The Tempest (Baxter Theatre Centre) @ The Courtyard Theatre
February 24, 2009
Writing about web page http://www.rsc.org.uk/whatson/6941.aspx When the Complete Works Festival finished, we were promised that it would be an "engine of change" at the RSC, ushering in home and international collaborations and more new work. However, after a couple of months, the RSC was taken over by the Histories and then the last summer season …
Julius Caesar (SATTF) @ The Tobacco Factory
February 19, 2009
Writing about web page http://www.sattf.org.uk/ A bizarre clash of three Shakespearean press nights will hopefully not have left the new Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory production of Julius Caesar out in the cold. While the RSC’s Tempest and Northern Broadsides’ Othello drew the bulk of media interest, I took the road less travelled to Bristol …
Twelfth Night (Donmar) @ The Wyndham’s Theatre
February 13, 2009
Writing about web page http://www.donmarwestend.com/twelfth_night/ Michael Grandage’s first Shakespeare for the Donmar’s current West End residency opened, quite literally, with a bang, a mighty crash of thunder and lightning. This call to attention opened an efficient and excellently-performed Twelfth Night that was unashamedly traditional in its desire to please and entertain. An unfussy set saw the …
Othello (RSC) @ Warwick Arts Centre
February 7, 2009
The RSC’s new touring production of Othello feels surprisingly marginalised. Opening in Coventry, with no Stratford performances and a British press who seem more interested in the upcoming Northern Broadsides production (featuring, as it does, comedian Lenny Henry in the title role), this Othello has a lot to do to avoid slipping under the radar …
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Propeller) @ Liverpool Playhouse
February 1, 2009
It makes a pleasing change to see a Dream during a hugely cold spell at the end of January, as opposed to in sweltering heat – which suggests to me a production that actually has something interesting to do with the play, rather than rolling it out to fill a quiet summer slot. This, the second half …
The Merchant of Venice (Propeller) @ Liverpool Playhouse
January 31, 2009
After some rather poor Shakespeare at the end of 2008, I have to say that it’s a relief and a pleasure to begin 2009 in the company of Propeller and their thoroughly interesting Merchant of Venice. It’s been a couple of years since I was wowed by their Shrew in Stratford, and happily Edward Hall …
Romeo and Juliet (RSC) @ The Courtyard Theatre
December 8, 2008
Writing about web page http://www.rsc.org.uk/whatson/6433.aspx I’m not going to beat around the bush with this review. The RSC’s new production of Romeo and Juliet is one of the worst productions of Shakespeare I’ve ever had the misfortune to sit through. As hard as I tried to find some positive aspects to the production, I honestly …
Twelfth Night (Filter) @ The Courtyard Theatre
November 8, 2008
Writing about web page http://www.filtertheatre.com/ As part of the original Complete Works ‘Bardathon’, I was one of the few people lucky enough to catch the earliest days of Filter Theatre’s production of Twelfth Night, when it was still just a work-in-progress being tested out in the tiny Cube space. The finished version has been touring …
King Lear (Headlong) @ The Everyman Theatre
November 6, 2008
Writing about web page http://www.everymanplayhouse.co.uk/whats-on/show-detail.asp?id=219 Rupert Goold’s new production of King Lear is a particularly major event for the Liverpool Everyman Theatre, the small repertory theatre with a longstanding reputation for excellence. One of the central events of Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture, the production brings together one of the nation’s most prominent …
Love’s Labour’s Lost @ The Rose Theatre Kingston
October 30, 2008
Writing about web page http://www.rosetheatrekingston.org/whats-on/loves-labours-lost The opportunity to see two different productions of Love’s Labour’s Lost in close proximity of each other doesn’t come around very often, yet October has offered this in the shape of Greg Doran’s production for the RSC and Peter Hall’s new production for the Rose Theatre Kingston, which also happens …
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