Birmingham
MAMMA MIA: Music and Lyrics Benny Andersson Bjorn Ulvaeus, Book Catherine Johnson
Four Stars ****

Birmingham Hippodrome and Tour
Runs: 2h 40m, one interval
Tickets (Hippodrome): 0844 338 5000
Info: www.birminghamhippodrome.com
At the Hippodrome to 03 September 2016
Touring well into 2017
Info at: www.mamma-mia.com/uk-tour/

Review: Alexander Ray Edser, 29 June 2016

It will make you feel so much better

Nottingham/Touring.

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S: Truman Capote (adapted Richard Greenberg).
Theatre Royal
Tkts 0115 989 5555 www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk.
Runs: 2h 20m: one interval: till 14th May.
Performance times: 7.30pm, (Matinees 2.00pm Weds and 2.30pm Sat).
Touring beyond Nottingham

Review: Alan Geary: 10th May 2016.

A treat of a play – but read the book.

Nottingham/Touring.

THE JAMES PLAYS: Rona Munro.
Theatre Royal: Tkts 0115 989 5555 www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk.
Run: James I 2h 30m, James II 2h30m, James III 2h 40m: each play has one interval: till 12th June.
Performance times: 11.00am, 3.00pm and 7.30pm.
Review: Alan Geary: 11th June 2016.

Compelling stuff, with some fine acting

Richmond
PRESENT LAUGHTER
by Noel Coward
4 Stars ****

Richmond Theatre To 6 August (and touring)
The Green, Richmond
Richmond TW9 1QJ
Fri-Sat 7.30pm Mat Sat 3pm.
Runs 2hr 20 minutes One interval.

TICKETS: 0844 0208 871 7651
atgtickets.com/richmond

Review: Tom Aitken August 5.

Comedy or Tragicomedy? Strong performances.

Birmingham ad Touring
FLARE PATH: Terence Rattigan
The Original Theatre Company and Birdsong Productions
Birmingham Rep to 30 April
Touring
Runs: 2h 25m, one interval.
Info: www.flarepaththetour.com
www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

Review: Alexander Ray Edser, Bham Rep, 25 04 16

A powerful drama is a powerful dram

London
THE UNPARALLELED ADVENTURE OF ONE HANS PFAALL
by Edgar Allan Poe
4 Stars ****

Putney Arts Centre To 23 July then on Tour
Ravenna Road, London SW15 6AW to 23 July and then on tour.
Runs 80 mins No interval.
Tour dates
25 September - Guildhall Art Centre, Grantham
01476 406158
www.guildhallartscentre.com
7 October -The Poly, 24 Church Street, Falmouth.
01326 319461
www.thepoly.org
14-15 October - Mercury Theatre, Colchester
01206 573948
www.mercurytheatre.co.uk
28 October - The Spring Arts Heritage Centre, Havan023 9247 2700
www.thespring.co.uk

Review: William Russell 23 July

Magical tale of a man who went to the moon

Mansfield/Touring.

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY: Harold Pinter.
Palace Theatre Mansfield.
Touring: info The London Classic Theatre www.londonclassictheatre.co.uk.
Runs: 2h 20m: one interval.
Review: Alan Geary: 7th June 2016.

LCT are on top form with this one.

London and Touring
A Tale of Two Cities
Adapted by Mike Poulton from the novel by Charles Dickens
4Star****

Richmond Theatre until 1 October, thereafter touring
Runs 2hrs 35 with interval
TICKETS 0844 871 7651
www.atgtickets.com/richmond

Review: Tom Aitken, 28 September 2016

Dickens would have been pleased.

Birmingham and Touring
Nederlands Dans Theater 2 (NDT2)
Birmingham Hippodrome
May 4 and 5, Part of Birmingham International Dance Festival, also touring
Runs: 2h 10m, two intervals
Tickets (Hippodrome): 0844 338 5000
Info: www.birminghamhippodrome.com

NDT2 tour information:
http://www.ndt.nl/en/tickets/performances.html

Review: Alexander Ray Edser, 4 May 2016

Marvellous company, marvellous dance, marvellous evening.

Nottingham.
THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR: Nikolai Gogol (adapted David Harrower).
Nottingham Playhouse and tour
www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk.
Runs: 2h 35m: one interval: till 14th May.
Performance times: 7.45pm(matinees 2.30pm Sat 7th, 1.30pm Thurs 12th)
Review: Alan Geary: 5th May 2016.

