People's Theatre, Newcastle There can’t be many of us who aren’t familiar with this iconic BBC series, and this week The People’s give a pretty good rendition of four of the episodes. They’ve gone for impressions – rather than impersonations – of Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Fry & Laurie, et al, and the decision to … Continue reading Blackadder Goes Forth – REVIEW

Chapterhouse Theatre Company's latest production is this classic Jane Austen novel, adapted for the stage by resident writer Laura Turner. This charming adaptation is a testament to her love of Austen's work, and she has produced a faithful yet concise play. Central to the story, and its themes, are the sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. … Continue reading Sense and Sensibility – REVIEW

This month's offering from the Royalty Theatre is a dark comedy by Eric Chappell, who most people will know as the writer of sit-coms such as Rising Damp, Only When I Laugh, and Duty Free. This play is very reminiscent of such sit-coms: a collection of disparate characters thrown together in an unusual or unfamiliar … Continue reading Natural Causes – REVIEW

People's Theatre, Newcastle. The Blue Electric Wind is a new piece of writing, by ex-Royal Court Young Writer Brad Birch, commissioned by the National Theatre’s literary department specifically for young performers. It is, as would be expected, a great script with some interesting and complex ideas, and the cast of the Young People’s Theatre do … Continue reading The Blue Electric Wind – 4 stars

People's Theatre, Newcastle. Hugh Whitemore’s play about the brilliant mathematician Alan Turing - key player in the breaking of the German Enigma code at Bletchley Park during World War II and a pioneer of computer science – was first presented at London’s Theatre Royal Haymarket in 1986, before transferring to Broadway the following year. It … Continue reading Breaking the Code – 5 stars