Kill Thy Neighbour review – dark secrets of the only family left in the village
Lucie Lovatt’s elaborate comedy exploring the housing crisis in rural Wales is provocative and conceptually ambitious yet still pleasingly entertaining
December 2022
Observer critics' review of 2022
Theatre: Susannah Clapp’s 10 best shows of 2022
Thirties Harlem and the siege of Troy rocked, along with Joan of Arc, Orlando and the Ladies of Llangollen, to be greeted by funding cuts across the board
November 2022
Watch out for snowball-firing robots! 25 of the best UK stage shows this Christmas
Ian McKellen in Mother Goose, Robin Hood as a rock’n’roll panto, a circus spin on The Little Prince and glitter galore … it’s our selection box of festive theatre
September 2022
The Famous Five review: forget shipwrecks and spies – the fate of humanity now lies in their hands
Brisk direction, plucky performances and complex lyrics propel this original adaptation, as the hunt for a source of renewable energy comes under threat
Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey are an inspired duo to lead the RSC
Michael Billington
An immense task awaits the Royal Shakespeare Company’s new artistic directors who must attract top talent, prioritise verse-speaking and combine classic repertory and contemporary drama
‘Childhood holidays everyone wishes they had’: the Famous Five return in a musical
Enid Blyton’s adventurers roam the stage in a new show that considers the climate crisis, gender identity and the impact of the pandemic on children
July 2022
A Pretty Sh*tty Love review – powerful exploration of domestic abuse
Both actors excel in Katherine Chandler’s fictionalised account of the attempted murder of a Swansea woman in 2015
May 2022
Celebrated Virgins review – a loving tribute to the Ladies of Llangollen
Theatr Clwyd Fifty years of a tender idyll are reimagined with dignity, grace – and the odd meta moment
April 2022
Milky Peaks review – a warm-hearted celebration of Welshness
Musical about populist politics in small-town Snowdonia makes up for its slow pace with sharp writing and lavish design
Missing Julie review – gripping take on Strindberg simmers with tension
August 2021
Curtain Up review – audience livens up poignant grab bag of short plays
Letting the audience choose props and costumes adds both absurd and affecting possibilities to this selection of 15 new short plays
June 2021
For the Grace of You Go I review – Kaurismäki, pepperoni and fury
Rhodri Meilir is brilliant as a beleaguered pizza topper who is inspired by the Finnish film-maker in Alan Harris’s black comedy about exploited workers
May 2021
Reopening culture
From McKellen’s Hamlet to a comic Hullabaloo: what to see as theatres and comedy clubs reopen
As stage shows return, we pick the best post-lockdown offerings – featuring Egyptian gods, rebelling vicars, dancing youths ... and Ian McKellen playing the Dane at 82
January 2021
Culture in peril
'Another rocky road': UK theatre bosses eye 2021 with resilience and realism
Artistic directors at four venues look ahead to what challenges this year might bring
October 2020
10 UK theatre shows to see in October
As plays return to the stage here are some of the best – from Rent in Manchester to James Graham’s Bubble in Nottingham
September 2020
Parks, pubs and pitches: where to watch UK theatre in September
Shakespeare at a cricket ground, a festival in a bombed-out church and park-bench drama – plus more socially distanced shows to enjoy this month
July 2020
Culture in peril
'Theatres save lives – this is where you give blood, vote and cry'
Culture in peril
'At last a glimpse of hope': UK arts leaders on the rescue package
January 2020
Pioneering climate change plays to be revived in UK theatres
Contingency Plan by Steve Waters to be staged at Donmar Warehouse and Theatr Clwyd
