Five Star Theatre bring you Guys & Dolls. Photo credit Gaz Hood. Guys and Dolls, presented by Five Star Theatre at The Benn Hall, Rugby from Thursday 1 October to Saturday 3 October 2026. Review by Ann Cee My luck was in at The Benn Hall last night when the superb Five Star Theatre presented an exuberant Guys and Dolls. This Broadway legend of a show has music and lyrics (Frank Loesser) which salsa round your heartstrings until you are betting your last sot on the most un

Nick Milton, Jane Ormsby, Eloise Essig, Fiona Robson and Lynne Neale. Photo credit Phoenix Players. The Holey Matrimony written and directed by Andi Hardy-Rastall. A Phoenix Players Production, performed at The Bear Pit Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, from Wednesday 30 September until 3 October 2026. Review by Charles Essex Allan was the popular vicar of the local parish church, happily married to Sally, who was dutifully at his side. He ministered to his flock; she ran the

Dafila Scott SWLA working underwater. Photo courtesy of SWLA. “The Natural Eye” 2026 – Society of Wildlife Artists’ Annual Exhibition from Thursday 1 October to Saturday 10 October 2026, 10am – 5pm at the Mall Galleries, The Mall, London SW1. (Admission £7. Free for Friends of Mall Galleries and under 25s. No booking required.) Preview Great wildlife art begins in the field, with artists often battling inclement weather and challenging conditions to closely observe and expe

Paul Sully as Ed Boone, Will Shelton as Christopher and Jo Banbury as mum Judy. Photo by Robert Warner. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. Adapted by Simon Stephens. Based on the novel by Mark Haddon. At The Talisman Theatre, Kenilworth from 28 September to 3 October. Directed by Sharon Sully. Review by Ann Evans The story of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time revolves around 15-year-old Christopher Boone played brilliantly by Will Shelton. A

Alice Scott and ensemble. Photo courtesy of The Criterion Theatre. Underdog: The Other Brontë. At The Criterion Theatre, Coventry from 26 September to 3 October 2026. Director: Anne-marie Greene. Review by Charles Essex. The Brontë sisters, towering figures of English literature, only wrote seven novels in total but they have been dramatised numerous times in film, TV series and even a hit pop record. The play’s title of Underdog ostensibly refers to Anne. She is perhaps

Gary (Chris Gilbey-Smith) and Mags (Lorna Middleton) Photo credit Richard Smith. Middle by David Eldridge at The Loft, Leamington Spa, directed by Viki Betts, running until 3 October 2026. Review by Amanda Burden The living room in the early hours of the morning is a weird, liminal space. Devoid of the hustle and bustle of family life, it is usually visited only at points of either crisis or magic: the knock at the door bringing unexpected news; the phone call that changes

Pete Ashmore as Tony Wendice. Photo by Danny Kaan. Dial M for Murder written by Frederick Knott, at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry. Running from 22 – 26 September. Review by Amanda Burden I am about to reveal my vintage here, but - like millions of UK families in the 80s - I once regularly watched a television programme in which a giant animated dustbin presented fiendishly complicated conundrums to members of the public, who were then expected to decipher them in exchange

L-R Ben Nealon, Bill Ward, Gray O’Brien, Ricky Norwood, Tristan Gemmill. Photo courtesy of Manuel Harlan. Twelve Angry Men written by Reginald Rose at The Birmingham Repertory Theatre, running until 26 September 2026. Directed by Christoher Haydon. Review by Charles Essex. The story starts in the jury room as the 12 jurors retire to consider their verdict. A teenager with a track record of antisocial behaviour has murdered his father, with compelling evidence of his guilt

The cast of Much Ado About Nothing. Photo by Martin Pulley. Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare at Rugby Theatre, Henry Street from 19 - 26 September 2026. Directed by Ashley Hirons. Review by Ann Evans Hats off to the Rugby Theatre for tackling Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, Much Ado About Nothing. This tale full of gossip, mischief, lies and deception is in a nutshell about two couples, one pair, Hero (Jennifer Pratt) and Claudia (Eleanor Derrick). This character

Richard Jones begins his show. Photo courtesy of the artist. Richard Jones – The Soldier of Illusion and winner of Britain’s Got Talent 2016 – the only magician in the history of the show incidentally to have taken the top spot, brought his incredible magic to The Albany Theatre last night. Richard who spent 12 years in the British Army currently tours with three different shows, Mission Magic, Masters of Deception and The Sound of Magic which was the show at the Albany Theat

Johnny (Richard Sandle-Keynes) and Judy (Lily Skinner). Photo by Chris Clarke. Home, I’m Darling, by Laura Wade at the Bear Pit Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from 18 - 26 September 2026. Directed by Jacquie Campbell. Assistant Director Elliot Gear. Review by Ann Evans. With a back-to-front title such as Home, I’m Darling, you can guess there’s going to be a few surprises – and you wouldn’t be wrong. Johnny and Judy appear to be living the dream. It’s the 1950s - or at least

