Category Theatre Reviews

Dan Parr as Bill and Harry Long as Alfie in THE BIG CORNER. Photo: Richard Lakos

Fresh, funny and heart-warming, THE BIG CORNER is an uplifting coming-of-age story which pays homage to Bill Naughton and Bolton’s rich past

In 1967, Bolton’s Octagon Theatre opened its doors for the first time with Bill Naughton’s ANNIE AND FANNY. Fifty years later, as the Octagon prepares to temporarily close its doors for refurbishment, former artistic director Lawrence Till makes a welcome return to his Bolt...

Lia Williams as Elizabeth and Juliet Stevenson as Mary Stuart in MARY STUART. Photo by Manuel Harlan.

Robert Icke’s riveting adaption of MARY STUART is an absorbing and timely piece of women in power and the pressures of a flawed political system

On the service, Robert Icke’s decision to allocate the leads for MARY STUART at the start of each performance by the toss of a coin may sound like a theatrical gimmick but it soon becomes clear that it’s actually rather clever...

20TH CENTURY BOY returns to the stage for a new UK-wide tour

To mark the 40th anniversary of rock legend Marc Bolan’s untimely death, 20TH CENTURY BOY returns to the stage for a new UK-wide tour, stopping at Manchester’s Opera House for a week-long run.

20TH CENTURY BOY tells the life story of the legendary Bolan and his band T.Rex...

Marvin Ford, Michael Blair, Matt Corner, Joe Caffrey & Richard Fleeshman in THE LAST SHIP. © Pamela Raith

Poignant, powerful and empowering, THE LAST SHIP is a moving and heartfelt story of community, hope and collective defiance

In many ways, it was a brave decision by Sting to bring his musical THE LAST SHIP home to the UK. Despite being nominated for two Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations, the musical was forced to close after just three months on Broadway...

Kathrine Smith crafts a powerful, moving and tender story of forbidden love in ALL I SEE IS YOU

2018 marks Bolton’s Octagon Theatre’s 50th anniversary year. It also marks the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality. So when Kathrine Smith’s powerful drama about a gay couple in the 1960s crossed the desk of the Octagon National Prize judges, it’s easy to see why they picked it as a winner.

Inspired by real accounts of queer life from fifty years ago, ALL I SEE I...

Rachel Kavanaugh’s revival of Terrance Rattigan’s A WINSLOW BOY is a thrilling legal drama which explores the ages of time, the courts of justice and a close-knit family’s relationship

Written by Terrance Rattigan in 1946, THE WINSLOW BOY tells the story of a family’s fight for their son who has been accused of stealing and cashing a five-shilling (25p) postal order...

Richard Keightley as George and Matthew Wynn as Lennie in OF MICE AND MEN. Photo: Scott Rylander

Poignant and powerful, OF MICE AND MEN is a timeless story about friendship, loyalty, compassion and holding on to your dreams

It’s been a while since I’ve read John Steinbeck’s 1937 classic OF MICE AND MEN but it’s always been a favourite of mine...

Kneehigh’s THE FLYING LOVERS OF VITEBSK. Photo Credit: Steve Tanner

With its dizzying fusion of text, music, movement, dance and design, THE FLYING LOVERS OF VITEBSK captivates the soul and ravishes the senses

If you aren’t familiar with Marc Chagall’s work before watching THE FLYING LOVERS OF VITEBSK, I’d recommend you Google him. Not because you need to have seen his paintings to appreciate Kneehigh and Bristol Old Vic’s production, but because your experience will be richer because of it...

Nikita Johal, Darragh Cowley & Company of SPRING AWAKENING. Photo: Scott Rylander

SPRING AWAKENING is a spectacular, poignant piece full of emotion and hope despite its dark nature

Hope Mill Theatre takes on it’s seventh in-house musical since opening in 2016 and SPRING AWAKENING is a spectacular, poignant piece that doesn’t shy away from it’s talking points. 

Based on the 1891 play of the same name, SPRING AWAKENING tells the story of a group of young teens navigating through puberty and ...

Nigel Havers, Denis Lawson and Stephen Tompkinson in ART. Photo Credit: Jon Swannell

Comedic and thought-provoking, ART is a dazzling study of friendship, prejudice and tolerance

It’s easy to see why ART has become an international phenomenon. Currently on tour in the UK starring Stephen Tompkinson, Nigel Havers and Denis Lawson, this fantastic and innovative comedy is a dazzling study of friendship, prejudice and tolerance. No wonder it has won so many awards. 

ART centres around three f...