London and Touring
A Tale of Two Cities
Adapted by Mike Poulton from the novel by Charles Dickens
4Star****

Richmond Theatre until 1 October, thereafter touring
Runs 2hrs 35 with interval
TICKETS 0844 871 7651
www.atgtickets.com/richmond

Review: Tom Aitken, 28 September 2016

Dickens would have been pleased.

Nottingham/Touring.

THE JAMES PLAYS: Rona Munro.
Theatre Royal: Tkts 0115 989 5555 www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk.
Run: James I 2h 30m, James II 2h30m, James III 2h 40m: each play has one interval: till 12th June.
Performance times: 11.00am, 3.00pm and 7.30pm.
Review: Alan Geary: 11th June 2016.

Compelling stuff, with some fine acting

Touring
Ex Cathedra
Shakespeare Odes:
Shakespeare Masque: music Sally Beamish, text Carol Ann Duffy
Garrick Ode: music Thomas Arne, Sally Beamish, text David Garrick
Conductor: Jeffrey Skidmore
Birmingham Town Hall, Sunday 24 April
(Performances to come in Hereford, Wolverhampton, London, Nottingham)
Info: excathedra.co.uk

Review: Alexander Ray Edser, 24 April, Birmingham Town Hall

Beautifully performed, a fitting Shakespeare celebration

Birmingham and Touring
DEAD SHEEP: Jonathan Maitland
5Star*****

Birmingham Rep Main House to Sat 1 October
Runs: Approximately 2h, one interval
BO: 0121 236 4455
www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

Tour finishes Sat 03 12 16
Full details: www.deadsheepontour.co.uk

Review: Alexander Ray Edser, 26 09 16

Totally absorbing drama

Birmingham and Stockton
FURIOUS FOLLY, Mark Anderson
5Star *****

Birmingham followed by Stockton
Ends: Approx 23:15
Free admission, but tickets must be booked
Info and tickets: www.1418now.org.uk/commissions/furious-f

Incredibly powerful evocation, commemoration and provocation

Mansfield/Touring.

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY: Harold Pinter.
Palace Theatre Mansfield.
Touring: info The London Classic Theatre www.londonclassictheatre.co.uk.
Runs: 2h 20m: one interval.
Review: Alan Geary: 7th June 2016.

LCT are on top form with this one.

Tour
Cavaleria Rusticana (Mascagni), Pagliacci (Leoncavallo)
WNO, on Tour
Runs: 3h 10m, one interval

Review: David & Paul Gray, Birmingham Hippodrome, 10 June 2016

Early operatic realism with superb singing all round.

Tour
FOLK: Tom Wells
Birmingham Rep, Hull Truck, Watford Palace (Touring)
Runs: 90 m, no interval

Review: Alexander Ray Edser, 23 04 16

Heartwarming glimpse of humanity

Birmingham
MAMMA MIA: Music and Lyrics Benny Andersson Bjorn Ulvaeus, Book Catherine Johnson
Four Stars ****

Birmingham Hippodrome and Tour
Runs: 2h 40m, one interval
Tickets (Hippodrome): 0844 338 5000
Info: www.birminghamhippodrome.com
At the Hippodrome to 03 September 2016
Touring well into 2017
Info at: www.mamma-mia.com/uk-tour/

Review: Alexander Ray Edser, 29 June 2016

It will make you feel so much better

Nottingham.
THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR: Nikolai Gogol (adapted David Harrower).
Nottingham Playhouse and tour
www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk.
Runs: 2h 35m: one interval: till 14th May.
Performance times: 7.45pm(matinees 2.30pm Sat 7th, 1.30pm Thurs 12th)
Review: Alan Geary: 5th May 2016.

A marvel of a production

Hornchurch & Ipswich
MADE IN DAGENHAM
Book by Richard Bean, Music by David Arnold, Lyrics by Richard Thomas.
4Star****

Runs to 18 Oct
Queen’s Theatre
Billet Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 1QT to 17 September2016.
Mon-Wed 7.30pm Thu-Sat 8pm Mat Sat 2.30pm
Runs 2hr 10 mins One interval.
Then at
New Wolsey Theatre, Civic Drive, Ipswich 1P1 2AS from 21 Sept to 18 Oct.

