Hamlet (Lazarus Theatre)

What do you get if you remove the older generation from Hamlet? Lazarus Theatre’s new 90-minute production at Southwark Playhouse. The cast (dressed in identical jumpers & trackie bottoms) assemble in a circle and take orders from a disembodied voice (Micha Colombo), before introducing themselves and their character – to each other rather than the […]

Misc. Mini-Reviews: Henry V / As You Like It

Initially I was going to write separate, full reviews for both of these – however, as I’ve left it a little while since watching Henry V and both of them are closing fairly soon I took the executive decision to clump them together here instead. Other than the fact that they are both Shakespeare plays (and […]

A Night At The Kabuki

“Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?” For people like me, who are both massive Queen fans and Shakespeare nerds, a dream crossover has now arrived: A Night At The Kabuki. Inspired by a combination of Romeo & Juliet and Queen’s famous 1975 album, Hideki Noda has created a brand new piece of theatre that […]

Midsummer Mechanicals 2022

After their runaway success Pyramus & Thisbe, the Midsummer Mechanicals returned to tread the boards once more, this time as part of the Duke’s anniversary celebrations. Though it wasn’t plain sailing the first time round, what with Bottom suddenly acquiring a donkey’s head, they’re set for a few more challenges in this follow-up – and […]

This Wooden O: The Tempest (2022)

For me, despite its poetical brilliance, The Tempest is a difficult play to get right. Its central figure is a man who has become more and more reliant on magic, claiming ownership over an island when he was deposed from his dukedom – and the tone of the comic relief side plot doesn’t always blend […]

#MindTheBard: King Lear / Julius Caesar / Richard III

King Lear, Globe Theatre ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I’ve been reluctant to revisit King Lear since seeing the Chichester production (starring Ian McKellen), as it was pretty much the perfect production in the perfect venue, but when Kathryn Hunter was announced as the titular monarch in this Globe season I thought it was about time I gave the play another […]

This Wooden O: Henry VIII

Written in collaboration with John Fletcher, Henry VIII is quite possibly Shakespeare’s final play – but, despite this country’s continued obsession with all things Tudor, it remains a rarely performed piece. Imagine the delight of Shakespeare completists everywhere when it was announced as part of the Globe’s 2022 summer season, this time in a slightly […]

Challenge Week 2022: Mind The Bard

We’ve had Mind The Bard, we’ve had Mind The Bard: 2 Bard 2 Spurious, we’ve had Mind The Bard 3: Hospital Shift – and now… Mind The Bard 4: Tyrant Fever. I’m hoping this will rejuvenate my will to write a bit more, as I’ve been severely lacking over the past few weeks – despite […]

Henry VI: Wars of the Roses

Running in rep alongside Henry VI: Rebellion (a.k.a. Henry VI, part two), the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre is also currently home to Henry VI, part three. As with the previous part, this third play in Shakespeare’s first Henriad has been renamed – going under the title Henry VI: Wars of the Roses. It picks […]

Henry VI: Rebellion

Following a successful open dress rehearsal project developing Henry VI, part one, the Royal Shakespeare Company is now mounting full productions of Henry VI, part two and Henry VI, part three in its Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Rather than sticking to the traditional numerical names, this second part of Shakespeare’s first Henriad has been renamed Henry VI: […]