By Nayomi Karthigesu Directed by Natalie Rose Quatermass, the York Shakespeare Project brings to stage Shakespeare’s 32nd play, A Winter’s Tale. In the director’s own words, a play of “two such contrasting halves”, it is exactly as is described, with a psychologically troubled and dark first act conflicting with the joyous and gay last acts that Quatermass handles adeptly. The John Cooper Theatre is a small space and as such, no matter the play, there will always be great int

By Nayomi Karthigesu The Sun rises in the east, Hamlet was the most adapted Shakespearean text of the silent era and I was 15 minutes late to “Silent Shakespeare”: a night of “nostalgia, wonderment and silliness”, in the words of Professor Judith Buchanan. Part lecture, part theatre, Buchanan’s night, in conjunction with Silents Now, a company bringing silent era films back to the modern day audience, and the Society for Renaissance studies, brought about a night fraught with

The York Shakespeare Project’s latest production, that of the Bard of Stratford’s most notorious monarch, marches with growing confidence, with some enrapturing performances, but is marred by stutters early on. Kate Stephenson reviews: Having thoroughly enjoyed previous productions from the York Shakespeare Project, I had high expectations for their latest offering, King Lear. Initial impressions were positive with a simple but appealing set and members of the cast interactin

To celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth and death, the Royal and Derngate Theatre, Northampton gifted the public with a fantastic performance of King Lear that went beyond a simple revival of one the Bard’s most famous plays. The story of an ageing king dividing his kingdom among his three daughters, to be ultimately betrayed and driven to madness by his own family, was proposed to the public in fresh, provocative terms. An evening at the York Grand Opera Ho

Tucked away just off of Clifford Street, Friargate Theatre played the perfect host to Well-Fangled Theatre’s adaption of A Midsummer Night’s Dream yesterday evening. The liminality of the little playhouse reflected the setting of Shakespeare’s timeless comedy, fantastically interpreted by director Mark France and expertly taken on by a universally talented cast. Taking a seat in the audience first involved passing through the actors already on stage, warming up for their perf

York Theatre Royal played host last night to the Birmingham Royal Ballet, performing their three-part piece paying homage to the work of Shakespeare in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the bard’s death. Combining contemporary with classical, the evening showcased the range and beauty of ballet; consisting of traditional pieces with some modern twists, as well as a brand new work focusing on Shakespeare’s sonnets, titled Wink, the world premiere of which opened in Durha

The Merry Wives is a Shakespearean comedy following Falstaff (played by Barrie Rutter OBE) in his quest to seduce two wealthy wives; they become aware of his intentions and exact an embarrassing plan against him. Shakespeare’s original play was set in Windsor, yet Rutter (being the lead actor and director) made the decision to move the play away from the southern, Elizabethan setting and into 1920s northern England. This move was “not a difficult piece of editing” for Barrie,