TICKETS: Hornchurch – 01708 443333
www.boxoffice@queens_theatre.co,uk
Ipswich: 01473 295900
www.wolseytheatre.co.uk
Review: William Russell 30 August.

Dazzlingly good revival goes on the road

London
THE UNPARALLELED ADVENTURE OF ONE HANS PFAALL
by Edgar Allan Poe
4 Stars ****

Putney Arts Centre To 23 July then on Tour
Ravenna Road, London SW15 6AW to 23 July and then on tour.
Runs 80 mins No interval.
Tour dates
25 September - Guildhall Art Centre, Grantham
01476 406158
www.guildhallartscentre.com
7 October -The Poly, 24 Church Street, Falmouth.
01326 319461
www.thepoly.org
14-15 October - Mercury Theatre, Colchester
01206 573948
www.mercurytheatre.co.uk
28 October - The Spring Arts Heritage Centre, Havan023 9247 2700
www.thespring.co.uk

Review: William Russell 23 July

Magical tale of a man who went to the moon

Nottingham/Touring.

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S: Truman Capote (adapted Richard Greenberg).
Theatre Royal
Tkts 0115 989 5555 www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk.
Runs: 2h 20m: one interval: till 14th May.
Performance times: 7.30pm, (Matinees 2.00pm Weds and 2.30pm Sat).
Touring beyond Nottingham

Review: Alan Geary: 10th May 2016.

A treat of a play – but read the book.

Nottingham/Touring.
THE FULL MONTY: Simon Beaufoy.
4Star****

Theatre Royal
Tkts 0115 989 5555 www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk.
Runs: 2h 30m: one interval: till 1st October.
Performance times: 7.30pm (matinées Weds 2pm, Sat 2.30pm).
Review: Alan Geary: 26th September 2016.

Highly entertaining, exhilarating, yet slightly irritating stuff.

Birmingham ad Touring
FLARE PATH: Terence Rattigan
The Original Theatre Company and Birdsong Productions
Birmingham Rep to 30 April
Touring
Runs: 2h 25m, one interval.
Info: www.flarepaththetour.com
www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

Review: Alexander Ray Edser, Bham Rep, 25 04 16

A powerful drama is a powerful dram

London
Relatively Speaking
Alan Aykbourn
3Star***

Richmond Theatre, London, to 08 10 16, then touring (see below)
Runs 1hr 35 with intReview: Tom Aitken, 4 October 2016

Funny, well played, but getting on in years

Birmingham and Touring
Nederlands Dans Theater 2 (NDT2)
Birmingham Hippodrome
May 4 and 5, Part of Birmingham International Dance Festival, also touring
Runs: 2h 10m, two intervals
Tickets (Hippodrome): 0844 338 5000
Info: www.birminghamhippodrome.com

NDT2 tour information:
http://www.ndt.nl/en/tickets/performances.html

Review: Alexander Ray Edser, 4 May 2016

Marvellous company, marvellous dance, marvellous evening.

London
HAMLET
by William Shakespeare
adapted by Kelly Hunter.

Park Theatre to 25 April then touring
90, Clifton Terrace, London N4 3JP to 25 April 2016.
On tour – Clasicos en Alcala, Spain 10-11 June; Glebe Neuss, Germany 13-14 June; Kronberg Castle, Denmark 8-9 August. Part of the 400 centenary Shakespeare celebrations with support of English Touring Theatre and the Arts Council England.

Runs 1 hr 30 mins. No interval.
Further information: www.flutetheatre.co

Review: William Russell 24 April.

Six actors, a sofa and a drum kit.

London and Touring
The Diary of a Hounslow Girl
By Ambreen Razia

OvalHouse to May 6, then touring
52-54 Kennington Oval,
London SE11 55W

7.30pm

Runs: 80mins without interval.

TICKETS: 020 7582 7680
On-line: www.ovalhouse.com

Review: by Carole Woddis of performance seen May 6, 2016:

Apt, timely, and sometimes hair-raising

Richmond
PRESENT LAUGHTER
by Noel Coward
4 Stars ****

Richmond Theatre To 6 August (and touring)
The Green, Richmond
Richmond TW9 1QJ
Fri-Sat 7.30pm Mat Sat 3pm.
Runs 2hr 20 minutes One interval.

TICKETS: 0844 0208 871 7651
atgtickets.com/richmond

Review: Tom Aitken August 5.

Comedy or Tragicomedy? Strong performances.