All stories by Mark Fisher on BroadwayStars

Sunday, February 27, 2022

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde review " theatre-film hybrid is an unwieldy beast by Mark Fisher

Leith theatre, EdinburghHope Dickson Leach relocates RL Stevenson's gothic chiller to its spiritual home in Edinburgh and gives it a modern format, but it's a verbose, old-fashioned work Tw…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:42PM[SHARE]
Sunday, February 20, 2022

Moorcroft review " bittersweet football comedy is right on target by Mark Fisher

Tron, GlasgowInspired by stories of her father's youth, Eilidh Loan's vibrant debut tackles race, sexuality and illness " and is as funny in execution as it is serious in purpose Here is a p…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:12PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 9, 2022

As You Like It review " Northern Broadsides stage a dreamy quest by Mark Fisher

New Vic theatre, Newcastle-under-LymeLaurie Sansom's languid production of Shakespeare's pastoral comedy is all about appearances A colourful cast of characters dance round the maypole at th…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:24PM[SHARE]
Monday, February 7, 2022

The Invisible Man review " HG Wells in the psychiatrist's room by Mark Fisher

Northern Stage, NewcastleTroubled young man Simon Griffin is invisible to society even before the vanishing act, while his therapist has the opposite problem The legacy of The Invisible Man …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:06AM[SHARE]
Sunday, January 30, 2022

Manipulate festival review " a wealth of delights for the imagination by Mark Fisher

Summerhall and the Studio, Festival theatre, EdinburghMagical AR miniatures and a dream-like circus drama are among the impressive productions opening this celebration of visually led theatr…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:54PM[SHARE]
Monday, January 17, 2022

Zoo Mundo review " an exhilarating spin through time and across continents by Mark Fisher

Available onlineFrom a small studio in his family home, Thaddeus Phillips blends magician's tricks and object-theatre techniques to build a delightful story In the infant artform of online t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:03AM[SHARE]
Sunday, December 5, 2021

Sleeping Beauty review " mirth-filled frolics with a pinprick of pathos by Mark Fisher

King's theatre, EdinburghThis year's edition of the annual King's panto is a slickly timed, high-spirited affair stuffed with daft jokes, and a moving tribute to the late company member Andy…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:54PM[SHARE]
Friday, December 3, 2021

The Sorcerer's Apprentice review " lively tale lacks hocus-focus by Mark Fisher

Northern Stage, NewcastleA lovable orphan at a low-rent Hogwarts makes her impostor syndrome disappear in a lively reimagining with fun theatrical illusions The Sorcerer's Apprentice is one …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:18PM[SHARE]

Peter Pan review " punchy and playful show has make-believe built in by Mark Fisher

Octagon, BoltonFive actors take on all the parts in Lotte Wakeham's production, engaging our imaginations in an affecting reworking JM Barrie was obsessed with the loss of youth. It was a th…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:54AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Beauty and the Beast review " a sumptuous reboot of the festive-season fairytale by Mark Fisher

New Vic theatre, Newcastle-under-LymeDirector Theresa Heskins might give us more beast than beauty but, even so, this dark, Disney-divergent adaptation is superb The world described by writ…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:03PM[SHARE]
Sunday, November 28, 2021

Cinderella review " up the workers and boo to the ruling class! by Mark Fisher

Perth theatreButtons unleashes some magical social chicanery in this enjoyable egalitarian twist on the rags-to-riches tale The modern adapter of Cinderella is faced with two questions. How …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:24AM[SHARE]
Thursday, November 25, 2021

Ten Things to Do in a Small Cumbrian Town review " delightfully deadpan coming-of-age tale by Mark Fisher

Alphabetti theatre, NewcastleWith the irony of a young Victoria Wood, Hannah Sowerby presents a love-hate relationship with Penrith in an inventive one-woman show We talk of Damon Runyon's …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:03AM[SHARE]
Monday, November 15, 2021

Aladdin review " a breathless and brilliant panto by Mark Fisher

Coliseum, OldhamGags, raps and forceful female energy boost this production, which has a huge sense of silliness and good cheer It's not often you hear a good fart gag, but the Coliseum pant…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:54AM[SHARE]
Monday, November 8, 2021

Jacaranda review " bereavement drama leaves questions unanswered by Mark Fisher

Theatre by the Lake, KeswickTaking refuge in nature helps a Londoner process the loss of a child in a production that, for all its charm, fails to convince Urban life shields us from nature.…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:06AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Life Is a Dream review " this roaring tale of revenge is extraordinary by Mark Fisher

Royal Lyceum, EdinburghWils Wilson's perception-bending production highlights the artifice of a prince's world, exposing the thin veneer of riches and respectability Segismundo has just woke…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:32AM[SHARE]
Monday, November 1, 2021

The Tempest review " stirring all-female Shakespeare on the cusp of Cop26 by Mark Fisher

