★★★★☆ Whilst staying very much to the period, this latest staging of Brighton Rock does a lot to make explicit the links to modern concerns about young men and their propensity towards violence and manipulation, particularly towards women. It’s a very strong and unapologetically nasty play.
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★★★★☆ The thrust of the drama is whether Stagg can convince Eisenhower to postpone based on his stormy predictions. He freely admits his forecasts are a matter of informed guesswork . . . just better informed guesswork than the altmoded modelling system the Yanks are using by comparison. The premise might seem like a hard-sell but it does, believe it or not, make for a riveting watch.
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★★★★★ In terms of WWI narratives, one of the things that sets Birdsong apart is its focus on the sappers. As much as you see the suicidal endeavour of going over the top, a lot more of the wartime experience here is about being trapped underground in dim, sweltering tunnels. . . Tim Treloar as Jack Firebrace, the nominal leader of the sappers, is outstanding.
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★★★★☆ This revival of Sir Ronald Harwood’s comedy about aging and art is very welcome. There was a rather more bloated film adaptation some years ago and thankfully this staging does not export the saccharine cinematic additions to the material retroactively . . . All told, Quartet is a finely executed and well-judged performance.
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★★★☆☆ An undoubtedly popular show riding the wave of 80s nostalgia, Flashdance has arrived on stage. This touring production is the return of vaunted 2008 stage adaptation, now with award-winning dancer and Strictly Come Dancing staple Joanne Clifton in the lead role.
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