Theatre Through the Eyes of a Manc
In 1664, when Moliere's Tartuffe was first performed, religion was dangerous. European Christians were split between Catholic and Protestant faiths and several religious wars were waged. This was the time of the Catholic Spanish Inquisition, where Protestants were persecuted because of their beliefs. In England, the monarchy switched back and forth between Catholicism and Protestantism, resulting in religious turmoil. Similarly... Continue Reading →
Earlier this year, Rash Dash Theatre blew me away with their radical reworking of Chekhov's Three Sisters at the Royal Exchange Theatre. They now return to Manchester, in collaboration with Unlimited Theatre, to present a revolutionary new production, written by Rash Dash members Helen Goalen, Abbi Greenland and Unlimited Theatre's co-founder, Clare Duffy. Future Bodies... Continue Reading →
Queen Margaret is the first play in this year's Autumn/Winter season at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. Margaret of Anjou appears in four of Shakespeare's history plays, including the immensely popular Richard III. She has more dialogue than any other female character in Shakespeare, even Rosalind. However, because her story is fragmented across several... Continue Reading →
OthelloMacbeth, directed by Jude Christian, brings together two of Shakespeare's most popular tragedies into a single two-hour play. These plays are condensed into two parts, the first being Othello, with Macbeth forming the second half of the production. The main motive behind compressing these plays is to provide a retelling of Shakespeare's tragedies, and inviting... Continue Reading →
Mischief Theatre was founded by LAMDA graduates, and writers, Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields. The trio have quickly established themselves as a force to be reckoned with; penning some of the most successful, and funniest, comedies on the West End. The Play that Goes Wrong earned them an Oliver Award for Best New Comedy before embarking on... Continue Reading →
There is a poetical poignancy to Sir Ian McKellen returning to the Duke of York's Theatre to play one of William Shakespeare's most challenging roles, King Lear. This is the same theatre that McKellen made his professional West End debut in 1964. Now, 54 years later, at the age of 79, he triumphantly returns to... Continue Reading →
There is no better place to watch one of Shakespeare's comedies than Shakespeare's Globe Theatre on London's Southbank. Entering the Globe Theatre feels like stepping 400 years back in time. Authentically reconstructed, based on the original 16th century structure, the Globe is an open air theatre, exposed to the elements, pigeons, helicopters and aeroplanes. Naturally... Continue Reading →
William Shakespeare's popular revenge tragedy, Othello, forms part of the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre's summer season. This year, Michelle Terry takes over the reins as the new Artistic Director of the Globe Theatre, after Emma Rice's unfortunate departure. Terry's debut season is packed with Shakespeare's most popular plays and also sees Claire Van Kampen return to... Continue Reading →
E Nesbit's novel, The Railway Children, has been cherished by children and adults for several generations. It tells a beautiful, enduring tale of a family forced to relocate from the urban metropolis of London to the idyllic pastoral countryside of Oakworth. As the father is wrongfully accused of being a spy and imprisoned, his family... Continue Reading →