A marvel of a production

Hornchurch & Ipswich
MADE IN DAGENHAM
Book by Richard Bean, Music by David Arnold, Lyrics by Richard Thomas.
4Star****

Runs to 18 Oct
Queen’s Theatre
Billet Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 1QT to 17 September2016.
Mon-Wed 7.30pm Thu-Sat 8pm Mat Sat 2.30pm
Runs 2hr 10 mins One interval.
Then at
New Wolsey Theatre, Civic Drive, Ipswich 1P1 2AS from 21 Sept to 18 Oct.

TICKETS: Hornchurch – 01708 443333
www.boxoffice@queens_theatre.co,uk
Ipswich: 01473 295900
www.wolseytheatre.co.uk
Review: William Russell 30 August.

Dazzlingly good revival goes on the road

Touring
Ex Cathedra
Shakespeare Odes:
Shakespeare Masque: music Sally Beamish, text Carol Ann Duffy
Garrick Ode: music Thomas Arne, Sally Beamish, text David Garrick
Conductor: Jeffrey Skidmore
Birmingham Town Hall, Sunday 24 April
(Performances to come in Hereford, Wolverhampton, London, Nottingham)
Info: excathedra.co.uk

Review: Alexander Ray Edser, 24 April, Birmingham Town Hall

Beautifully performed, a fitting Shakespeare celebration

Birmingham and Touring
DEAD SHEEP: Jonathan Maitland
5Star*****

Birmingham Rep Main House to Sat 1 October
Runs: Approximately 2h, one interval
BO: 0121 236 4455
www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

Tour finishes Sat 03 12 16
Full details: www.deadsheepontour.co.uk

Review: Alexander Ray Edser, 26 09 16

Totally absorbing drama

Birmingham and Stockton
FURIOUS FOLLY, Mark Anderson
5Star *****

Birmingham followed by Stockton
Ends: Approx 23:15
Free admission, but tickets must be booked
Info and tickets: www.1418now.org.uk/commissions/furious-f

Incredibly powerful evocation, commemoration and provocation

Nottingham/Touring.
THE FULL MONTY: Simon Beaufoy.
4Star****

Theatre Royal
Tkts 0115 989 5555 www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk.
Runs: 2h 30m: one interval: till 1st October.
Performance times: 7.30pm (matinées Weds 2pm, Sat 2.30pm).
Review: Alan Geary: 26th September 2016.

Highly entertaining, exhilarating, yet slightly irritating stuff.

Tour
Cavaleria Rusticana (Mascagni), Pagliacci (Leoncavallo)
WNO, on Tour
Runs: 3h 10m, one interval

Review: David & Paul Gray, Birmingham Hippodrome, 10 June 2016

Early operatic realism with superb singing all round.

London
Relatively Speaking
Alan Aykbourn
3Star***

Richmond Theatre, London, to 08 10 16, then touring (see below)
Runs 1hr 35 with intReview: Tom Aitken, 4 October 2016

Funny, well played, but getting on in years

London and Touring
The Diary of a Hounslow Girl
By Ambreen Razia

OvalHouse to May 6, then touring
52-54 Kennington Oval,
London SE11 55W

7.30pm

Runs: 80mins without interval.

TICKETS: 020 7582 7680
On-line: www.ovalhouse.com

Review: by Carole Woddis of performance seen May 6, 2016:

Apt, timely, and sometimes hair-raising

London
HAMLET
by William Shakespeare
adapted by Kelly Hunter.

Park Theatre to 25 April then touring
90, Clifton Terrace, London N4 3JP to 25 April 2016.
On tour – Clasicos en Alcala, Spain 10-11 June; Glebe Neuss, Germany 13-14 June; Kronberg Castle, Denmark 8-9 August. Part of the 400 centenary Shakespeare celebrations with support of English Touring Theatre and the Arts Council England.

Runs 1 hr 30 mins. No interval.
Further information: www.flutetheatre.co

Review: William Russell 24 April.

Six actors, a sofa and a drum kit.

Tour
FOLK: Tom Wells
Birmingham Rep, Hull Truck, Watford Palace (Touring)
Runs: 90 m, no interval

Review: Alexander Ray Edser, 23 04 16

Heartwarming glimpse of humanity