwright Productions’ stage adaptation of The Exorcist, is now at Theatre Royal Windsor ahead of a new UK-wide tour. Is this demonic tale as scary as ever? We’ve rounded up a selection of review highlights. Time to get booking!
WATCH: Chilling trailers for The Exorcist adapted from screen to stage
The demon is waiting… Is the scariest movie of all time even scarier live onstage? Take a look at these two trailers of The Exorcist for a hint, but you’ll have to be brave enough to buy a ticket to confirm. The hit play returns to the stage tomorrow at Theatre Royal Windsor. Time to get booking!
‘It’s really about struggles of faith’: Agnes of God author John Pielmeier on adapting The Exorcist for the stage
Did you know that John Pielmeier, who has adapted The Exorcist for the stage, is also the award-winning writer of Broadway hit play and Jane Fonda-led Hollywood film Agnes of God? As The Exorcist returns to the stage at the Theatre Royal Windsor ahead of a new tour, we talked to him about faith, demons and Ian McKellen. Time to get booking!