It is still a relatively rare experience to see a working class drama that invests its characters with a profound and complex, even a poetic interior, life, but from the first moments of Richard Hawley and Chris Bush’s Standing At the Sky’s Edge when a workman stops to greet the beauty of the dawn and the sound of birdsong, it is clear that this is no ordinary representation of
‘A musical & historical love letter to the city of Sheffield’: THE BAND PLAYS ON – Sheffield Theatres (Online review)
The Band Played On, the latest show from Chris Bush, is a tuneful celebration of stoicism, resilience and humour.
FIRST LOOK: Travel to Uganda with images of VAULT Festival drama, Far Gone
Grab a first look at John Rwoth-Omack’s acclaimed tale of a Ugandan a child soldier, Far Gone, a check out what Sheffield audiences thought of the show, then book your tickets!
NEWS: John Rwoth-Omack brings tale of boy soldier Far Gone to VAULT Festival
Gut-kicking physical performance with humour, poetry and the horrors of being a child soldier, Far Gone comes to the VAULT Festival later this spring. Book your tickets now!
2017 Regional theatre recap
Much of my ‘touring’ has been concentrated in Bristol and Chichester; there are a few other UK venues to add to the list, as well as some from my week in New York, of course.
EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE – West End ★★★★
The actors playing the teens are very fine, but top of the class are John McCrea as a spectacularly well-sung and well-observed Jamie, and Josie Walker as his mum with the only really heartfelt song in the show, ‘He’s My Boy’.
The future is here: Dispatches from the National Student Drama Festival
I arrived at 9.25pm last night from a day in Belfast, and the administrator Joseph welcomed me, not with a welcome pint, but with the news that I was just in time to see a piece of gig theatre which started at 9.30pm.
NEWS: Game of Thrones’ Rose Leslie returns to stage in Contractions
As he opens Flowers for Mrs Harris – his final production as Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres, Daniel Evans today announces the cast for the forthcoming regional première of Mike Bartlett’s Contractions. Lisa Blair directs Rose Leslie (Emma) and Sara Stewart (Manager). The production opens on 27 June, with previews from 23 June, and runs until 16 July. ‘Care? Yes. We …
SHOW BOAT – West End
In 1927, Jerome Kern shifted the shape of musical theatre from twee operetta to a tighter fusion of music with drama. He also designed Show Boat as a slap in the face to complacent audiences with its startling opening line ‘Niggers all work on the Mississippi’. In the Daniel Evans’ production which has arrived with bells and whistles and five-star accolades from Sheffield we have a version which is both polished and sanitized.
Yes No Maybe
Three things this week have reminded me of the very powerful, and very important, trust exercise which is called “Yes No Maybe”. It is used to start many couples and group work – in drama or life – where it is important to signal when you are comfortable with a developing connection. “Yes”, spoken clearly, […]
THE 56 – The Lowry, Salford
Date: 19 May 2015 Upstaged Rating: At 3.40pm on May 11th 1985, a small fire broke out in the main stand at Valley Parade football ground during the final match of the season. Within four minutes the wooden structure was…
