Theatre Reviews

The South Bank Show: Tim Minchin, Sky Arts 1

Tom Birchenough Friday, 19 April 2013

The new South Bank Show has glided into its second season with a seemingly effortless profile of multi-hyphenate Tim Minchin. In case we’ve forgotten what exactly we admire him for these days – so varied has been his decade-long career been, through satire, rock, musical comedy, stage performance, to co-creator of the RSC transfer-spectacular Matilda that's now storming Broadway – then this was a good reminder.

Doktor Glas, Wyndham’s Theatre

aleks Sierz Friday, 19 April 2013

Scandi thrillers have a lot to answer for. Ever since the small-screen success of the Swedish Wallander series, based on the books by Henning Mankell, there has been a host of other must-sees — including the brilliant Borgen — plus British imitations such as Kenneth Branagh’s Wallander. Not to mention various outings of The Killing and its local progeny such as Broadchurch.

#aiww: The Arrest of Ai Weiwei, Hampstead Theatre

Heather Neill Thursday, 18 April 2013

During rehearsals of his new play, Howard Brenton and the company had a sudden realisation: they were willing partners in "the vast Ai Weiwei project". The Chinese dissident artist, a constant critic of his country's human rights policies, was arrested on his way to Hong Kong in 2011 because his travel would "damage state security" and detained for 81 days. Now he requested that this story be told in a play to be based on interviews he had given to the journalist Barnaby Martin.

Beautiful Thing, Arts Theatre

aleks Sierz Thursday, 18 April 2013

Some plays are game-changers. When Jonathan Harvey’s Beautiful Thing opened at the tiny Bush Theatre in 1993 the joy that radiated off the stage was ample affirmation that this tale of puppy love had changed the face of gay plays for ever. Gone was dreary soul searching; gone was guilt; gone was militancy. Instead, we got fun, laughter and real heart.

Children of the Sun, National Theatre

David Benedict Wednesday, 17 April 2013

They’re back, and this time it’s Gorky.

Two Gentlemen of Verona, Tobacco Factory, Bristol

mark Kidel Sunday, 14 April 2013

In spite of a text that feels at times like Shakespeare by numbers, Andrew Hilton’s tightly-knit company has once again pulled off an evening of captivating theatre. As in other productions from Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory, the casting is pitch-perfect and the acting first class, down to the star performance of a hilariously mournful black dog.

Ubu Roi, Cheek by Jowl, Barbican Silk Street Theatre

David Nice Saturday, 13 April 2013

Or, The Lord and Lady Macbeth of the Seizième, as imagined by a bourgeois teenager who fancies himself to be Bougrelas, heir to the Polish throne. That's one way of looking at the concept so dazzlingly carried through by Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod with the French wing of their Cheek by Jowl Company.

Table, National Theatre

aleks Sierz Saturday, 13 April 2013

The family can be a knot of hatred as well as a cradle of love. Rather late in this new play by Tanya Ronder comes a scene in which a separated husband and wife try to untangle this knot, and end up by tightening it. And this takes place around a table, which is silent witness to this epic tale which spans more than a century, and uses nine actors to create some 23 participants over six generations.

Once, Phoenix Theatre

David Benedict Thursday, 11 April 2013

People sneer at musicals for endless reasons: they hate Broadway brashness, non-naturalistic lurches in and out of song, the sentimentality. One of the least acknowledged reasons, however, is because their plots – predictability plus songs – have zero tension. And you know what? Placed in the witness box, many a musical emerges guilty as accused.

Narrative, Royal Court Theatre

aleks Sierz Thursday, 11 April 2013

Anthony Neilson is the wild man of new writing. However, this reputation, which has been provoked by shock-fests such as Penetrator (1993) and Stitching (2002), belies the fact that some of his best work, such as The Wonderful World of Dissocia (2004), exudes a warm humanity and offbeat humour. But perhaps the most significant thing about some of his recent work has been his concern with process.

Comment

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★★★★★

‘A compulsive, involving, emotionally stirring evening – theatre’s answer to a page-turner.’
The Observer, Kate Kellaway

Direct from a sold-out season at Kiln Theatre the five star, hit play, The Son, is now playing at the Duke of York’s Theatre for a strictly limited season.

★★★★★

‘This final part of Florian Zeller’s trilogy is the most powerful of all.’
The Times, Ann Treneman

Written by the internationally acclaimed Florian Zeller (The Father, The Mother), lauded by The Guardian as ‘the most exciting playwright of our time’, The Son is directed by the award-winning Michael Longhurst.

Book by 30 September and get tickets from £15*
with no booking fee.