More than four centuries after William Shakespeare died in 1616, aged 52 on his own birthday (23 April), questions remain about the authorship of his prodigious output – including nearly forty plays and more than 150 sonnets.
‘I want the audience to ask themselves: what if Marlowe didn’t die in 1593?’ Writer Peter B Hodges on the UK premiere of Marlowe’s Fate
Research proves that Christopher Marlowe not only didn’t die in 1593 at the age of 29, but that he wrote the plays that made Shakespeare famous. So says author and playwright Peter B Hodges whose Off-Broadway play on the subject, Marlowe’s Fate, is now running at London’s White Bear Theatre until 27 November. He told us more about it.
‘This is Shakespeare for the Netflix generation’: MACBETH – Almeida Theatre
Saoirse Ronan makes her UK stage debut in Yael Farber’s testosterone-fest, which is vivid, but much too long.
NEWS: Marlowe’s Fate, featuring a sparring match with Shakespeare, gets UK premiere at White Bear
Peter B Hodges’ Off-Broadway hit Marlowe’s Fate, based on the premise that Christopher Marlowe wrote the canon credited to William Shakespeare, gets its UK premiere this month at London’s White Bear Theatre, where its limited season continues until 27 November.
‘Just as Shakespeare would have intended’: THE SCOTTISH PLAY – Bard in a Yard
The intimate and interactive nature of the setting meant that we, the audience, were completely immersed in the performance of The Scottish Play.
‘Offers a faithful reading with some contemporary resonance’: THE WINTER’S TALE – RSC / BBC Lights Up Festival (Online review)
The Royal Shakespeare Company joins forces with BBC4 for the world premiere of A Winter’s Tale, a production intended for the 2020 stage and all but lost to theatre history.
‘Will be just the kind of theatre magic we’ve all been waiting for’: SWINGIN’ THE DREAM – RSC (Online review)
The RSC, Young Vic and Theatre for a New Audience have a difficult but fascinating task ahead in re-creating lost work Swingin’ the Dream that honours the original while offering something new to modern audiences.
‘It felt like we were all creating something very special together’: A fond farewell to The Show Must Go Online series
I may be woefully behind on my show write-ups, but I couldn’t not mark The Show Must Go Online coming to an end – at least until further notice.
‘My favourite part of working in casting is meeting fresh, exciting talent’: Sydney Aldridge on the casting process for The Show Must Go Online
I’ve really admired the work of Sydney Aldridge throughout the course of The Show Must Go Online, so who better to talk to about casting and her experiences with this innovative Zoom theatre project?
‘All in all, yet another brilliant show’: AS YOU LIKE IT – The Show Must Go Online (Online review)
From Rome to the Forest of Arden, as The Show Must Go Online next tackles As You Like It.
‘Adds some dynamism’: THE SECRET LOVE LIFE OF OPHELIA – Greenwich Theatre (Online review)
The Greenwich Theatre production of The Secret Love Life of Ophelia showcases a selection of excellent young performers that inadvertently asks some big questions about how we cast Hamlet in the 21st century.
‘I could have written an entire post about Ruth Page’s performance’: HENRY V – The Show Must Go Online (Online review)
I’m running out of superlatives for The Show Must Go Online. Each show is exceptional, including the latest staging of Henry V, and manages to improve upon the previous week in as many ways as possible.
‘A lean, swift & feisty political thriller’: CORIOLANUS – Donmar Warehouse (Online review)
To take a play as epic in scale as Coriolanus and find a natural home within the intimacy of London’s Donmar Warehouse takes a skill and lightness of touch that is not only rare but all so often missed.
‘Every single week gets more inventive!’ The Show Must Go Online actors discuss their lockdown hit
I posed some questions to The Show Must Go Online returnees Luke Barton, Kristin Atherton, David Johnson and Lucy Aarden about their experiences with this weekly lockdown hit.
‘I’m glad this version has helped me to appreciate the play more’: The Show Must Go Online’s Titus Andronicus (Online review)
Last week was Shakespeare’s birthday, so The Show Must Go Online went all out with their latest production, holding a Titus Andronicus party in the Bard’s honour.
Lockdown has made me realise, as much as theatre, I’ve been missing live music
It feels slightly odd that my final show before the curtains came down wasn’t a play or musical – instead, it was a dance show.
‘The very best versions of the story exist in a complex psychological abyss’: A psychological study of Macbeth across genres
Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most frequently performed plays, and it is a story filled with death, danger and prophesy.
‘A joyous celebration of the magic of theatre’: WISE CHILDREN – York Theatre Royal (Online review)
Emma Rice’s version of Angela Carter’s last novel is a beautifully bizarre celebration of alternative families.
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.
‘Quite extraordinary innovation’: THE TAMING OF THE SHREW – The Show Must Go Online
The success of Show Must Go Online’s engrossing The Taming Of The Shrew is a real credit to the company’s creativity and the magic of this emerging art form.