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Reviews and Roundtables

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West End Review, April 2013 (pt1): The Audience, The Winslow Boy, Peter and Alice and more

West End Review: Dominic Cavendish and regular theatrevoice guests Kate Bassett (Independent on Sunday), David Benedict (Variety) and Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune) convene to discuss Dame Helen Mirren in Peter Morgan’s The Audience (Gielgud), Terence Rattigan’s The Winslow Boy (Old Vic), Before the Party (Almeida) & John Logan’s latest play Peter and Alice, starring Dame Judi Dench and Ben Whishaw, directed by Michael Grandage (Noel Coward Theatre). Recorded at NYU, London.

West End Review, April 2013: Once & The Book of Mormon

West End Review: Once and The Book of Mormon. Dominic Cavendish (Daily Telegraph) continues the month’s look at the West End’s major openings with a double-take on two major American musical imports: Once (Phoenix Theatre) & The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales).

West End Review: Trelawny of the Wells, Old Times, A Chorus Line and more

3 March 2013

in Reviews and Roundtables

West End Review: Trelawny of the Wells (Donmar Warehouse), Macbeth (Trafalgar Studios), Quartermaine’s Terms (Wyndham’s Theatre), Old Times (Harold Pinter Theatre) and A Chorus Line (London Palladium) are all given a detailed look-over by David Benedict (Variety), Mark Shenton (Sunday Express) and Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune). Dominic Cavendish hosts. Recorded at Dewynters 01-03-2013.

Theatrical review of 2012: the hits, the stinkers, the verdict

REVIEW OF 2012 Mark Shenton (Sunday Express) and guests Kate Bassett (Independent on Sunday), David Benedict (Variety) and Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune) assess the highs and lows of the reviewing year in a brilliantly informed and entertaining session.

West End Review: The Effect (NT), Merrily We Roll Along (Menier) and more

West End Review, Dec 2012-Jan 2013: Mark Shenton and regular guests Kate Bassett, David Benedict and Matt Wolf cast a critical eye over some of the major London openings, beginning with Lucy Prebble’s The Effect (National), winner of this year’s Critics Circle Award for Best Play, as well as Best Musical winner Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along (Menier Chocolate Factory), plus Phyllida Lloyd’s all-female Julius Caesar (Donmar Warehouse), Pinero’s The Magistrate, starring John Lithgow (National) and Simon Russell Beale in Peter Nichols’ Privates on Parade (Noel Coward Theatre), The Bodyguard (Adelphi) and Viva Forever! (Piccadilly).

Panel discussion about Anthony Burgess and A Clockwork Orange (1/2)

THE GENIUS OF ANTHONY BURGESS (1/2) Panel discussion about A Clockwork Orange (Soho Theatre), chaired by Soho’s artistic director Steve Marmion, with Alexandra Spencer-Jones, the director of the production, plus Andrew Biswell (author of The Real life of Anthony Burgess) and John Sutherland (Emeritus Lord Northcliffe Professor of English Literature at University College London). With an extract from Burgess’s reissued Napoleon Symphony (Serpent’s Tail) read by Martin McCreadie, the actor who plays Alex.

Panel discussion about Anthony Burgess and A Clockwork Orange (2/2)

THE GENIUS OF ANTHONY BURGESS (2/2) Panel discussion about A Clockwork Orange (Soho Theatre), chaired by Soho’s artistic director Steve Marmion, with Alexandra Spencer-Jones, the director of the production, plus Andrew Biswell (author of The Real life of Anthony Burgess) and John Sutherland (Emeritus Lord Northcliffe Professor of English Literature at University College London). With an extract from Burgess’s reissued Napoleon Symphony (Serpent’s Tail) read by Martin McCreadie, the actor who plays Alex.

West End Review: Love & Information, 55 Days, Red Velvet, Loserville

3 November 2012

in Reviews and Roundtables

West End Review, November 2012, part one: Critics Kate Bassett (Independent on Sunday), Henry Hitchings (Evening Standard) & Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune) join Mark Shenton (Sunday Express) to talk about the latest batch of major new shows: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (National Theatre), Love and Information (Royal Court), 55 Days (Hampstead), Red Velvet (Tricycle Theatre) & Loserville (Garrick).

West End Review: Berenice, Three Sisters, All That Fall, Scenes from an Execution

3 November 2012

in Reviews and Roundtables

West End Review, November 2012, part two: critics Kate Bassett (Independent on Sunday), Henry Hitchings (Evening Standard) & Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune) join Mark Shenton (Sunday Express) to talk about the latest batch of major revivals: Berenice (Donmar Warehouse), Three Sisters (Young Vic), All That Fall (Jermyn Street) & Scenes from an Execution (National Theatre).

Edinburgh Fringe 2012: critical roundup

EDINBURGH FRINGE 2012: CRITICAL VERDICT Philip Fisher joins Mark Fisher (Scotland on Sunday) and Lyn Gardner (Guardian) to talk about offerings at the Traverse, International Festival and the remainder of the Fringe.

