Email: ReviewsgateReviews@gmail.com
Reviews
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Rep, Birmingham, 22 July 2026 | until 15 August 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by David Gray & Paul Gray
“A totally immersive and convincing production of Sondheim’s classic.”
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan
Nottingham Chamber Music Festival 2026, Various Venues | 09-12 July 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Ruff
‘A Festival for everyone: surprising, moving and entertaining young and old alike.’
Photo credit: Saba Walton
Kazuki Conducts Harmonium, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham | 4 July 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by David Gray & Paul Gray
“A brilliantly well performed Independence Day concert all about the best of America.”
Photo credit: Andrew Fox
Matilda the Musical, Birmingham Hippodrome Thursday 02 July 2026 | until 02 August 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by David Gray & Paul Gray
“A quiet, tender and authentic story about grief, acceptance and forbidden love.”
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan
Neil Brand presents Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd, Lakeside, Nottingham | 18 June 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Ruff
“Neil Brand brings three silent film classics back to life.”
Photo credit: Lakeside
Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham | 18 June 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by David Gray & Paul Gray
“Dazzling violin virtuosity and a meaty reading of a Prokofiev masterwork.”
Photo credit: Marco Borggrevo
Ensemble Augelletti, Lakeside, Nottingham | 11 June 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Ruff
“Intimate musical conversations between equals.”
Photo credit: Lakeside
The Tempest: William Shakespeare, RSC: RST, Stratford Upon Avon, Runs: 2h 10m, one interval, | until 20 June 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by Roderick Dungate
“Beautiful.”
Photo credit: Johan Persson
Centre Stage: Dvořák’s American Quartet, CBSO Centre, Birmingham | 05 June 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by David Gray
“…rhythmically complex chord progressions over the top, with crisp unanimity: very impressive.”
Photo credit: American Quartet Event-page
The Hallé plays Janacek, Tchaikovsky and Dvorak, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham |04 June 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Ruff
“The Nottingham Classics season ends with a Technicolor journey through the Slavic soul.”
Photo credit: Otto van den Toorn
Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham | Wednesday 3rd June 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by David Gray & Paul Gray
“These arrangements hark back to the time before authenticity in performance practice had taken hold.”
Photo credit: Hannah Blake Fathers
Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham | 20 May 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Ruff
“Revolutionary rhythms and poetic intimacy combine with some distinctively Polish voices.”
Photo credit: Frances Marshall
Mamma Mia, The Smash Hit Musical, Birmingham Hippodrome | 13 May 2026 ‘till 30 May 2026 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review by David Gray & Paul Gray
“Packed with Abba hits, this show remains a copper-bottomed theatre filler.”
Photo credit: Brinkhoff Mögenburg
The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui: Barthold BrechtRSC, The Swan, Stratford Upon Avon, Runs: 2hrs & 35mins, one interval | until 30 May 2026 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review by Roderick Dungate, AD Performance
“Bold and surprising; not what we expect.”
Photo credit: Marc Brenner
Guarneri Trio Prague, Lakeside, Nottingham | 07 May 2026 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review by William Ruff
“A masterclass in all that makes chamber music special.”
Photo credit: Lakeside
The Flying Dutchman, Wagner, WNO, Birmingham Hippodrome | 07 May 2026 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review by David Gray & Paul Gray
“A spare but unsparingly intense production.”
Photo credit: Craig Fuller
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Rep, Birmingham | 29 April 2026 | until 24 May 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ David Gray & Paul Gray
“A dream of A Dream. Shakespeare bigged-up but not dumbed-down.”
Photo credit: Manual Harlan
Brahms & Rachmaninoff, CBSO, Symphony Hall | 29 April 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by David Gray & Paul Gray
“An exceptionally fine reading of Brahms’ Violin Concerto and a convincing performance of one of Rachmaninoff’s weaker works.”
Photo credit: Hannah Fathers
Entertaining Murder - a Murder Mystery Musical Book, Music & Lyrics by Chris Burgess, Upstairs at the Gatehouse, London N6 | until 10 May 2026 ⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Russell
“More misses than hits.”
Photo credit: Peter Davies