Salisbury.

PEOPLE AT SEA
by J B Priestley.

Salisbury Playhouse To 22 March 2009.
Mon-Wed 7.30pm Thu-Sat 8pm Mat Thu & Sat 2.30pm.
Audio-described 20 MKarch 2.30pm & 8pm.
BSL Signed 19 March
Post-show discussion 18 March.
Runs 2hr 40min One interval.

TICKETS: 01722 320333.
www.salisburyplayhouse.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 29 February.

A playwright adrift.

Newcastle-under-Lyme/Tour.

ROMEO AND JULIET
by William Shakespeare.

New Vic To 15 March 2008.
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat 6, 12 March 2pm, 15 March 2.30pm.
no performance 5, 10 March.
Audio-described 12 March.
Captioned 11 March.
Post-show discussion 11 March.
then Northern Broadsides tour to 7 June 2008.
Runs 2hr 50min One interval.

TICKETS: 01782 717962.
www.newvictheatre.org.uk (New Vic performances)
Review: Timothy Ramsden.

Lively, lithe, bright and sympathetic production.

Newcastle-under-Lyme.

ROMEO AND JULIET
by Wiliam Shakespeare.

Northern Broadsides in conjunction with New Vic Theatre. To 15 March then tour to 7 June.

For details and tour schedule see Timothy Ramsden's review of this production.

Review: Ranjit Khutan. 26 February 2008.

With reviewsgate reviewers flocking to Newcastle-under-Lyme, here's the view of one of our men in the West Midlands.

London.

THE BABY BOX
by Chris Leicester.

Old Red Lion 418 St John’s Street EC1V 4NJ To 22 March 2008.
Tue-Sat 7.30pm Sun 6pm.
Runs 1hr 15min No interval.

TICKETS: 020 7837 7816.
Review: Timothy Ramsden 2 March,.

Baby boom exploding in midlife crisis.

Tour.

CLOUDCUCKOOLAND
words by Stephen Sharkey music by Alex Silverman.

Tour to 27 April 2008.
Runs 1hr 15min No interval.
Review: Timothy Ramsden 24 February at Riverside Studios Hammersmith.

Aristophanes and ecology descend from the heights.

The 39 STEPS: Adapted by Patrick Barlow.
(Original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon).
Touring: Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton.
Runs: 1 hour and 55 mins. 20 minute interval.
Tours: until 21 June (details on http://www.criterion-theatre.co.uk/current_show.html)
Review: Ranjit Khutan 25th February 2008 Grand Wolverhampton.

Tim Ramsden's review from Nottingham is also on the site.)

Intoxicating Energy

London.

KAREN AKERS SINGS SIMPLY STYNE
music by Jule Styne.

Jermyn Street Theatre 16b Jermyn Street SW1Y 6ST to 1 March 2008.
Tue-Sat 7.30pm, Mat Sat & Sun 3.00pm.
Runs 1hr 20min No interval.

TICKETS: 020 7287 2875.
www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk
Review: Geoff Ambler 26 February 2008.

Make Someone Happy in Jermyn Street

London.

3 SISTERS ON HOPE STREET
by Diane Samuels and Tracy-Ann Oberman after Anton Chekhov.

Hampstead Theatre To 29 March 2008.
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Sat 3pm & 12 March 2.30pm.
Audio-described 22 March 3pm.
Captioned 25 March.
Post-show discussion 25 March.
Runs 2hr 55min One interval.

TICKETS: 020 7722 9301.
www.hampsteadtheatre.com
Review: timothy Ramsden 5 March.

New play rewardingly relocates Chekhov to post-war Merseyside.

London.

LIGHTEN UP

Unicorn Theatre (Weston Theatre) To 9 March 2008.
10.15am 29 Feb, 5, 7 March.
11am 1, 8 March.
1.15pm 28 Feb, 4-6 March.
2.30pm 1-2, 8-9 March.
Runs: 1hr No interval.

TICKETS: 020 7645 0527.
www.unicorntheatre.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 24 February.

A show where no-one can fail to see the point.

London.