West End Review (pt1): National Theatre special

2 August 2012

in Reviews and Roundtables

West End Review, pt1: Summer at the National special. David Benedict (Variety) joins guests Dominic Cavendish (Daily Telegraph), Maxie Szalwinska (Sunday Times) and Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune) to discuss Simon Russell Beale in Nicholas Hytner’s revival of Timon of Athens (Olivier), Nadia Fall’s revival of Bernard Shaw’s The Doctor’s Dilemma (Lyttelton) and Stephen Beresford’s new writing debut Last of the Haussmans, starring Julie Walters (Lyttelton). Recorded at Dewynters, London, 30-07-2012

West End Review (pt2): A Doll’s House, Richard III, Birthday

2 August 2012

in Reviews and Roundtables

West End Review, Pt2, around town: A Doll’s House (Young Vic), Richard III (Shakespeare’s Globe), Birthday (Royal Court). David Benedict (Variety) and guests, Dominic Cavendish (Telegraph), Maxie Szalwinska (Sunday Times) and Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune) discuss the major openings this summer, from a revival of Ibsen’s classic directed by Carrie Cracknell, Richard III starring Mark Rylance and Steve Mangan as a pregnant male in Joe Penhall’s latest play for the Royal Court. Recorded at Dewynters, London – 30-07-12

West End Review: Long Day’s Journey into Night, What the Butler Saw, The Sunshine Boys

9 June 2012

in Reviews and Roundtables

WEST END REVIEW, MAY 2012. Mark Shenton (Sunday Express) and guests Kate Bassett (Independent on Sunday), Charles Spencer (Daily Telegraph) and Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune) convene to assess Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night (Apollo), Robert Holman’s Making Noise Quietly (Donmar Warehouse), Joe Orton’s What the Butler Saw (Vaudeville) and Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys (Savoy). Recorded at Dewynters, 25 May 2012.

West End Review: Detroit, South Downs, Love, Love, Love, Chariots of Fire

9 June 2012

in Reviews and Roundtables

WEST END REVIEW, MAY 2012. New work special. Mark Shenton (Sunday Express) and guests Kate Bassett (Independent on Sunday), Charles Spencer (Daily Telegraph) and Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune) convene to assess Lisa D’Amour’s Detroit (National), David Hare’s South Downs, paired with Terence Rattigan’s The Browning Version (Harold Pinter theatre), Mike Bartlett’s Love, Love, Love (Royal Court) and Bartlett’s adaptation of the 1981 film Chariots of Fire (Hampstead).

West End Review: revivals special

WEST END REVIEW: MARCH 2012 Mark Shenton (Sunday Express) and guests Kate Bassett (Independent on Sunday), Charles Spencer (Daily Telegraph) and Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune) convene to assess Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd (Adelphi), Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party (Menier Chocolate Factory), De Filippo’s Filumena (Almeida) and Errol John’s Moon on a Rainbow Shawl (National’s Cottesloe).

West End Review: new work

WEST END REVIEW: MARCH 2012 Mark Shenton (Sunday Express) and guests Kate Bassett (Independent on Sunday), Charles Spencer (Daily Telegraph) and Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune) convene to assess The Master and Margarita, the Complicite/Simon McBurney adaptation of Bulgakov (Barbican), Farewell to the Theatre by Richard Nelson (Hampstead), Can We Talk About This? by Lloyd Newson/DV8 (National); Zach Braff’s All New People (Duke of York’s) and David Eldridge’s In Basildon (Royal Court).

West End Review: revivals special

WEST END REVIEW: FEBRUARY 2012

Mark Shenton (Sunday Express) and guests Kate Bassett (Independent on Sunday), Charles Spencer (Daily Telegraph) and Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune) convene to assess Josie Rourke’s debut production as artistic director of the Donmar, The Recruiting Officer, Jamie Lloyd’s revival of She Stoops to Conquer (National), The House of Bernarda Alba (Almeida) and The Sea Plays (Old Vic Tunnels).

West End Review: more revivals and new plays

18 February 2012

in Playwrights, Reviews and Roundtables

WEST END REVIEW: FEBRUARY 2012 Mark Shenton (Sunday Express) and guests Kate Bassett (Independent on Sunday), Charles Spencer (Daily Telegraph) and Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune) convene to assess Travelling Light by Nicholas Wright (National), The Madness of George III by Alan Bennett (Apollo), Absent Friends by Alan Ayckbourn (Harold Pinter), and Master Class by Terrence McNally (Vaudeville).

International Mime Festival: Sugar Beast Circus

MIME FEST SPECIAL Postshow discussion with Geneva Foster Gluck, Jean-Christophe Nicolas, Aurelie Bernard, Nathalie Bertholio, Sara Lundstedt and Natalie Reckert of Sugar Beast Circus hosted by Donald Hutera, about their show, {Event (Dimension):}, performed as part of the 2012 London International Mime Festival, at Jacksons Lane.

London International Mime Festival: No Fit State Circus

MIME FEST SPECIAL Postshow discussion with No Fit State Circus hosted by Dick McCaw about their show, Mundo Paralelo, performed as part of the 2012 London International Mime Festival, at the Southbank Centre.

London International Mime Festival: Theatre Ad Infinitum

MIME FEST SPECIAL Postshow discussion with Theatre Ad Infinitum hosted by Mike Tweddle with performers George Mann, Deborah Pugh, Kim Heron and Nir Paldi about their show, Translunar Paradise, performed as part of the 2012 London International Mime Festival, at the Barbican Pit.

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