All stories by Michael Billington on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Sweeney Todd review " Bryn Terfel and Emma Thompson in razor-sharp thriller by Michael Billington

Coliseum, LondonStephen Sondheim's bloodstained musical about the demon barber gets an adventurous outing at ENO First seen in New York in 2014, this semi-staged version of Stephen Sondheim'…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:06AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Our American Cousin review " Yankee hero saves the play but not the president by Michael Billington

Finborough, LondonTom Taylor's protagonist packs a punch in this sometimes heavy-handed comic melodrama that Abraham Lincoln was watching on the night he was assassinated"And how did you enj…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:34AM[SHARE]
Monday, March 30, 2015

Look Back in Anger: how John Osborne liberated theatrical language by Michael Billington

Jimmy Porter takes on class, religion, politics and the press in Osborne's classic 1956 play " but its real revolution lay in its thrilling linguistic exuberanceIn the summer of 1955 an adve…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:38AM[SHARE]
Friday, March 27, 2015

The Jew of Malta review " needs to crank up malevolent humour by Michael Billington

Swan, StratfordJasper Britton gives a robust performance as Marlowe's murderous merchant, but Justin Audibert's production will improve when it fully embraces the play's savagery Continue re…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:24AM[SHARE]
Thursday, March 26, 2015

The Three Lions review " when Becks, Wills and Dave were up for the cup by Michael Billington

St James theatre, LondonWilliam Gaminara's farce is inventive and funny and clever, and the cast excel as Prince William, David Cameron and David Beckham steer England's 2018 World Cup bid t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:01PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Rules for Living review " Stephen Mangan and Miles Jupp are a joy by Michael Billington

National Theatre, LondonPersonal crises plunge order into chaos in Sam Holcroft's intelligent and superbly cast yuletide comedy directed by Marianne ElliottSam Holcroft has already made a sh…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:59AM[SHARE]
Sunday, March 22, 2015

A Breakfast of Eels review " a tender tale of thwarted love by Michael Billington

Print Room, LondonThis portrayal of two men who struggle to express their feelings for each other has moments of great beauty but is all too restrained Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:30AM[SHARE]
Friday, March 20, 2015

Buyer and Cellar review " an adventure in Barbra Streisand's basement by Michael Billington

Menier Chocolate Factory, LondonThis US show about an out-of-work actor employed to service Streisand's subterranean mall takes its star-obsession several notches too far Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:43AM[SHARE]
Thursday, March 19, 2015

Still centre stage at 90: Peter Brook, human earthquake of modern theatre by Michael Billington

70-year career of a director with a touch of the showman who has always sought to bring reality to the stage Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 12:57PM[SHARE]

The Royale review " a pulsating, expressionist vision of the boxing world by Michael Billington

Bush theatre, LondonThis knockout drama " based on the life and times of the first African-American heavyweight champ, Jack Johnson " hits hard but has balletic graceMarco Ramirez is not the…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:56AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, March 18, 2015

The Cutting of the Cloth review " well-tailored Savile Row drama by Michael Billington

Southwark Playhouse, LondonThis revival of Michael Hastings's 1973 play immaculately captures the rhythms and tensions inside a tailor's workshop in the 1950sWork is not only a four-letter w…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:07AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Shrapnel review " Anders Lustgarten's short, sharp play about the Roboski massacre by Michael Billington

Arcola theatre, LondonThe arms trade and the Turkish government are targeted in this piece about the bombing of 34 unarmed Kurds, mistaken by a US drone for terrorists Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:56AM[SHARE]
Monday, March 16, 2015

Singin' in the Rain review " a big splash on the Paris stage by Michael Billington

Théâtre du Châtelet, ParisA stylish and intelligent re-imagining of the classic MGM movie by a mainly British team drives audiences wildWho would have thought it? The French have fall…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:25AM[SHARE]
Sunday, March 15, 2015

Play Mas review " funny, informative account of parties and politics in Trinidad by Michael Billington

Orange Tree, RichmondMustapha Matura's sharp 1974 satire is richly informative and offers a potent metaphor for the post-colonial process. It's also very funny Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 01:00PM[SHARE]
Friday, March 13, 2015

The 2000 Year Old Man review " 'Christ? He was a nice boy. Wore sandals' by Michael Billington

JW3, LondonIn this remake of a classic routine by Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner, a very old man recalls brushes with Jesus, Shakespeare and Helen of Troy's sister Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:13AM[SHARE]
Thursday, March 12, 2015

Radiant Vermin review " Philip Ridley's nightmare tale of a dream home by Michael Billington

Soho theatre, LondonA couple must murder their way to a perfect property in this morality play about a materialistic world where enough is never enough Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:43AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Nicholas Hytner at the National: the top 10 productions " in pictures by Michael Billington

