★★★★★ Inside American Pie at The Curve, Leicester is a thrilling docu-concert exploring Don McLean’s iconic song through story and rock classics. Five stars.

Road review at the Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester — a bold, immersive revival of Jim Cartwright’s modern British classic. ★★★★★

★★★★☆ An honest review of The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind from the Royal Shakespeare Company. But can a story driven by hope generate enough theatrical energy to sustain an almost 3-hour musical?

★☆☆☆☆ The UK tour of Glorious! arrives at Derby Theatre championing the infamy of Florence Foster Jenkins, once dubbed “the world’s worst singer.” Peter Quilter’s play promises comedy drawn from an extraordinary life.

★★★☆☆ The UK tour of Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger’s Drift arrives with significant expectations. For more than 20 years, this crime saga has lived comfortably on television, with its idyllic villages and grisly murders becoming appointment viewing for millions.

★★★★☆ At Derby Theatre, Conrad Murray’s Pied Piper arrives not with a flute and doublet, but with a mic and the fierce power of beatbox. Billed as a family musical, it reimagines the folk tale through rhythm, rap and raw vocal dexterity. The question is: is a stripped-back beatbox musical of a classic story the new blueprint for family theatre, or do children still need glitter cannons and fairy-lit spectacle to stay entertained?

★★★★★ The Glad Game is not simply a programming choice; it is an act of remembrance. Written and originally performed by Nottingham-born actor Phoebe Frances Brown, the piece chronicles her life following a diagnosis of an incurable brain tumour.

★★☆☆☆ The jukebox musical is now a familiar staple of the British touring circuit, and Sunny Afternoon arrives at the Nottingham Theatre Royal packed with nostalgia and a catalogue of undeniably iconic songs. Charting the rise of one of Britain’s most influential rock bands, this production takes us back to the swinging ’60s and the anthems that defined a generation. But does this musical biopic showcase the volatile story behind the music, or does the drama get drowned out b

★★★★★ The Beekeeper of Aleppo, at Nottingham Playhouse, tackles one of the most urgent humanitarian issues of our time through intimate, character-driven storytelling. With striking performances and thoughtful staging, this production explores trauma, resilience, and hope. But with such a vital message at its core, does the production succeed as powerful and engaging theatre, or does the gravity of its subject turn it into a message-heavy TED talk with fabulous lighting?

★★★★★ There are some productions that remind you why theatre exists at all, not simply as entertainment, but as a deeply human act of shared storytelling. Lace Market Theatre’s production of Things I Know To Be True is exactly that kind of experience.

Tom Holloway’s stage adaptation of Double Indemnity brings James M. Cain’s crime novella out of the shadows and onto the stage, transporting audiences into a world of deception and ambition. With a bold visual style that nods to Billy Wilder’s legendary film while striving to forge its own theatrical identity, the production embraces the aesthetics of film noir.

★★★★★ Just when you think Mischief Theatre have scraped every last inch of material from the amateur dramatics barrel, they come bounding back with another festive offering in their ever-expanding Goes Wrong universe.

★★★★☆ With Hadestown approaching its second anniversary at the Lyric Theatre in London’s West End, the question is this: has this contemporary musical cemented itself as a cult favourite that audiences return to time and time again, or is it still trying to court new fans beyond the devotees of its Grammy-winning score?

★★★★☆ The Hunger Games: On Stage is not just a theatrical adaptation of Suzanne Collins’s dystopian blockbuster, but also a bold experiment in bringing a sprawling, cinematic narrative into an immersive live arena.

★★★☆☆ Forget how many different designer brands are name-checked in The Devil Wears Prada; in some stretches, you begin to wonder how many times the name “Miranda” gets said in this musical.

★★★☆☆ Single White Female offers a tense, thought-provoking evening that will only sharpen as the tour continues. If you’re looking for a psychological drama that’s slick, unsettling, and quietly entertaining, this is well worth seeing… imperfections and all.

Find out about Derby Theatre's Community Celebration Day with live music, performances, and more. The best 50th party a theatre could have!

★★★★☆ Lace Market Theatre opens its 2026 season with Steven Peros’s The Cat’s Meow, a glossy and unsettling play based on one of Hollywood’s most enduring unsolved scandals. As the first show of the year, it has clearly set a benchmark for what Lace Market hopes to achieve in the months ahead.

★★★★☆ Nottingham Playhouse's new play for 3- to 8-year-olds takes us beneath the waves to the home of Marina, a young mermaid eager to explore the world above the sea.

★★★★★ Tamworth SnowDome’s Winter Wonderland is a magical, snow-filled adventure that feels like stepping inside a festive dream. Celebrating its 20th year, this Winter Wonderland offers.