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Adam Sweeting |

Screenwriter Neil Forsyth earned kudos a-plenty with his two BBC One series of The Gold, a dramatisation of the 1983 Brink’s-Mat bullion robbery and its aftermath. Now he’s stepped aboard the good ship Netflix for this story of heroin-pushing gangs in London and Liverpool, set in the dying days of the Thatcher government at the turn of the Nineties.

Helen Hawkins
Maybe because we are aware now of too many cases of a paranoid schizophrenic suddenly unleashing violence on an innocent stranger, the teenager under…
Veronica Lee
Wanda Sykes is a comic, actress and writer who has written for Chris Rock and appeared in Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Good Fight and, more latterly…
David Nice
Bellini's most consistently inspired opera, director Orpha Phelan tells us, has been set on a pedestal. Well, a pedestal would have been good for the…

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Joe Muggs
A total deconstruction of pop-alternative dichotomies, and a 360° immersive overload
Matt Wolf
Oscar winner Gary Oldman returns to his stage roots
Kieron Tyler
Enviably consistent box set dedicated to female-sung British pop from 1962 to 1970
Adam Sweeting
Gripping three-part saga is smarter than the average pop-doc
Boyd Tonkin
The rebel diva finally comes to Sussex in splendour - and squalor
Helen Hawkins
A handsome production in need of a stronger score and deeper characterisation
Rachel Halliburton
Darkly arresting Purcell sometimes grapples with too many ideas
David Nice
Stunning collaboration between actors and musicians typifies this bracing enterprise
Rachel Halliburton
Michelle Terry proves how well she understands this venue's tricky chemistry
David Nice
Adrenalin-fuelled star turns in a fine ensemble
Bernard Hughes
Period instruments and voices recreate the glory of a historical investiture
Helen Hawkins
Oscar Wilde's comedy with a serious core emerges as an inventive, rowdy entertainment
Florence Hallett
The mood is blue, but profundity is in short supply
Gary Naylor
Accomplished debut play from writer of W1A
Robert Beale
Rautavaara’s birds, Nielsen’s arguments, and an outstanding Sibelius concerto
Helen Hawkins
The latest helping of the Jilly Cooper adaptation is much like the first: sparky, filthy fun
David Nice
A celebrated sibling brings style and panache to two brothers
Sebastian Scotney
A fascinating cast of characters
Mark Kidel
The undeniable force of a musical original shows signs of wear
Veronica Lee
Absurdist comic's most personal show yet
Kieron Tyler
Celebration of first-rate but obscure Chicago soul
Rachel Halliburton
Joshua James plays Sherlock as an otherworldly rebel
Bernard Hughes
Adventurous programming showcases choir’s versatility and skill
Helen Hawkins
Sarah Ruhl brings a welcome whiff of Off-Broadway class to north London

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We are bowled over! We knew that theartsdesk.com had plenty of supporters out there – we’ve always had a loyal readership of arts…
Screenwriter Neil Forsyth earned kudos a-plenty with his two BBC One series of The Gold, a dramatisation of the 1983 Brink’s-Mat bullion…
Maybe because we are aware now of too many cases of a paranoid schizophrenic suddenly unleashing violence on an innocent stranger, the…
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