UK Regional Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations

Review: WHITE CHRISTMAS, The Mill At Sonning
by Mica Blackwell - December 09, 2024

A gem of a show wrapped in a big red bow, White Christmas at the Mill at Sonning brings a dollop of Golden Age glitz and festive joy to the holiday season. With immaculate production value and a talented cast, I dare you to not leave the theatre counting your blessings instead of sheep....

Review: THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, Liverpool Playhouse
by Sarah OHara - December 06, 2024

One of the most exciting, enthralling and exceptional theatre shows of all time....

Review: THE GRAPES OF WRATH, National Theatre at Home
by Amber-Rae Stobbs - December 04, 2024

The National Theatre's Summer 2024 hit is now available on its streaming platform, National Theatre at Home...

Critics' Choice: Cheryl Markosky's Best Shows of 2024
by Cheryl Markosky - December 12, 2024

Grand dame Sian Phillips stealing the show, Adam Cooper giving an unexpected twirl and smaller theatre spaces punching above their weight. These are some of BroadwayWorld reviewer Cheryl Markosky's favourite theatre moments of 2024....

Review: PRESENT LAUGHTER, National Theatre At Home
by Amber-Rae Stobbs - November 29, 2024

A festive treat lands just in time for Christmas...

Review: ALICE IN WONDERLAND, Shakespeare North Playhouse
by Sarah OHara - November 27, 2024

The Shakespeare North Playhouse are taking audiences on an adventure into a timeless classic, in their production of Alice In Wonderland. However, instead of re-telling the famous story, writer Nick Lane and director Nathan Powell have re-invented the tale and given it a modern day twist....

Review: ROCK ‘N’ ROLL PANTOMIME: RAPUNZEL, Liverpool Everyman Theatre
by Sarah OHara - November 25, 2024

Written by Jude Christian and directed by Francesca Goodridge, this year’s Rock ‘n’ Roll pantomime is Rapunzel - a five star, fabulous, feel-good show that is perfect for all the family to enjoy....

Review: THE RED SHOES, Swan Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon
by Gary Naylor - November 21, 2024

Lovely to look at, but horrid to contemplate...

Review: SCOUSE RED RIDING HOOD, Liverpool’s Royal Court
by Sarah OHara - November 15, 2024

Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre are known for their twists on fairytale classics, including this year’s Christmas production of Scouse Red Riding Hood....

Review: OTHELLO, Royal Shakespeare Theatre
by Gary Naylor - November 01, 2024

Intellectually stimulating, if somewhat bloodless, version of a tragedy born of racism, jealousy and naivety...

Review: SUMMER 1954, Theatre Royal Bath
by Cheryl Markosky - November 01, 2024

Siân Phillips steals the evening in Theatre Royal Bath's twin-bill tribute to Terence Rattigan's one-act plays: lesser-known Table Number Seven, and The Browning Version ­– hailed by critics as 'a 70-minute masterpiece' when first performed at London's Phoenix Theatre in 1948....

Book Review: DEVELOPING YOUR EMOTIONAL HEALTH, Nick Hern Books
by Louise Penn - October 24, 2024

This is a toolkit to help creatives in a business which is often hard to navigate, and I feel it is an excellent addition to the material currently available on the subject. It is written in a chatty and approachable style, and the bitesize structure is perfect for reading on the go....

Review: BECOMING NANCY, Birmingham Rep
by Laura Lott - October 16, 2024

Cheese and pineapple on a stick, anyone? The latest musical from Birmingham Rep takes us back to 1970s Britain, where trousers were flared, birthday parties required Iced Gems, and boys definitely didn't play girls in school musicals without everyone having something to say about it. BWW's critic we...

Review: MORE...GHOST STORIES BY CANDLELIGHT, Layer Marney Towers
by Jess Ashley - October 18, 2024

As Halloween creeps closer, things are starting to get spooky. And, following a sell-out tour in 2023, Ghost Stories by Candlelight is back for More. ...

Review: ALADDIN, Birmingham Hippodrome
by Laura Lott - October 11, 2024

If you're looking for sparkles, then Aladdin has you covered. The Broadway and West End hit is currently touring the UK and comes complete with heavily sequinned costumes and set pieces so drenched in gold they could have been created by King Midas. It's a slightly uneven production, but there are e...

Review: GIRLS DON'T PLAY GUITARS, Liverpool's Royal Court
by Sarah OHara - October 07, 2024

Following a critically acclaimed run in 2019, Girls Don’t Play Guitars is back at Liverpool’s Royal Court. ...

Review: STONES IN HIS POCKETS, Salisbury Playhouse
by Cheryl Markosky - October 03, 2024

The Irish are renowned for good story telling. From James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and George Bernard Shaw, to simply a good yarn over a pint in a pub. In a long line of cracking good tales, you couldn't get much better than the new immersive revival of Marie Jones' tragicomedy Stones in H...

Review: MY MOTHER'S FUNERAL, Mercury Theatre
by Jess Ashley - September 30, 2024

“In death we are the same” – a phrase which Kelly Jones’ captivating play (…within a play… within a play) beautifully dissects. My Mother’s Funeral: The Show was first developed by Jones through the Mercury Theatre’s Playwrights Development Programme, before being picked up through an open call by P...

Review: THE KING'S SPEECH, Watermill Theatre
by Mica Blackwell - September 30, 2024

The King's Speech achieves something other screen to stage adaptations struggle with: staying true to the spirit while feeling like its own entity. Anchored by a still compelling script and captivating lead duo, the Watermill's production is a beautiful tribute to David Seidler's magnum opus....

Review: 1984, Theatre Royal Bath
by Cheryl Markosky - September 26, 2024

What did our critic think of 1984 at Theatre Royal Bath?...

Review: WAR HORSE, The Lowry
by Sarah OHara - September 25, 2024

More than 17 years since its onstage premiere, The National Theatre’s acclaimed production of War Horse is providing yet another unforgettable theatrical experience for audiences on its current UK and Ireland tour....

Review: 8 HOURS THERE AND BACK, Unity Theatre
by Sarah OHara - September 16, 2024

All Things Considered Theatre Company opened their latest production, 8 Hours There and Back, at Liverpool’s Unity Theatre on 13 September....

Film Review: THE CRITIC
by Cindy Marcolina - September 09, 2024

The Irish writer Brendan Behan described critics as “eunuchs in a harem; they know how it’s done, they’ve seen it done every day, but they’re unable to do it themselves”. Quite a damning characterisation. Anand Tucker introduces an ageing critic, Jimmy Erskine, whose name and ruthlessness are the st...

Review: LOST SOUL 2, Liverpool's Royal Court
by Sarah OHara - August 23, 2024

Brick Up the Mersey Tunnels and Council Depot Blues writer Dave Kirby is back at Liverpool’s Royal Court with Lost Soul 2....

Review: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, Open Bar Theatre
by Aliya Al-Hassan - August 19, 2024

Even if this summer has been a bit of a washout, there's much sunshine to be had at Open Bar Theatre's touring production of Much Ado About Nothing....