Transatlantic Hot Club: Adrien Chevalier, Ashley John Long and Ben Creighton Griffiths. Photo © Frederic Landes. The Transatlantic Hot Club at The Cidermill Theatre, Chipping Camden, Saturday 18 April.. Review by Charles Essex   Probably the most renowned proponents of French chanson and swing and Latin jazz were Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli but the very accomplished quartet of the Transatlantic Hot Club (THC) delighted this knowledgeable audience with music styles

Ed McVey (Centre) at Tom Ripley with the cast. Photo by Mark Senior. The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, adapted and directed by Mark Leipacher, at the Belgrade Theatre from 13 to 18 April.  Review by Amanda Burden In many ways But Is It Cake? is the clearest illustration of the post-truth era we find ourselves lurching about in, like a drunk person heading to the bar on a Friday night. For the uninitiated: BITC? Is a game show that involves earnest contestants squ

Billy (Michael Seeley) and the Queen Mother (Gill Halford). Photo by Rob Warner. Backstairs Billy by Marcelo Dos Santos at The Talisman Theatre and Arts Centre, Kenilworth from 13 - 18 April 2026. Directed by Steve Smith. Review by Ashley Hayward. Much of the action in this delightful comedy takes back in 1979 when the so called ‘winter of discontent’ with all its divisions and industrial strife finally ended with Margaret Thatcher sweeping into power. The script concerns th

The people of Salem in court. Photo credit Martin Pulley. The CRUCIBLE By Arthur Miller. Presented by In The Round Theatre, directed by Robert Sloan and Darren Pratt, choreography and movement by Daisy Jones, original musical score by James Grady. In collaboration with Rugby Theatre. from 11 – 18 April 2026. Review by Ann Evans Rugby Theatre is currently enjoying a successful collaboration with the young actors and team from In The Round Theatre , opening on 11 April and run

The Cast of Come From Away. Come From Away. The book, music and lyrics are by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. Directed by Nicky Main, Musical Director James Harragan. At the Priory Theatre, Kenilworth from 8 – 18 April 2026. Review by Charles Essex   While the awful events of the planes crashing into the twin towers on 9/11 filled our screens and were the only news, a little-known event was being played out 1100 miles away in Newfoundland.  The small town of Gander, which had a

The Choir of Man. Photo by Mark Senior. The Choir of Man, Created by Nic Doodson and Andrew Kay, directed by Nic Doodson. Direct from the West End, the Olivier Award-Nominated worldwide smash hit – now on its first ever UK tour. At the Belgrade Theatre from 7 – 11 April. Review by Margaret Mather. Set in a fictional pub called The Jungle, this show has it all. It tells the story of the great British pub institution which is sadly declining in the UK. It shows how much they ar

George Ormerod as Hamlet. Photo credit @FuzFilms. Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Performed by Tread the Boards at The Attic Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, from 4 April until 26 April. Directed by John-Robert Partridge. Review by Charles Essex   Usually set designer Adam Clarke intricately arranges the small Attic stage with a wonderful array of props, dividing the space into various ‘rooms’ so it was a surprise to find the stage empty apart from two simple benches and a plain

James Proctor as Ralph Wantage. Photo Richard Smith Photography. Frozen by Bryony Lavery, at The Loft Theatre, Leamington Spa, from 1 - 11 April 2026. Directed by Dave Crossfield. Review by Ann Evans Three talented actors portraying three very diverse characters, set the scene for a story that is every parent’s worst nightmare. The play by Bryony Lavery begins in the 1980s and ends 20 years on. At the start, mother of two young daughters, Nancy Shirley (Cheryl Laverick) is ha

Esther Atkin and Matthew Rutherford, Night Falls. Photo credit Riding Lights Theatre Company. Night Falls. Performed at The Bear Pit Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, from 31 March to 1 April 2026 by Riding Lights Theatre Company.  Directed by Paul Birch. Review by Charles Essex.   Although the story is around 2000 years old, Night Falls is a new look at the days leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion written and directed by Paul Birch. Riding Lights did a marvellous job to tour with t

Sharon Sully (Rita) and Stuart Lawson (Frank). Photo by Rach Davis.   Educating Rita by Willy Russell. Performed by the Young Performers Institute at The Dorothea Mitchell Hall, Claverdon. Directed by Pete Davis. Runs until 29 March 2026. Review by Charles Essex.   Willy Russell’s play is well-known and the story set in Liverpool could easily have been marred by mediocre clichéd acting.  Fortunately, director Pete Davis was blessed with terrific performances from the two lead

Jonathan Goodwin. Photo by Bindi Chauli.   The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Anglican Church in London Road Cemetery. Performed by Don't Go Into The Cellar Productions. Friday 27 March 2026. Review by Amanda Burden.   Human duality: the eternal tug-of-war between good and evil, light and dark, restraint and indulgence - the mask of ourselves we present to the world versus the savage brute lurking just beneath the surface, waiting for its chance to wreak havoc.   Admi

