Theatre
Sitting in the crowd, yearning for something fun
An earnest adaptation of a novel about suicide, sex and capital punishment is an impressive looking production, but a barrel of laughs it is not
Theatre
Theatre
The taming of my Shakespeare library
A mission to read the complete works in chronological order reveals unexpected joys and an antidote to theatrical woes
Theatre
Grace Pervades proves theatre can be everything
Directed by Jeremy Herrin, David Hare's compelling new play is not only admirably cerebral but profoundly moving
Theatre
Intimate Apparel will make you fall in love with theatre again
The Handmaid’s Tale star Samira Wiley offers a haunting portrait of dignified pain
Theatre
Disney’s Hercules: big, bland, and American
A by-numbers musical lacks heart and humour - but tourists will love it
Theatre
Mountainhead is a whip-smart dystopian comedy
Jesse Armstrong’s return as writer and director of this feature-length drama has been giddily anticipated. And it does not disappoint
Theatre
Imelda Staunton and Jenny Seagrove, the great pretenders
Two of our British theatre’s finest are outstanding in Mrs Warren's Profession and The Anastasia File
Theatre
Corny country musical Shucked is no Book of Mormon
The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s US hit is a sub-prime Oklahoma
Theatre
Why you must see The Fifth Step
Jack Lowden and Martin Freeman are whip-smart in this theatrical display of profundity, humour and compassion
Theatre
Why did they bother with this mis-shaped monument to Sondheim?
The posthumously completed Here We Go has no songs, no story and no reason to be on stage
Theatre
Riefenstahl is forensic film-making at its very best
Andres Veiel’s magnificent documentary lets Riefenstahl, in her interviews, recordings and archived files, speak for herself
Theatre
Jessie Buckley and the worst night of theatre in 50 years
Tim Crouch’s An Oak Tree is a boring, self-indulgent mess
Theatre
The critics love Chris O’Dowd’s new play. They’re wrong
Conor McPherson’s The Brightening Air is a slow-burner without much to say
Theatre
Ewan McGregor is superb as Ibsen meets Succession
My Master Builder is a twisting climbing frame of revenge and misery
Theatre
The play that gets Oscar Wilde right
The Importance of Being Oscar is a personal triumph for actor Alastair Whatley
Theatre
Sweat, the play Donald Trump should watch
How did Trump secure a second term? Why has he started a tariff war? The 2017 winner of the Pulitzer prize for drama offers an explanation
Theatre
The Alto Knights is Robert De Niro's victory lap
Barry Levinson’s true-crime gangster story is a pleasing encapsulation of five decades of cinematic culture
Theatre
Black Bag will keep you guessing until the very end
Forty years since his first feature film, Steven Soderbergh has rarely been better
Theatre
The Seagull is an evening of convention-busting Chekhov
The imaginative liberties on show here are the trademark of director Thomas Ostermeier
Theatre
Review: You wait ages for a great role for a woman.. in Backstroke, two come at once
Celia Imrie and Tamsin Greig are funny, tragic and unforgettable
Theatre
Review: Tom Hiddleston’s CBeebies Shakespeare is a waste of space hopper
Hayley Atwell can’t save a witless update of Much Ado About Nothing
Theatre
Vulnerable, terrifying Rami Malek will have you in rhapsodies
The man who played Freddie Mercury stuns in an Oedipus revival
Theatre
The Ambassadress of French Song
One chance encounter transforming a life is rare enough. Guilbert enjoyed two a few days apart
Theatre
Terence Rattigan’s mainline to the human condition
A revival of two of his best-loved plays from the 1950s have plenty to say today
Theatre
Life after Death
Death of England, one of the cultural highlights of 2024, is coming to streaming. But what’s next for playwright Roy Williams?
Theatre
A Bad Sister’s very good stage return
The Little Foxes confirms Anne-Marie Duff as a true great
Theatre
The best interpretation of The Tempest I've ever seen
Sigourney Weaver shines in her west end debut in Jamie Lloyd’s powerful new production of Shakespeare’s final solo-authored play
Theatre
What’s the point of reproducing this Mel Brooks classic?
Patrick Marber’s unremarkable revival delivers polite laughs only
Theatre
Black Doves is festive fun at its most lethal
Our editor-at-large’s rundown of the pick of the week’s streaming, cinema, theatre and books
Theatre
An Oscar Wilde reboot that’s not earnest enough
Max Webster's production of The Importance of Being Earnest fails to commit to doing something truly innovative
Theatre
Only a humbug could resist John Simm’s Scrooge
The Old Vic’s Dickens classic still carries a powerful message about poverty and greed
Theatre
The actress pursued by misfortune and tragedy
Her young daughters grieving before a grave she didn’t occupy was not even the worst tribulation to afflict the life of the Hungarian