As a slightly weary Twelfth Night veteran, personally I enjoyed this more sombre adaptation of the play, which remains accessible to newcomers while offering a fresh perspective to those who’ve seen it before.
‘Polished & precise production’: THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST – Tower Theatre
Pan Productions’ unique and memorable adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s classic The Importance of Being Earnest is the company’s first production in English, its cast being made up entirely of immigrants whose first languages include French, Turkish and Greek.
‘Guaranteed to warm your heart’: SNOW WHITE – Chickenshed Theatre
As always, Chickenshed’s Christmas show Snow White is a festive treat that’s guaranteed to warm your heart and send you home feeling a little bit better about the world. Who can say no to that?
‘Delivers in style’: WHITE CHRISTMAS – West End
Before long the stage is overflowing with so much joy, romance and goodwill to all that ultimately, much like the snow song, this White Christmas proves impossible to resist.
‘Powerfully written & performed’: POISONED POLLUTED – Old Red Lion Theatre
Kathryn O’Reilly’s second play Poisoned Polluted focuses on the fragmenting relationship between two women – in this case, sisters.
‘Intriguing & full of surprises’: GASLIGHT – Playground Theatre
While this reimagining of Gaslight doesn’t necessarily deliver on all its promises, the production does successfully highlight the continuing relevance of both the story and its core issue.
‘Horror movie aspect threatens to dominant’: FAST – Park Theatre
Based on a true story, Kate Barton’s play Fast invites its audience into the disturbing world of “Dr” Linda Hazzard (Caroline Lawrie), whose controversial fasting diet method claimed the lives of multiple patients in the early 20th century.
‘Clever & intriguing premise’: THE OPEN – The Space
As with any dystopian drama, the central idea of Florence Bell’s The Open – the GBGC itself – sounds far-fetched, but the foundations on which it’s built aren’t all that implausible.
‘Feels like we’re discovering it for the first time’: THE STRANGE CASE OF JEKYLL & HYDE – Brockley Jack Studio Theatre & Touring
Arrows & Traps’ The Strange Case Of Jekyll & Hyde is one for a new generation: an endlessly thought-provoking, unsettling, enthralling production that’s not to be missed.
‘The storytelling aspect is what makes it unique’: RIVER IN THE SKY – Hope Theatre
Just as much as the emotional impact, though, it’s the unique and original approach to the subject matter that makes this debut production from Turn Point Theatre particularly memorable.
‘A potent reminder of how easily & arbitrarily mental illness can strike’: EQUUS – West End
Touching on themes of religion, sexuality and more than one form of mental illness, the play asks some difficult questions and frequently makes for unsettling viewing, and yet Ned Bennett’s production remains utterly compelling from start to dramatic finish.
‘Quite literally roars on to the stage’: 10 Things I Hate About Taming of the Shrew – Touring
While most of us would probably be willing to admit that Taming of the Shrew is far from Shakespeare’s best, Canadian actor, writer and comedian Gillian English has gone a step further and made a list of everything that’s wrong with it.
‘I think we need to honour & keep revisiting LGBTQ history’: Ben SantaMaria’s Really Want to Hurt Me goes on tour
Writer and director Ben SantaMaria experienced for himself growing up as a gay man in 80s Britain. He wrote the autobiographical show Really Want to Hurt Me as a way to explore what has – and more importantly, hasn’t – changed since his own teenage years.
‘Essential viewing’: LUNATIC 19’S – Finborough Theatre
With immigrants across the USA bracing for planned Ice raids this weekend, Lunatic 19’s, a topical new play by Iowa-based writer Tegan McLeod, shines a spotlight on the soullessness and absurdity of American immigration laws and procedures.
‘Two hours of silliness & escapism’: ONE GIANT LEAP – Brockley Jack Studio Theatre
One Giant Leap is a very silly story with no other mission in mind but providing two hours of pure entertainment.
’Lots more to recommend it besides nostalgia’: DARK SUBLIME – Trafalgar Studios
Dark Sublime is a rare personal drama about an older gay woman trying to find her place and identity in a changing world, with plenty of laughs – particularly aimed at the world of showbiz – and some interesting questions about the nature of fandom.
‘Shakespeare wouldn’t want it any other way’: OTHELLO: REMIXED – Omnibus Theatre
In touching on topical issues like knife and gun crime, drugs, discrimination, misogyny and the disaffection of young people in the UK today, Othello: Remixed demonstrates how Shakespeare’s work speaks for, and should therefore be available to, everyone.
‘A story the world still needs to hear’: BARE: A POP OPERA – The Vaults
There’s nothing historic about the issues Bare: A Pop Opera tackles, as is emotionally demonstrated in the powerful finale of this new London production at The Vaults.
‘I tend to write about people whose stories don’t usually get told’: James Martin Charlton premieres his new play Reformation
James Martin Charlton is an award-winning playwright whose previous work includes the critically acclaimed Fat Souls, I Really Must Be Getting Off and Coward. This week sees the premiere of his new play, Reformation.
‘Such an absorbing 70 minutes of theatre’: HEDGEHOG – Lion & Unicorn Theatre
Insightful, relatable and beautifully performed, let’s hope, unlike the eponymous hedgehog, Hedgehog has a long life ahead.