Ben Wellicombe. Photo by Steve Vent. Queers. Performed at The Priory Theatre, Kenilworth Friday 18 September, running until Saturday 19 September 2026. Curated by Mark Gatiss for the BBC. Directed by Mark Jefferies. Review by Charles Essex Spanning 100 years in this clever series of soliloquies, seven characters discussed their inner thoughts of being LGBQT+ against the norms and attitudes of their eras. The themes discussed gave an indication of the decade, especially if

Liberty Stotter, Geraldine Sacdalan, Lou Henry, Jessica Lbadin. Photo by Pamela Raith. Heathers: The Musical at The Belgrade Theatre from 15 – 19 September. Review by Alison Manning School can be a tough place, where popular kids are top of the pecking order and others are picked on, made fun of and victimised. What does it take to survive? Heathers: The Musical, presented by Bill Kenwright Ltd & Paul Taylor-Mills, currently at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, is a school d

One of the many tanks at The Tank Museum. Photo courtesy of Rob Levett-Millett. The Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset. Review by Rob Levett-Millett A collection of over 300 military vehicles sets a high bar of expectation which The Tank Museum somehow obliterates with heavy ordinance. You may look at a map of Bovington, Dorset and see the Museum, its neighbour Monkey World, and assume you have a plan for a two-stage day out. You will assume wrong. There will be no time for Monke

St John Rosse_Nicholas_Powwow on the Beach. Royal Society of Marine Artists Annual Exhibition 2026, held at the Mall Galleries, London, from 16 to 26 September 2026 from 10am to 5pm. Admission: £7 (Free for Friends of Mall Galleries and under 25s, concessions available). No booking required Preview As the Royal Society of Marine Artists’ (RSMA) prepares for its 81st Annual Exhibition at the Federation of British Artists’ Mall Galleries this September, new figures reveal a suc

David Lutken in Woody Sez. Photo credit Roger Mastroianni. Woody Sez: The Life & Music Of Woody Guthrie, devised by David M. Lutken, is performed at the Underbelly Boulevard Soho from 8 to 19 September 2026. Directed by Nick Corley. Review by Emilia Matyja Woody Guthrie’s musical biography returns to Soho with a historically soulful zing of joy you can find in a live-music bar. David M. Lutken resurrects Woody Guthrie – a singer-composer of American folk songs that captured

SINS, at the Albany Theatre, Coventry - 10 September 2026 Review by Amanda Burden Two questions. 1. Do you like the slasher film Saw? 2. Do you want to be IN the slasher film Saw? Be honest. Nobody is going to knock on your door. This is not a hidden psychological test designed to root out homicidal maniacs. No-one will check your browser history afterwards. But if you harbour a small, private fantasy about sitting safely in the dark while other people endure increasingly hor

The cast of After Party. Photo courtesy of Marc Brenner. After Party by Morna Young at the Belgrade Theatre until 11 September 2026 Review by Amanda Burden This week I have been lucky enough to review two shows about hard-living celebrities contemplating their own demise. The first was the true story of Dr Feelgood guitarist Wilko Johnson. The second is the fictional actress Vivienne Blackwood in Morna Young’s After Party, directed by Katie Posner and currently at the Belgrad

Jon House in Wilko. Photo by Nick Haeffner.. Wilko: Love and Death and Rock ’n’ Roll by Jonathan Maitland at the Belgrade Theatre until 9 September 2026 Review by Amanda Burden I know very little about Dr Feelgood. This is not something I am proud of. In fact, when I invited my brother to see Wilko: Love and Death and Rock ’n’ Roll, he reminded me of a conversation from last year in which we discovered our combined knowledge of this band amounted largely to knowing that they

The Retro Truck Show held at the weekend. Photo courtesy of the BMM. The British Motor Museum has even more key motoring shows coming up this Autumn. The Museum has already hosted a packed calendar of events throughout the summer months including last weekend's Retro Truck Show on 5 & 6 September. Still to come are the MX-5 Owners Club National Rally on 13 September, DR1VR Show on 20 September, Rustival on 26 September, Jaguars at Gaydon on 27 September, Porsche Boxster 30t

Jacob Aldroft and Alexandra Ricou. Image courtesy of the artists. Parody of the Rings at The Cidermill Theatre, Chipping Camden, Saturday 5 September 2026. Review by Charles Essex A small local theatre is staging an all-night playing trilogy of Lord of the Rings films as a fund raiser to repair the theatre’s roof. Unfortunately, it goes wrong before the first reel when the projector and discs catch fire. The ushers Peter (Jacob Aldroft) and Jackson (Alexandra Ricou), a no