It’s impossible to go to an Emma Rice production without expectations. Her style uses cabaret techniques of music, dance and song to explore complex themes, using folk stories and what Rice calls ‘Wonder Tales.’ Folk stories represent humankind’s deepest fears and the darkness which hides within our psyches. Since Rice needs to express contemporary issues and fears, where better to go in her exploration of violence against women than to The Tale of Bluebeard, with the codicil: open the bloody door.

It’s 40 years since Noises Off burst on to the West End stage and it has maintained the reputation of being one of the greatest British comedies. Tonight this Theatre Royal Bath production hit the stage of York Theatre Royal and it’s safe to say that the audience loved it. 

The Royal Shakespeare Company bills this production as ‘a fast paced political thriller which forces us all to consider how far we would go for our political principles.’

Last night I was totally enthralled by Livy Potter who appears in a 75 minute monologue by Gary Owen at theatre@41. She gave a bravura performance!

I love the play Peter Pan and I love pantomime but I didn’t believe the two could merge until I saw this year’s production at York Theatre Royal and now I’m a convert to Christmas entertainment fusion!