Friday, July 26, 2024

Shrek the Musical review – sludgy show leaves you green about the gills by Chris Wiegand

Hammersmith Apollo, LondonPlayed at the volume of a pantomime, this makeover of the fairytale favourite is flatly unadventurous You might have walked into the Emerald City. The art deco audi…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:24PM

Rough Magic review – zany riff on Macbeth bewitches young audience by Chris Wiegand

Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, London Gleefully batty caper finds one of the weird sisters in hot cauldron water after making reckless promises of a very bright future to a passing …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:18AM

The Gangs of New York review – explosive romance on America’s mean streets by Mark Fisher

Grosvenor Park, ChesterIn this open-air production, audiences become citizens of an unruly city in which violence and corruption abound The prize for adventurous programming goes to Chester�…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:18AM
Thursday, July 25, 2024

As You Like It review – the RSC’s garden party is altogether too ordinary by David Jays

Holloway Garden theatre, Stratford-upon-AvonGender games, rebirth and affection remain in this 80-minute slash of the Shakespeare romcom, which is stylish but short on invention You expect g…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:24AM

Oliver! review – divine yet danger-averse revival could be renamed Fagin! by Arifa Akbar

Chichester Festival theatre New staging of classic has perfect singing, cute choreography by Matthew Bourne, but rather too little daring – and one show-stealing performance There are some…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:24AM

Alice in Wonderland review – down the rabbit hole and into the woods by Mark Fisher

Williamson Park, LancasterLed by the White Rabbit, this groovy promenade show follows a determined Alice’s journey to the city’s Ashton Memorial With more incident than drama, Lewis Carr…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:02AM
Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Eggs, bacon, banter: the Scottish hotel trying to make breakfast the funniest meal of the day by Guardian Staff

Are you a comedian desperate for an audience – and accommodation – during the Edinburgh fringe? This could be your dream gig Name: Breakfast roaster. Age: As yet unborn. Continue readin…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:42PM

Fangirls review – sugar rush musical turns a teen crush criminal by Arifa Akbar

Lyric Hammersmith, LondonAn infatuated teenager’s fantasy of saving a star from his fame clashes with the reality of frenemies and family frictions in an operatic plot Remember how, long b…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:32AM

Edinburgh festival 2024: six of the funniest comedians at the fringe by Rachael Healy

Looking for rising stars this summer? Try gossipy standup, an end-of-the-pier homage and a ‘gay witch sex cult’ Frankie Monroe, the impish proprietor of a working men’s club who has ma…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:12AM

Peter Charlesworth obituary by Michael Coveney

Streetwise entertainment agent and producer who worked with stars such as Shirley Bassey, Judy Garland and Joan Collins The leading entertainment agent and producer Peter Charlesworth, who h…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:54AM

Emerging playwright schemes should include over 40s, say UK theatre figures by Lanre Bakare Arts and Culture Correspondent

Ageism standing in way of older writers breaking into the industry, playwrights claim The phrase “emerging playwright” should not be restricted to those under the age of 40, leading UK t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:54AM
Tuesday, July 23, 2024

‘Improvisation is key’: DJs ready for supporting role in breakdancing’s Olympics debut by Philip Oltermann European Culture Editor

Rules mean DJs will have to select from a limited playlist in Paris but they still aim to surprise competitors As thousands of athletes, spectators and officials descend on Paris for next Fr…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:54PM

When a bad Trump joke becomes an affair of state, Germany has lost more than its sense of humour | Fatma Aydemir by Fatma Aydemir

The dropping of comedian Sebastian Hotz and Elon Musk’s intervention raise serious questions about freedom of speech “The point of comedy is to make fun of everyone,” a Berlin friend t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:54PM

Must the show go on? Theatre’s plucky motto may be out of step with our times | Arifa Akbar by Arifa Akbar

Stage performances have been disrupted this summer by last-minute delays, cancellations and postponements. Is it just a run of bad luck – or a cultural shift? One theatre audience, already…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:06AM

‘A moment to create the country they dreamed of’: Labour’s 1945 landslide becomes a play for today by Paul Unwin

The Promise, a drama about the postwar government and the creation of the NHS, provides parallels with a new era of Labour victory When Rishi Sunak announced a general election for 4 July, I…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:06AM
Monday, July 22, 2024

Let’s get physical: the science of dance at the Venice Biennale by Lyndsey Winship

The dance festival’s opening weekend, under the theme We Humans, focused as much on gravity and technology as emotional connection Venice, a city of already preposterous beauty, comes furt…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:24PM

