A star danced, and under it was Simon Godwin’s joyful, 1930s Riviera production born. Quite apart from the fact that it is nice to have the earnest NT enjoying two outbreaks of frenetic jitterbug dancing at once – Jack Absolute upstairs at the Olivier, and here Much Ado About Nothing set in the Mediterranean hotel world of Noel Coward – where it feats with unexpected neatness.
‘The sheer visual beauty of the whole staging is a source of considerable pleasure’: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING – National Theatre ★★★
Simon Godwin’s new production of Much Ado About Nothing for the National initially seems to be going for the full-on romantic escapism, from the bougainvillea and sun-kissed (Amalfi?) coast of the front curtain to the gorgeous Art Deco-meets-Italianate Palazzo mixture of colour and elegance of Anna Fleischle’s hotel setting
‘Listen, taste, watch, smell & touch the world around you’: The You Play: small acts – Written on the Waves (Online review)
Audio drama small acts is part of 45North’s Written on the Waves series, and the first of the two You Plays.
‘There’s life in the monologue formula yet’: SITTING – BBC Lights Up Festival (Online review)
Written skilfully by Katherine Parkinson, Sitting thankfully mixes up the monologue format a little to provoke interest and show that there’s life in the formula yet.
‘Just the kind of inclusive comedic treat we need’: THE COMEBACK – Noël Coward Theatre
The Comeback proves to be a piece of warmly inclusive comedy at the Noël Coward Theatre, it’s perfect festive fare.
NEWS: Sharon D. Clarke & Katherine Parkinson are among the cast for new audio project Written on the Waves
Sharon D. Clarke and Katherine Parkinson are among the cast for new audio project Written on the Waves presented by 45North and Ellie Keel Productions.
‘Never less than arresting’: SHOE LADY – Royal Court Theatre (Radio review)
BBC Radio’s Lockdown Theatre Festival, curated by Bertie Carvel, highlights productions cut short by broadcasting them with the original casts, albeit in an audio format only.
‘These short pieces will provide valuable testimony for what people got up to in the great pandemic’: UNPRECEDENTED – Headlong Theatre (Online review)
Life as it is currently lived in 14 playlets: Most of the plays are about ten minutes in duration and punch well above their weight featuring writing by the likes of James Graham and April de Angelis.
‘A powerful account of female middle-class anxieties in Britain today’: SHOE LADY – Royal Court Theatre
Shoe Lady at the Royal Court is not the most involving play in the world, but it does have an evocative resonance.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: Shoe Lady at Royal Court Theatre
Love London Love Culture rounds up the reviews for E.V.Crowe’s new play Shoe Lady, playing for a strictly limited three-week run at the Royal Court Theatre.
‘Parkinson has such an ability to tread the line between comedy & emotion’: SHOE LADY – Royal Court Theatre
Shoe Lady is an intriguing and well-considered examination of the social and domestic pressures placed on women to perform multiple and often contradictory roles in our society.
NEWS: Katherine Parkinson cast in E.V. Crowe’s play Shoe Lady at the Royal Court Theatre
Katherine Parkinson and Kayla Meikle have been cast in the world premiere of Shoe Lady written by E.V. Crowe and directed by Royal Court artistic director Vicky Featherstone.
‘Everett’s artistry grows ever richer’: UNCLE VANYA – Bath ★★★
Rupert Everett’s fascinating performance hides some of the deficiencies inherent in this production of Uncle Vanya which never gets to the heart of this transcendent play.
‘The respective character arcs are satisfying in their own right’: SITTING – Arcola Theatre ★★★★
There have been a number of plays that have dealt with the importance of ‘art’ and what the viewer brings to its ‘meaning’. Sitting – which is written by Katherine Parkinson and directed by Sarah Bedi – takes a different tact, focusing on the relationship the ‘sitter’ has with the person painting them.
’Katherine Parkinson is undeniably on a roll’: SITTING – Arcola Theatre
Katherine Parkinson was not a surprising choice for the joint venture by Avalon and BBC Arts whereby seasoned creatives were sponsored to write for the stage. Although her script for Sitting was the only actually successful project, seen last year on the Edinburgh Fringe and now refreshed and revived at the Arcola.
NEWS: Katherine Parkinson & Vanessa Redgrave join line-up for Theatre Royal Bath’s summer season as new productions are announced
Jonathan Church, artistic director of Theatre Royal Bath’s summer season, has announced further productions and new casting for the 2019 programme. Katherine Parkinson joins Rupert Everett in the cast of Uncle Vanya which he also directs.
NEWS: Company, Come From Away & The Inheritance top the Olivier Awards 2019 nominations
Musicals Company and Come From Away top the Olivier Awards 2019 nominations with nine nods each, while The Inheritance is the most recognised play with eight nominations. The ceremony takes place on Sunday 7 April at the Royal Albert Hall, hosted by Jason Manford.
‘Raises important issues about modern attitudes to love, sex & gender’: HOME, I’M DARLING – West End
How far would you go to achieve domestic perfection? What even is domestic perfection? Is our happiness shaped by or confounded by traditional gender roles? These are the questions Laura Wade poses in her feminist satire Home, I’m Darling.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: Home, I’m Darling at Duke of York’s Theatre
Love London Love Culture rounds up the reviews for Laura Wade’s play Home, I’m Darling which has transferred to the West End.
‘Acutely observed & intriguing play’: HOME, I’M DARLING – West End ★★★★
Losing your job can affect people in different ways but Judy Martin retreats into a 1950s Twilight Zone in Laura Wade’s surreal, bittersweet, comedy Home, I’m Darling which opened this week at the Duke of York’s Theatre.
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