As Nicholas Hytner leaves the spotlight at the National Theatre, Michael Billington presents a subjective selection, in chronological order, of the 10 best shows during his tenure as its dir…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:08PM[SHARE]

Bravo! Why Nicholas Hytner's National Theatre deserves a standing ovation by Michael Billington

Did he duck the big issues? Did he capture the diversity of today's Britain? And were his choices a bit blokey? As Nicholas Hytner's 12-year reign as director of the National Theatre ends, M…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:03PM[SHARE]
Monday, March 9, 2015

Olivier awards 2015: who's missing from the nominees? by Michael Billington

Startling omissions include Ben Miles as Thomas Cromwell and Enda Walsh's Ballyturk. Even Dirty Rotten Scoundrel Robert Lindsay can't charm his way on to the shortlistThere are some things o…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:04AM[SHARE]
Sunday, March 8, 2015

The Armour review " captures the erotic intensity of hotel plays by Michael Billington

Langham hotel, LondonBen Ellis's ingenious three-parter, tracing the history of this luxury London abode, tracks power found and lost at a luxury hotel Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:23AM[SHARE]
Thursday, March 5, 2015

Antigone review " unusual, puzzling and profound re-imagining of Sophocles by Michael Billington

Teaming Juliette Binoche with A View From The Bridge director Ivo van Hove, along with Anne Carson's fine translation, creates a prestige show Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:39PM[SHARE]

King Lear review " Jonathan Miller keeps it all in the family by Michael Billington

Viaduct theatre, HalifaxIn the director's wonderfully lucid period production for Northern Broadsides, starring Barrie Rutter, Shakespeare's tragedy becomes an intimate domestic drama Contin…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:23AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Game review " sex, snipers and social outrage in Mike Bartlett's shocking play by Michael Billington

Almeida, LondonThis experimental piece about tourists who pay to fell a young couple with tranquilising shots is certainly disturbing " but what's the aim?There is an element of voyeurism in…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:00PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, March 3, 2015

The Rise and Shine of Comrade Fiasco review " fear and loathing in a Zimbabwean prison by Michael Billington

Gate, LondonAndrew Whaley's play is well directed by Elayce Ismail but demands a familiarity with the country's history that obscures its allegorical meaning Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:30AM[SHARE]
Friday, February 27, 2015

Lippy review " a sombre exploration of silence and suicide by Michael Billington

Young Vic, LondonA relentlessly bleak look at a suicide pact made between four women in a small Irish town leaves us no wiser about their motivations Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:25AM[SHARE]
Thursday, February 26, 2015

Multitudes review " a vigorous debate about British Islam by Michael Billington

Tricycle, LondonThe debut play from actor John Hollingworth uses a divided Bradford family and a Tory party conference to confront the problems facing Muslims in Britain Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:23AM[SHARE]

Man and Superman review " Ralph Fiennes masters Shaw's contrary male by Michael Billington

Lyttelton theatre, LondonSimon Godwin's modern-dress revival sprinkles fun on the social debate as it reduces a very masculine hero to helplessness in the face of feminine seduction"My metho…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:04AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical review " a tapestry of greatest hits by Michael Billington

Aldwych, LondonThis West End musical's attempts to weave King's songs into her life story leaves you none the wiser as to who she wasFans of the singer-songwriter Carole King may be happy ju…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:00PM[SHARE]
Monday, February 23, 2015

Closer review " as powerful and pertinent as ever by Michael Billington

Donmar Warehouse, London David Leveaux's fine production featuring an expertly balanced cast shows Patrick Marber's play is much more than the product of its time Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:00PM[SHARE]

Farinelli and the King review " Mark Rylance stars in a celebration of music by Michael Billington

Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, LondonClaire van Kampen mixes story and song superbly in a tale about the celebrated castrato Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:30AM[SHARE]
Friday, February 20, 2015

Fireworks review " child actors light up Gaza crisis by Michael Billington

Royal Court, LondonThe young leads in Dalia Taha's play about family life in Gaza paint a frightening picture of lost innocence Continue reading...

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:39AM[SHARE]

All that Chat

2025-2026 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 12, 2025: Call Me Izzy - Studio 54
Sep 16, 2025: Art - Music Box Theatre
Oct 08, 2025: Beetlejuice - Palace Theatre
Nov 13, 2025: Oedipus - Studio 54
Nov 16, 2025: Chess - Imperial Theatre
Mar 23, 2026: Giant - Music Box Theatre
Apr 06, 2026: Becky Shaw - Hayes Theater
Apr 16, 2026: Proof - Booth Theatre
Apr 26, 2026: Drama Desk Cut-Off