Sir Patrick Stewart in the RSC's The Winter's Tale 1981. Photo by Reg Wilson © RSC. "We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of RSC Honorary Associate Artist, Sir Patrick Stewart; a colossus of both stage and screen and one of the finest classical Shakespearean actors of his generation. “Having first joined the company in 1966, serving as a core member of the RSC until 1982, Sir Patrick went on to appear in over forty RSC productions, taking on early supporting roles a

Pulp Theatre’s ‘Tabu,’ directed by Zach Lonberg, at Barons Court Theatre, London from 24 – 27 October. Review by Emilia Matyja. Tabu is a Grok-style AI whose USP is AI-generated porn – ‘the newest trader in the world’s oldest profession’. As cases worldwide allege the AI is being misused, Morgan (played by Ananya Sahay), a junior lawyer with all the answers, meets the company’s founder, Alistair (played by Louis Cavalier), to pitch a solution to prevent Tabu from tanking.

Janita Mikkola, Amy Tara,Katy Slater. Photo by Marc Brenner. The Turn of The Screw based on Henry James novel. Written by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm. Directed by Nicky Allpress. At The Birmingham Rep until 31st October 2026. By Amanda Burden There is a long tradition in horror of being highly suspicious of children who are a bit too well-behaved. From satanic spawn Damien in The Omen to the white-blonde, Hitler Youth-esque troop of mini supermen and women in Children of the Damne

Andrew Ashton as the Snowman, Tate as The Boy. Photo by Johan Persson. Production Design Anna Fleiscule. The Snowman is at Birmingham Rep from 20 October to 1 November 2026 before moving onto the Peacock Theatre from 21 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Directed by Will Tuckett, Review by Ellie Blackwell. The Snowman at The Rep oozes with comfort, homeliness and wonder. With a pirouetting Santa Claus, parties in the North Pole, toyboxes coming alive, and snowmen that fly, it

Our House, performed by the Albany Company Theatre, directed by Alex Shinnick, at the Albany Theatre Coventry until Sunday 1 November 2026. Review by Hilary Hopker. “Just pick anything and get off the phone!” I said to my soon-to-be husband when he rang me up on the morning of our wedding to tell me that we needed to pick a first dance song. That’s how I found myself trying, and failing, to slow dance to ‘It must be love’ by Madness on my wedding day. Madness have a fine back

Jonathan Groff and Elliot Barnes-Worrell. Photo by Marc Brenner. As You Like It, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford, until November 7. Directed by Daniel Evans. Review by Julie Chamberlain. Shakespeare’s plays were originally performed with all-male casts, but this production’s return to the men-only stage does not mean it is taking a traditional approach to the play. The plot, which involves Rosalind going into hiding dressed as a boy, then encountering Orlando, her s

Hannah Grainger Clemson as Hecuba and cast. Photo by Richard Smith. Women of Troy by Euripides, in a new version by David Fletcher. At The Loft Theatre, Leamington, from 28 October to 7 November 2026. Directed by David Fletcher. Review by Ann Evans In David Fletcher’s Director’s Notes, he talks about his reasons for wanting to produce this play. Despite it having been written over 2,000 years ago, it resonated powerfully with the conflict and wars going on in the modern wo

Julius Caesar Company. Photo by Helen Maybanks. Landmark RSC and KPPL Production of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare arrives at The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon after five-week tour of schools around U.K. This Phyllida Lloyd production will also include a series of After Show Talks. Running from 5 November to 28 November. Preview The Royal Shakespeare Company, in partnership with KPPL Productions, will see Phyllida Lloyd’s acclaimed all-female production of Julius C

The Three Musketeers. Photo © RSC. The RSC and Told By An Idiot present The Three Musketeers by Paul Hunter from the novel by Alexandre Dumas. At the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford from 28 November to 9 January 2027. Preview The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and Told by an Idiot have announced the full cast for The Three Musketeers, a thrilling new take on Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel, adapted and directed by Told by an Idiot Co-founder and Artistic Director Paul

Photo courtesy of The Belgrade. The Belgrade Theatre partners with Coventry creative agency Ode Creatives to nurture the next generation of local talent. The new partnership will support the theatre’s Digital Media Academy programme, expanding opportunities in audio storytelling while connecting emerging creatives with Coventry’s wider creative community. Artistic Director Corey Campbell, interim CEO Emma Flatley, and the whole team at the Belgrade Theatre are delighted to an

