Dracula The Attic Theatre 19 October – 5 November If you’ve read Bram Stoker’s 400 page novel you will realise straight away what a herculean task it is to turn this sprawling work into a playscript. There is no narrator, omniscient or not, but letters, diaries, transcripts of phonographs and multiple points of view. It’s …
The Merchant of Venice 1936 Swan Theatre It seems a long time now since I’ve been able to say that I think something at the RSC is a must see production, but this one is. It’s stunning. Perhaps it’s the result of the RSC working in collaboration with Trafalgar Theatre Productions and Eilene Davidson Productions. …
Macbeth Royal Shakespeare Theatre This production of Macbeth hasn’t done well, mainly because the reviews when it opened were poor. I have seen it twice, the second time a month after I saw it in preview. They have made some changes, possibly in response to some of the criticism in the reviews. I still think …
Review by Peter Buckroyd As You Like It Royal Shakespeare Theatre At first you might think that having a production of this play predominantly with actors who were in a 1978 production might be a gimmick. In a remarkably obtuse review in i newspaper Fiona Mountford clearly does. But ignore that negative nonsense. In many …
I’ve had the experience before of going to a Noel Coward play and realising with some surprise what a good dramatist he was. The same happened going to Jonas Cemm’s production for Tread the Boards Company. Attic regulars are now used to good acting and good directing but with this production we have a much …
Twelfth Night The Attic Theatre Despite quite a lot of evidence to the contrary Shakespeare is alive and well and residing at The Attic Theatre. Tread the Boards Theatre company have opened their 2023 season with a double bill playing in repertoire until April 23 of Twelfth Night and Romeo and Juliet. I’ve not seen …
Twelfth Night At the attic theatre, review by Peter Buckroyd. Read More »
Julius Caesar Royal Shakespeare Theatre This review is based upon the first preview, so if you come to see it there may be some small changes and, with luck, some cuts to the first half before the interval at the end of Act III. As we might expect at the moment Atri Banerjee’s production is …
The Tempest Royal Shakespeare Company Hard to know where to start, really. Let’s get the negatives out of the way first. It was good that the RSC had managed to get some men to play a few of the men’s parts. They couldn’t get any men to play the women’s parts, though. There is a …
Macbeth The Attic Theatre Playing until April 24 I have seen many appalling and ridiculous productions of Macbeth, maybe more of this play than of any other. Peter O’Toole knocking down the set at The Old Vic and Jane Horrocks being required to wee on a raised walkway at Greenwich Theatre before some ‘gentlewomen’ mopped …
Royal Shakespeare Theatre It was wonderful to be back in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre for live theatre. We had decided to book tickets at the back of the circle for a change: not a great idea. The sight lines are not good. My view of the stage was partly obscured by a pillar and we …