Claire and Tim Johnson. Photo courtesy of Consensus Opera. A Ring of Untruths, written and adapted by Tim Johnson, performed by Consensus Opera at The Bear Pit Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from 25 - 27 March 2026. Review by Charles Essex   Following on from Consensus Opera’s 2026 production A Bitter and Twisted Cocktail,  Tim Johnson has written a wonderful thriller using his encyclopaedic knowledge of Gilbert and Sullivan music. The story starts with a lowly detective (Trac

Alfred Enoch as Henry V. Photo by Johan Persson. Henry V by William Shakespeare at The Royal Shakespeare Theatre until 25 April 2026. Directed by Tamara Harvey. Review by Wynne Lang. Alfred Enoch returns to Stratford in the role of Henry V, after his breakout debut as Pericles in 2024, and provides us with an engaging portrayal of a young king thrust into leadership in the cauldron of war, one refreshingly free of bombast. This Henry strives for the human touch, and it’s quic

The cast of My Fair Lady. Photo courtesy of Helen Ashbourne. My Fair Lady, Leamington and Warwick Musical Society, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, from 24 - 28 March 2026. Director and Musical Director/Conductor James Suckling. Review by Ann Cee   Lerner and Loewe’s ‘My Fair Lady’ throbbed with warmth, humour and very classy costumes and hats last night as the Leamington and Warwick Musical Society put on their annual show (this week only). Great voices led us through the P

Cast of Fishville. Photo provided by Coventry College. Coventry College - Fishville by Afsaneh Gray at Studio One - City Campus, 50 Swanswell Street, Coventry CV1 5DG, 7pm, Tuesday 24 March 2026. One night only. Review by David Court. There is something inherently melancholic about coastal towns, particularly those caught out of season. Worn down by salt air and time, they often exude a quiet listlessness — a curious tension between openness and confinement, freedom and entra

Sarah Agha in A Grain of Sand. Photo by Alan Blundell. A Grain of Sand written by Elias Matar and performed by Sarah Agha at the Belgrade Theatre on 23 March 2026. Review by Amanda Burden. An eleven-year-old girl full of fun, mischief and fart jokes – nothing unusual here. Except instead of entertaining her family and friends, Renad is homeless, alone and starving, a refugee orphan in the streets of Palestine. A Grain of Sand, written by Elias Matar and performed by the amaz

Gorgeous dogs enjoying the attention. Photos by Rob Tysall Pro Photography. As life gets back to normal for all the canine competitors and their owners and handlers who were involved in Crufts, Elementary WhatsOn looks back on our visit to this world famous dog show held over the four-day period of 5-8 March at the Birmingham NEC. We’ve put together a roundup of dogs and events that caught our eye, including some gorgeous dogs who may not have achieved Best in Show, but were

Cathryn Bowler (Debbie), Christine Evans (Elsa), Jon Elves (Peter). Photo courtesy of The Criterion. The Unfriend By Steven Moffatt at the Criterion Theatre, Earlsdon, Coventry from 21 – 28 March 2026. Review by Annette Kinsella.    The “stranger at the feast” is a well-worn literary device. From Shallow Grave and Single White Female, to the clinical yet deadly agents of domestic terrorism The Tiger Who Came to Tea and The Cat in the Hat, writers can't get enough of the unexp

Harvey Brough and Choir. Photo credit Vanessa Swann. Vox Populi. The Bells of Paradise. Performed at Holy Trinity Church, Leamington Spa, Saturday 21 March 2026. Review by Charles Essex.   Vox Populi thrilled an almost full audience at Holy Trinity Church in Leamington with four varied pieces that continue to demonstrate Harvey Brough’s community choir’s versatility and talent.   The first half featured two of Fauré’s pieces.  Cantique de Jean Racine, written by Fauré when he

War of the Worlds at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry. 18 March until the 21 March 2026. Adapted by imitating the dog. Review by David Court Photo courtesy imitating the dog It is generally considered poor form to invoke one’s own experience in a review, yet here it provides useful context. Some years ago, I attended a stage adaptation of Berberian Sound Studio  at the Donmar Warehouse - one of the most remarkable pieces of theatre I have seen. For those familiar with the film,

Vitamin String Quartet at Warwick Arts Centre. Photo by Sundeep Watkins.. Vitamin String Quartet, Warwick Arts Centre, 16 March. Review by Hilary Hopker   You may have heard of this quartet or you might not, but one thing’s for sure, if you’re a Bridgerton fan you will have already heard their music. Most string quartets specialise in classical music, but the Vitamin String Quartet take top classical talent and apply it to popular music. Their string versions of modern pop so