HEDDA GABLER
by Henrik Ibsen.

Barbican Theatre To 1 March 2008.
7.45pm.
Runs 2hr 15min No interval.

TICKETS: 0845 120 7511.
www.barbican.org.uk/bite
Review: Timothy Ramsden 27 February.

Vine-leaves all round for the Schaubuhne.

London.

HANGING BY A THREAD
Devised by Amelia Pimolott and Hannah Marshall.

Little Angel Theatre 14 Dagmar Passage N1 2DN To 16 March 2008.
Tue-Sun 8pm.
Runs 1hr 5min No interval.

TICKETS: 020 7226 1787.
Review: Timothy Ramsden 2 March.

Mystic messages from meadow and bed.

Nottingham/Touring.

THE KAOS DREAM: William Shakespeare (adapted Xavier Leret).
Lakeside Arts Centre: Tkts 0115 846 7777 www.lakesidearts.org.uk
Touring Details: www.KAOStheatre.com.
Runs: 1h 30m: no interval.
Review: Alan Geary: 22 February 2008.

Disappointing stuff from KAOS.

London.

LEGAL FICTIONS
The Dock Brief and Edwin
by John Mortimer.

Savoy Theatre.
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Sat 2.30pm.
Runs 2hr 30min One interval.

TICKETS: 0870 164 8787 (credit cards; £3 transaction charge)
www.theambassadors.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 3 March.

Major production of minor plays.

Cardiff.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
by William Shakespeare.

New Theatre Cardiff 4-8 March 2008.
Tue-Sat 7.30pm Mat Thu & Sat 2.30pm.
Captioned 7 March.
Runs 2hr 40min One interval.

TICKETS: 029 2087 8889.
www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk
Review: Timothy Ramsden 1 March at Clwyd Theatr Cymru (Anthony Hopkins Theatre).

It would be lunatic not to love this poetry.

London.

THE VORTEX
by Noel Coward

Apollo Theatre.
Mon-Sat 8pm Mat Wed 3p, Sat 4pm.
Runs 2hr 5min Two intervals.

TICKETS: 0870 040 0080.
www.nimaxtheatres.com/vortex (booking fee by ‘phone and online).
Review: Timothy Ramsden 4 March.

Finely-detailed revival of early Noel Coward drama.

Tour.

LOOKING FOR JJ
by Anne Cassidy adapted by Marcus Romer.

Pilot Theatre Tour to 10 Maarch 2008.
Runs: 1hr 35imin no interval.
Review: Alan Geary 28 February 2008.

The murder of a child – by a child. It’s fascinating, absorbing and harrowing.

Birmingham Rep and Touring.
THE MOTHER SHIP: Douglas Maxwell.
The Door (Birmingham Rep) till 15 March.
Touring till 29 March (see below).
Runs: 1h 40m, no interval.
Review: Rod Dungate, 5 March 2008.

Engaging, humorous, with a heart.

London.

I’LL BE THE DEVIL
by Leo Butler.

Tricycle Theatre To 8 March 2008.
Mon-Sat 8pm Mat Sat 4pm & 5 March 2pm.
Captioned 6 March.
Runs 1hr 45min No interval.

TICKETS: 020 7328 1000.
www.rsc.org.uk/london
Review: Timothy Ramsden 28 February.

Dark intensity in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s first Tricycle offering.

Northampton.

MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN
adapted by Lisa Evans and Frantic Assembly.

Royal and Derngate Theatre to 15th March.
Mon. to Sat. 7.45 pm.

Runs 2hrs 20 mins: one interval.
Tickets: 01604 624811.
www.royalandderngate.co.uk

Review: Ian Spiby, 27 February 2008.

A confused and misguided adaptation of the classic novel.

Birmingham Rep and Touring
METAMORPHOSIS: Adapted by David Farr and Gisli Orn Gardarsson from the story by Franz Kafka.
Lyric Hammersmith and Westurport Theatre joint production.
Runs: 1h 30m, no interval.
Birmingham Rep till 1 March.
Review: Rod Dungate, 26 February 2008, Birmingham Rep.

A remarkable treat.