The Masqueraders Theatrical Society present the Gershwin Musical, Crazy For You at the Abbey Theatre, Nuneaton from 21 to 23 May 2026. Also, Alan Parker’s Bugsy Malone on 20 May at 7.30pm and 23 May at 1pm performed by the Masqueraders Juniors. Preview Crazy For You is a high energy romantic musical comedy featuring a fabulous score by George and Ira Gershwin and based on the book by Ken Ludwig. It follows Bobby Child, a stage-struck banker with dreams of dancing on Broadwa

Jo Banbury as Blanche, Paige Phelps as Stella and Richard Morelli as Stanley. Photo by Gwyn Davies. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, at The Talisman Theatre and Arts Centre, Kenilworth from 18 to 23 May. Directed by Chris Carpenter. Preview by Sharon Sully As summer draws nearer, this May the Talisman Theatre is delighted to announce the staging of Tennessee Williams’ best-loved classic drama ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’. After a hugely successful run acros

Daisy Swaby as Ariel. Photo courtesy of Caramba Theatre Company. Caramba Theatre Company present The Tempest by William Shakespeare at The Bear Pit Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Saturday 9 May 2026. Directed by Mollie Taylor. Review by Charles Essex. Caramba Theatre Company’s adaptation of The Tempest used novel costuming and effects in the production of this Shakespeare classic. The audience was greeted with an intriguing set when they entered, beautiful birdsong contras

Alex Brown as Bird and Sean Kerrigan as Bull McCabe. Photo by Martin Pulley. The Field by John B Keane performed by the Rugby Irish Community Drama Group at Rugby Theatre, Sunday 10 May as part of Rugby Fringe Week. Directed by Nicky Main & Bev Avis-Dakin. Review by Ann Evans The Rugby Irish Community Drama Group took on The Field by John B Keane and an excellent job they did of it too. We spent the evening in Flannigan’s Bar, in the village of Carraigthomond in the Southwest

Bill Pullman inThe Cherry Orchard at the RSC Swan Theatre. Image courtesy of the RSC. The Cherry Orchard, a new version of Anton Chekhov’s final play by Olivier Award-winning playwright Laura Wade. Directed by RSC Co-Artistic Director, Tamara Harvey. At the RSC Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from Friday 10 July – Saturday 29 August. Preview The RSC have announced that Bill Pullman will play Gaev in The Cherry Orchard, a new version of Anton Chekhov’s final play by Olivie

Rebecca Mileham. Photo courtesy of Alison Manning. The opening night of this year's Springboard Festival at the Criterion Theatre in Earlsdon did not disappoint. As Artistic director, Anne-marie Greene said in her opening welcome, this is the 4th year of the festival which consists of a week-long celebration of creative arts, featuring a variety of music, poetry, theatre, literary discussion, community groups and even visual art. The festival brings together amateur and profe

Saints Drama Group present The Welkin. The Saints – The Welkin by Lucy Kirkwood. Saints Drama Coventry in association with Second Chance Productions. Directed and Produced by Peter Daly-Dickson. At Allesley Village Hall, Coventry CV5 9GX from 19 – 23 May. Preview The year is 1759. A child has been murdered. The accused, 21-year-old Sally Poppy, must convince twelve matrons that she is pregnant to spare herself from the gallows. But these women - midwives, shopkeepers, servan

Falling. Photo courtesy of Open Theatre. Falling performed by Open Theatre’s ensemble company of young performers touring to Birmingham REP, The Belgrade (Coventry) and Arena Theatre (Wolverhampton) this May. Dates and times below. Preview Falling is an experience on the borderlines of theatre, dance and mime. This ground-breaking theatre show has been devised and is performed by Open Theatre’s ensemble company of young performers. Described as the “most validating piece of

Cast of Flashbang. Photo courtesy of Proforca Theatre Company. Flashbang written by James Lewis, directed by David Brady presented by Proforca Theatre Company at the Belgrade Theatre, B2 Venue, Coventry from Thursday 7 – Saturday 9 May. Review by Annette Kinsella. Which wise philosopher first observed that “we are all just two or three bad decisions away from Armageddon”? History does not record their identity, but I’d be willing to put money on it being someone who once wi

Mum Comes To Dinner by Nicholas Marsh. Photo courtesy of Rugby Theatre. As part of Rugby’s Fringe Week Black Box Productions present three new one-act plays for one night only – 7 May 2026 at Rugby Theatre, including new work from their Rugby Theatre Writers’ Group. Review by Ann Evans There was an excellent turn out to support this year’s Black Box Productions, which brings us new plays from local writers, in the stripped back theatre using the bare minimum of props and scen

Some of the colourful cast. Photo by Pamela Raith Photography. Murder She Didn’t Write. Performed by Degrees of Error at Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, from 6-7 May. Director Lizzy Skrzypiec. Review by Hilary Hopker. The premise of this play is simple yet terrifying for most actors. No one knows what’s going to happen next, not the audience, not the actors, nor the guy on sound effects. This is improv at a level you’ve never seen before. The play opens with a detective narr

(l-r) Michael Barker as Henry and Chris Gilbey-Smith as Kenneth. Photo by Richard Smith. Love, Love, Love by Mike Bartlett at The Loft Theatre, Leamington Spa from 6 - 16 May. Directed by Lynda Lewis. Review by Ann Evans. The Loft’s latest production may be called Love, Love, Love, but the overriding emotion that this dysfunctional family send out is loathe, loathe, loathe! That does of course, make for an excellent evening’s entertainment. The story is set over three very

Sara Pascoe. Photo courtesy of the artist. Festival on the Close, Rugby, from: 20 – 25 June 2026. Preview Rugby, the much-loved Festival on The Close returns to Rugby this year with an exciting programme packed with headline performances, unforgettable music, comedy, and live theatre. As the festival approaches its ten-year anniversary, organisers promise a spectacular celebration of live performance for audiences of all ages, and all in support of Rugby’s Bradby Club, the lo

Rebecca Collingwood as Gwendolyn Lacey . Photo courtesy of the production company. Malory Towers from the novels by Enid Blyton and adapted and directed By Emma Rice, at the Belgrade Theatre as part of the UK Tour, from 12 - 16 May. Preview. The Emma Rice Company has announced the full cast for their upcoming tour of Malory Towers from the novels by Enid Blyton and adapted by Emma Rice. Rice directs Eden Barrie (Mary Lou Atkinson), Molly Cheesley (Alicia Johns), Rebecca C