Photographer Magnus Hastings celebrates the artistry and pride of drag by Nadia Khomami Arts and Culture Correspondent

Queen, his biggest show to date, opens in Liverpool and features new commissions of the city’s drag performers As a child, Magnus Hastings loved stealing his sister’s clothes and wearing…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:54PM

Edinburgh festival 2024: 20 theatre shows making a scene this summer by Arifa Akbar

With subjects ranging from the deadly serious to the downright silly, this year’s shows include plays about addiction, politics, funk and Come Dine With Me “To be or not to be” … tha…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:54PM

‘As good as playing to a packed theatre’: the actors who perform for stroke victims by Michael Billington

In hospitals around the UK, InterAct provides bespoke readings tailored to patients’ tastes. Practitioners explain how they benefit too In 2000, the theatre director Caroline Smith nursed …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:54PM

The Map of Argentina review – magnetic, messy affairs of the heart by Helen Meany

An Taibhdhearc, GalwayCharacters suffer as they make painful choices between duty and desire in the premiere of Marina Carr’s play The title throws a wild card into the mix in Marina Carr�…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:24AM
Sunday, July 21, 2024

Red Speedo review – moral dilemmas and personal fears surface in doping drama by Chris Wiegand

Orange Tree theatre, LondonFinn Cole plays swimmer Ray, whose life enters choppy waters when performance-enhancing drugs are discovered at his club A pair of swimming briefs is quite the cos…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:24PM

Bullyache’s Who Hurt You? review – a messy self-assured world of glitter and sweat by Lyndsey Winship

Bold Tendencies, LondonLike a live music video crossed with avant-garde dance theatre – and utterly steeped in young queer British culture A show that claimed to cross Kenneth MacMillan’…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:02PM

From OnlyFans to medical trials - the extreme measures artists take to fund Edinburgh festival shows by Rachael Healy

Crowdfunding and finding patrons are among less painful options as cost of performing at the fringe soars In the run-up to the Edinburgh festival fringe last year, comedian John Tothill was …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:18AM

Somnium review – Philomela’s violent tale told with ethereal artistry by Helen Meany

Bank of Ireland theatre, GalwayDirector James Riordan blends ancient ritual and modern technology, while the music of Julianna Bloodgood is compelling Ethereal sound and imagery transform a…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:18AM

Galway international arts festival: Reunion; Endgame – review by Clare Brennan

Black Box; Town Hall theatre, GalwayA family reunion unravels with viciousness and humour in Mark O’Rowe’s new play. And Garry Hynes’s searing direction makes Beckett new Since it laun…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:18AM

Chariots of Fire review – hugely enjoyable production that’s not just running on the spot by Kate Kellaway

Crucible, SheffieldAn excellent cast and clever use of movement add up to a fine revival of Mike Bartlett’s 2012 version of the film, directed by Robert Hastie in his final season as the C…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:18AM

National Youth Dance Company 23/24: Oona Doherty: Wall review – a riveting exploration of identity by Sarah Crompton

Sadler’s Wells, LondonDoherty choreographs England’s flagship youth dance company in expressive solos, fragmented motion and beautiful tableaux that go by in a flash There’s a brillian…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:24AM

The week in theatre: Echo; Visit From an Unknown Woman; The Baker’s Wife – review by Claire Armitstead

Royal Court; Hampstead; Menier Chocolate Factory, LondonFiona Shaw, Adrian Lester, Toby Jones and more explore the refugee experience in an intriguing multimedia show; Christopher Hampton pe…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:24AM

Craig Revel Horwood says Strictly Come Dancing allegations are ‘shock’ by Pa Media

Accusations of abusive behaviour in rehearsal rooms ‘complete news’ to judge of the dance show Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has said allegations of abusive behaviour t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:06AM

A Netflix film, statue and a newly discovered first edition: joy at celebrations of Aphra Behn by Vanessa Thorpe

As the career of the pioneering writer is remembered, an 1688 copy of her novel Oroonoko is the cherry on the cake The striking name of the playwright and novelist Aphra Behn, pioneering que…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:06AM
Saturday, July 20, 2024

Penelope Wilton: ‘My street cred went up when I did Shaun of the Dead’ by Rich Pelley

The actor, 78, talks about her mean headmistresses, collection of paintings, getting lost in north London and the perks of being a dame I had a ghastly time at school. I was dyslexic, which …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:36PM

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