THEATRE REVIEW: Macbeth starring David Tennant & Cush Jumbo at the Donmar

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***/*****

WHEN?: Saturday 9 December, opens 15 December and runs through 10 February 2024 RUNTIME: 115 minutes (without interval) UPDATE: Transfers to the Harold Pinter Theatre 1 October through 14 December 2024 Tickets

Should the wearing of headphones ever be a requirement for theatre?

  • Read on for reasons including how this production will be divisive and felt as if it was conceived for cinema rather than theatre
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9 reasons why we can’t wait for December 2023 starring Jennifer Saunders in Peter Pan

  1. Jennifer Saunders and Julian Clary in the Palladium pantomime

7 years ago Julian Clary starred opposite Paul O’Grady in pantomime Cinderella at this venue in a production that marked a return of the form to a theatre previously renowned for it. We’ve loved the shows that have followed, Dick WhittingtonSnow White, Goldilocks, and Pantoland at the Palladium, in both 2020 and 2021, and Jack And The Beanstalk starring Dawn French in 2022. French’s comedy partner Jennifer Saunders stars here alongside Clary and My Son’s A Queer‘s Rob Madge. Runs 9 December through 14 January 2024. Tickets Our review

  • Read on for reasons including David Tennant’s Macbeth, Joe Cole’s Homecoming and new musical Cold War
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Tragedy Of Macbeth starring James McArdle & Saoirse Ronan at Almeida Theatre

WORTH A LOOK?: *****

WHEN?: Monday 4 October, runs to 20 November 2021 extended to 27 November 2021 with livestream option

RUNTIME: 190 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

Prolonged handwashing is forthright in our consciousness post-Covid and perhaps, like Chekhov’s gun, it should have come as little surprise that the onstage tap in this dreamlike, almost modern-day production should play such a pivotal role.

  • Read on for reasons including how good Ronan is in her UK stage debut but how it will be McArdle’s brutish Macbeth that will be remembered
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons we can’t wait for March 2020 starring City Of Angels

  1. Girls Aloud’s Nicola Roberts makes West End debut in City Of Angels

We saw this Donmar production in its original home six years ago and the Cy Coleman/David Zippel musical evoking old Hollywood and film noir has a cast to die for. It includes the West End debut of former Girls Aloud member Nicola Roberts (and winner of ITV’s The Masked Singer) as well as Vanessa Williams, Rosalie Craig, Hadley Fraser and Theo James. Plays at the Garrick from 5/3 to 5/9. Tickets 

  • Read on for reasons including the new Jamie Lloyd starring Game Of Thrones Emilia Clark and Fat Rascal

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THEATRE REVIEW: Macbeth starring Christopher Eccleston and Niamh Cusack at the Barbican

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE? Barbican RUN TIME: 2 hours and 33 minutes (including 20-minute interval)

WHEN?: 27/10, runs to 17/11/18

The most striking thing about this modern-day re-imagining of 1 of Shakespeare’s most iconic plays is how the 3 witches become 3 identically-dressed schoolgirls.

  • Read on for reasons including how Doctor Who fans should relish Eccleston’s performance

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for October

  1. Dame Eileen Atkins in The Height Of The Storm

There’s Nothing Like A Dame and we loved the film of that name which starred Dame Eileen (pictured above) who appears here in this Florian Zeller drama with Jonathan Pryce (Game Of Thrones) at the Wyndhams 2/10 through 1/12. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Lady Gaga, Jim Broadbent, Dr Who goes Macbeth and Game Of Thrones in Hampstead

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for March

  1. Caroline, or Change at the Hampstead Theatre

Two highlights for us of last year were the National Theatre’s production of Angels In America by Tony Kushner and Sharon D. Clarke in musical The Life at Southwark Playhouse. This year D. Clarke is in Kushner’s musical Caroline, Or Change set in Louisiana in 1963 which runs 12/3 to 21/4 at Hampstead Theatre. Transferred from Chichester’s Festival Theatre. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Will Young, Strictly Ballroom, Sigrid and Vanessa Redgrave

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AWARDS SHORTLIST: TV & film of the year

It’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2015? Over the next fortnight we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 11 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2015. Read on for the nominees for our four TV & film monstas of the year.

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7 reasons to be excited about September

  1. Rocky Horror Show returns to West End

Antici ….. pation’s running high for the return of Richard O’Brien as The Narrator in the musical he wrote, The Rocky Horror Show. It runs 11-26/9 at the Playhouse Theatre with a show broadcast to cinemas 17/9 in aid of Amnesty International starring Stephen Fry, Mel Giedroyc, Emma Bunton and Anthony Head. The regular cast includes the brilliant David Bedella (Jerry Springer – The Opera) and tours nationwide after this run.

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