The Play’s the Thing

Anniversary staging of 1984 opens at Bath

THE 75th anniversary of George Orwell’s terrifying dystopia, 1984, is at Bath Theatre Royal until 28th September at the start of a national tour. This new production of an adaption by Ryan Craig, directed by Lindsay Posner, was listed by the Times and Telegraph as one of the top ten theatre events of this autumn….

Read more...

Dorset tour for hit comedy

REVIVE Theatre has a short tour of Dorset with the hilarious farce One Man Two Guvnors, starting at the Tivoli Theatre in Wimborne from 26th top 28th September. Richard Bean’s farce is adapted from a famous 18th century Venetian comedy, Carlo Goldoni’s The Servant of Two Masters. It is the story of a hapless idiot,…

Read more...

A tale of food and typhoid

MARY Mallon is an Irish immigrant, an amiable host … and a killer? A talented cook in New York City in 1906 takes a job preparing delicious meals for yet another high society family, and yet again they begin to fall ill and die. Coincidence? Mary thinks so. She’s put all that nonsense behind her…

Read more...

A forgotten pioneer

HAVE you heard of Harriet Quimby? Maybe you have – but most likely you haven’t. So Middle-Weight Theatre Company’s new play tells a story you should hear. What’s Next?, at Dorchester Corn Exchange on 14th September at 8pm, is a solo show with actress Victoria Lucie, which brings overdue recognition for the life and achievements…

Read more...

All at sea with Our Star Theatre

IF you enjoy the clever Mischief Theatre productions (The Play That Goes Wrong, etc) look out for Our Star Theatre’s new play, Death(s) At Sea on a lengthy national tour with local dates at Dorchester Corn Exchange on Thursday 19th and Seaton Gateway on Friday 20th. The play, a comedy murder mystery, is when Our…

Read more...

Neverland on Portland

OPEN-air theatre company SISATA is back on home ground on Portland on Sunday 8th September, nearing the end of a lengthy national and local summer tour, with a production of Peter Pan, in the setting which inspired this retelling of JM Barrie’s famous tale. The performance, next to Portland Bill lighthouse, features four local professional…

Read more...

Art – and the price of friendship

ONE of the most popular plays of the past three decades, Yasmina Reza’s Art comes to Poole Lighthouse from 29th to 31st August, and at Bath in a new 30th anniversary production at the start of the Theatre Royal’s autumn season, from Tuesday 3rd to Saturday 7th September. The play is directed by Iqbal Khan…

Read more...

Making history – 20 years on

ONE of Britain’s greatest playwrights, Sir Alan Bennett, visited Bath Theatre Royal and gave his seal of approval to the final rehearsals of the 20th anniversary production of his multi-award-winning play, The History Boys, ahead of the opening night on Thursday 22nd August. The play and later film, which together launched the careers of several…

Read more...

A very peculiar birthday party

THERE are birthday parties – cakes, frocks, candles, music, dancing … And then there is Harold Pinter’s Birthday Party. It’s Pinter – so you know the atmosphere will not be the usual jolly fun! Bath Theatre Royal’s Ustinov studio hosts a new production of this famous play, running to 31st August, and starring Jane Horrocks…

Read more...

Hit comedy at Cirencester’s Barn

THE adventurous Barn Theatre at Cirencester has a laugh-a-minute television favourite for its summer show, running to 17th August. With audience favourite Sam Denia in the leading role, the little theatre has a world premier revival of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, the show that made a huge star of Michael Crawford. Before Mr Bean,…

Read more...