Box Tale Soup in association with the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham present The Wind in the Willows. At the Collingwood Centre Hall, Rugby CV22 5DZ on Wednesday 28 October at 2pm. Preview Looking for something different to do with the children this October half term? For one afternoon, swap screens and sofas for the riverbank, the Wild Wood and the wonderfully chaotic world of Mr Toad. Kenneth Grahame’s much-loved story comes to life with imaginative theatre, beautifully craft

The hosts Paul Reeve and Katie Merrygold-Wood. Photo courtesy of Stratford Musical Theatre Company. Stratford Musical Theatre Company brings The Great British Bake Off Musical to Rother Street Arts House, from 4-7 November 2026. Directed by Judi Walton, musical direction by David Llewelyn-Jones and choreography by Becky Farrell. Preview The tent is going up in Stratford this November as Stratford Musical Theatre Company brings The Great British Bake Off Musical to Roth

Kay Fitzpatrick as Chris. Photo by Martin Pulley. Calendar Girls The Musical by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth. Rugby Theatre from 24 – 31 October 2026. Directed by Mark Tolchard. Review by Ann Evans Calendar Girls – Wow! What a show! Like the group of Yorkshire women whose true story this is based on, putting on this show – like creating the calendar, was a brave and daring thing to do. Get it wrong and it could be disastrous. Get it right and it may well bring the house down. An

L-R: Dean Sheridan as Jack Manningham, Juliet Swan Seaton as Bella Manningham and Dan Gough as Rough. Photo by Gwyn Davies, Post Production Guy Devine. Gaslight by Patrick Hamilton at The Talisman Theatre, Kenilworth from 2 to 7 November. Directed by Julien Rosa. Preview by Sharon Sully and Guy Devine. Flickering lights, unexplained noises and a growing sense of dread…The Talisman Theatre in Kenilworth invites audiences into a world of deception and suspense as Patrick Hami

Pulp Theatre is thrilled to announce its second production, ‘Tabu’ , written and directed by Zach Lonberg. Part of GrimeFest running from 20-31 October. Tabu runs from 24 – 27 October. The venue is located in the basement of The Curtains Up Pub, 28a Comeragh Road, West Kensington, London W14 9HR. Preview by Emilia Matyja. "Sex always sells – we're just the newest trade in the world's oldest profession. " In the age of AI, Tabu is the start-up of everyone’s nightmares. Letti

L-R: Guy Devine as The Speaker and Ben Smith as John Blondel. Photo by Steve Vent. When Darkness Falls, a ghost story by James Milton and Paul Morrissey, directed by Connon Cunningham, at The Priory Theatre, Kenilworth from 22 - 31 October 2026. Review by Ann Evans. Taking us right up to Halloween, the Priory brings us an evening of ghost stories. Only these aren’t ‘round the campfire’ type ghostly tales. These are horror stories of awful deaths, based supposedly on true even

The Turn of the Screw at Birmingham REP Theatre from 29 October to 31 October 2026. A world premiere by Blackeyed Theatre and Arcola Theatre. Based on the seminal ghost story by Henry James. Written by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm. Directed by Nicky Allpress. Preview England. A remote country house. A young governess, hired to care for two seemingly angelic children, begins what appears to be an idyllic new life. Yet there is something about the children that hints at a darker presen

Nia Towle and Amanda Root. Photo by Johan Persson. Middlemarch Parts 1 & 2, by George Eliot, at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from 28 October to 16 January 2027. Written by Nina Raine (Consent, Tribes, Tiger Country) and co-produced with Second Half Productions. Directed by Jeremy Herrin. Preview The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has released production photography for Middlemarch, George Eliot’s expansive study on provincial life, written by Nina Raine (Consent, T

The cast of Waiting for Anya. Photo by Taylor Redshaw. Waiting for Anya, performed by the Junior Members of the Masqueraders Theatrical Society at St Paul’s Church, Stockingford, Nuneaton, from 5 – 7 November. Preview The Masqueraders’ junior members are looking forward to bringing this Michael Morpurgo book to life and telling the incredible story of children being smuggled across the border to safety during world war 2. Simon Reade’s stage adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s