"Movies will make you famous, television will make you rich, but theatre will make you good."
Terrence Mann
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Khaled Hosseini | Birmingham Repertory Theatre | Directed by Roxana Silbert
Khalid Hosseini’s much-loved 2007 novel tells the deeply affecting story of an unlikely friendship between two Afghan women, both married to the same husband. The narrative spans several decades, starting in 1992 in an Afghanistan ravaged by civil war.
"Words are sacred. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones, in the right order, you can nudge the world a little."
Tom Stoppard
Hamilton
Lin-Manuel Miranda | Victoria Palace Theatre | Directed by Thomas Kail
Manuel Lin Miranda’s box office smash Hamilton, playing at the Victoria Palace in London, is a theatrical phenomenon. Musicals being ‘current’ and ‘relevant’ has become almost cliched but with a Trump administration in the White House full of anti-immigrant rhetoric, this show feels razor sharp and bang on the money.
The Price
Arthur Miller | Wyndham’s Theatre | Directed by Jonathan Church
The metaphorical price of the life decisions we all make is what this play really excavates and in this, Jonathan Church’s production successfully mines the depths of Miller’s writing.
Kunene and the King
John Kani | Swan Theatre | Directed by Janice Honeyman
South African actor, activist and playwright John Kani’s new two-hander weaves weighty and wide-ranging personal themes with a nation’s political history in this world premiere at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon Avon.
Equus
Peter Shaffer | Cambridge Arts Theatre | Directed by Ned Bennett
A striking and violent image dominates the imagination of the audience in this complex and disturbing play: six horses have been wilfully blinded with steel spikes. Why would anyone commit such a brutal act?
Edmond de Bergerac
Alexis Michalik | Birmingham Repertory Theatre | Directed by Roxana Silbert
French theatre phenomenon premieres at The Birmingham Rep.
The Taming of the Shrew
William Shakespeare | RSC, Stratford | Directed by Justin Audibert
Matriarchy replaces patriarchy in this vision of an upturned world of gender power relations. More info
The Life I Lead
James Kettle | Birmingham Rep | Directed by Didi Hopkins and Selina Cadell.
Miles Jupp delivers a crisp and poised performance in this one man show about the life of Mary Poppins actor David Tomlinson. More info