Waitress at Nottingham Royal Concert Hall reviewed: Carrie Hope Fletcher shines, but sound issues and muted energy leave Sara Bareilles’ score underpowered.

Improvised musical Impromptunes delivers big laughs, impressive musicianship and inventive storytelling, though its mechanics occasionally show at Edinburgh Fringe.

199 Jokes at theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall delivers exactly what it promises, but its relentless stream of one-liners struggles to build memorable laughs.

Escape Room: The Musical at Just the Tonic blends catchy songs, clever puzzles and heartfelt friendships, though its ambitious story needs a tighter structure.

Blackbox at Underbelly Cowgate tells Henry "Box" Brown's remarkable story through theatre and illusion. A powerful performance outweighs an uneven concept. ★★★☆☆

Cowards! at C Arts C Aquila blends Shakespeare, kitchen-sink drama and metatheatre into an ambitious but uneven Fringe debut. ★★★☆☆

Ryan Cullen's Cullen Me Softly at Monkey Barrel Comedy delivers expertly crafted dark comedy, even if its relentless style loses momentum. ★★★☆

★★★☆☆ With the reputation of one of stand-up's sharpest emerging voices, Ed Night’s We’ll Be Alright, Darling opens at Monkey Barrel Comedy. The good news is that reputation remains intact. The frustrating part is that this hour never quite decides what it wants to be, giving moments of brilliance scattered through a show that feels more like a compilation than a complete work. Night begins by explaining he has broken the same bone in his foot as David Beckham, before teasing

The Bodyguard UK Tour at Nottingham Royal Concert Hall delivers powerhouse Whitney Houston classics despite uneven pacing and a dramatically inconsistent first act.

Jersey Boys review at Nottingham Royal Concert Hall. Pitch-perfect performances and iconic songs can't quite overcome uneven storytelling and distracting technical choices.

Review: Bank of Dave: The Musical at Curve Leicester is warm, funny and crowd-pleasing, but its emotional depth struggles to match its energy.

Sherlock Holmes: The Hunt for Moriarty review at Derby Theatre – a fast-paced, visually inventive Holmes mystery with gripping momentum.

★★★☆☆ The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui at the RSC review – Mark Gatiss leads a bold, Brechtian spectacle that impresses intellectually but struggles to fully engage.

★★★☆☆ 2:22 A Ghost Story UK Tour review is a polished, performance-driven thriller that entertains but struggles to surprise.

★★★☆☆ Austentatious at Nottingham Playhouse delivers sharp improv, big laughs, and chaotic charm. A witty, four-star Austen parody review.

★★★☆☆ Avenue Q returns to the West End in a bold 20th anniversary revival. Read our in-depth review of this modernised puppet musical.

Death on the Nile UK tour review: a visually rich Agatha Christie adaptation with strong performances, but uneven pacing and weak tension.

★★★☆☆ The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry in the West End is heartfelt and moving, but struggles with scale and structure.

Miss Saigon UK Tour in Nottingham review: a visually stunning revival with powerful performances, but does it feel dated for modern audiences?

There’s something undeniably interesting about watching the Royal Shakespeare Company take on Hamlet with a concept this bold. Director Rupert Goold relocates the entire play onto the deck of the Titanic, a literal ship of state heading straight towards inevitable disaster. It’s a striking idea, no doubt about it. But as the evening unfolds, you can’t help but wonder… is this a stroke of theatrical genius, or are we starting to overthink how to stage Shakespeare?