Tron, GlasgowThe climate-change summit inspires a production emphasising the land-grab aspects of Shakespeare's late play in an imaginative staging The short-term forecast is for a storm …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:03AM[SHARE]
Sunday, October 31, 2021

'The tiger seems to breathe': Life of Pi comes alive in the West End by Mark Fisher

The pandemic-delayed staging of Yann Martel's novel is finally arriving in London, and the star of the show is a mesmerising puppet Finn Caldwell is studying four performers perched in the b…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:12PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, October 27, 2021

Beauty and the Beast: The Musical review " old-fashioned pleasures and irresistible set-pieces by Mark Fisher

Edinburgh PlayhouseA refreshed version of the Disney perennial begins a tour of the UK with some spectacular visual feasts and a heart-stopping performance by Courtney Stapleton as Belle Thi…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:12AM[SHARE]
Friday, October 22, 2021

The Offing review " soft-pedalled adaptation of Benjamin Myers novel by Mark Fisher

Stephen Joseph theatre, ScarboroughJanice Okoh's version of the 2019 novel waters down the culture clash at its heart and suffers for the lack of the author's rich prose After Benjamin Myers…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:54AM[SHARE]
Saturday, October 16, 2021

Road review " community spirit turns sour in Thatcher's Britain by Mark Fisher

Northern Stage, NewcastleLittle leavens the air of hopelessness in Jim Cartwright's 1986 collage of awkwardly staged monologues Angela Rayner would probably approve of the "Tory scum" slogan…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:32AM[SHARE]
Friday, October 15, 2021

Braids/Cheer Up Slug review " lively double bill mines young identity by Mark Fisher

Live theatre, NewcastleThe Durham miners' gala features in both these short plays exploring contrasting experiences of race and class What are the chances of the Durham miners' gala making …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:24PM[SHARE]
Thursday, October 14, 2021

The Enemy review " Ibsen thrust into the social media age by Mark Fisher

Dundee RepA conscientious citizen stands against the forces of fake news and self-interest in the National Theatre of Scotland's provocative adaptation Lewis den Hertog's images have the sh…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:36AM[SHARE]
Monday, October 11, 2021

Aaliyah: After Antigone review " Sophocles's moral dilemmas play out in Bradford by Mark Fisher

Impact Hub Bradford and onlineStruggling zero-hours sisters risk everything as Kamal Kaan's angsty play transplants the action from Ancient Greece There is a home secretary hell bent on prot…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:42AM[SHARE]
Friday, September 17, 2021

The Covid Requiem review " an emotional eulogy for the pandemic's victims by Mark Fisher

Pitlochry Festival theatreLesley Orr and Jo Clifford's show about the lives of some who have died in the past 18 months is a necessary act of communal remembrance We've read about it in the …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:18PM[SHARE]
Thursday, September 16, 2021

Glee & Me review "a witty look at life and how we live it by Mark Fisher

Royal Exchange, ManchesterLiv Hill is brilliant as a wise-cracking teenager in Stuart Slade's play about cancer, sex and the mystery of life For those of us with limited tolerance for play…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:54AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Sunny Side Up! review " a tasty serving of class-conscious comedy by Mark Fisher

Theatre Royal, WakefieldSet in a northern seaside B&B, John Godber's latest has a healthy dollop of political analysis beneath its very funny surface According to John Godber's latest co…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:18AM[SHARE]
Sunday, September 12, 2021

Shine review " a positively radiant one-man show by Mark Fisher

Live theatre, NewcastleKema Sikazwe " AKA actor and rapper Kema Kay " performs a sunny, charming but vulnerable musical monologue about growing up in the northeast of England Kema Sikazwe's …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:03PM[SHARE]
Friday, September 10, 2021

Wings Around Dundee review " dive into the city's uncomfortable past by Mark Fisher

Dundee RepJohn McCann's imaginative play follows its characters' search for answers to tough questions during lockdown " watched over by a pair of very unusual seagulls For the seagulls, the…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:18PM[SHARE]
Thursday, August 26, 2021

This Is Paradise review " gender relations tell a mesmeric story of Northern Ireland by Mark Fisher

Traverse theatre, EdinburghActor Amy Molloy delivers an elegant monologue that reveals itself as something greater in this supremely thoughtful show Kate Regan is a woman defined by the men …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:06PM[SHARE]
Monday, August 23, 2021

Field: Something for the Future Now review " reclaiming freedom al fresco by Mark Fisher

Holyrood Park, EdinburghThis open-air performance brings together a multi-generational company celebrating release from pandemic confinement When your stage is the size of a football pitch a…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:24AM[SHARE]

We Are Each Other review " strangers become friends in interactive comedy by Mark Fisher

Summerhall, EdinburghTrevor Lock uses audience participation to satisfy our yearning for community in a show that prioritises connection over action What did we miss most during the pandemic…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:06AM[SHARE]

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