MYSTERIOUS: 2 - You Need To See This

I, Daniel Blake review – Kafkaesque benefits story rekindles righteous anger

Politicians’ glib statements frame the struggles of one man confounded by a bewildering welfare system, in an adaptation of the Ken Loach film that both moves and provokes

The Guardian - UK · Jun 1, 2023

The Suspicions of Mr Whicher review – true crime classic turned into tense drama

Kate Summerscale’s Victorian potboiler is deftly condensed in a production that brings out the misogyny and class snobbery of the era

The Guardian - UK · May 10, 2023

Visitors review – searing study of ageing family frictions

Barney Norris’s revival radiates the pain of older parents trapped on deteriorating paths, while their son and end-of-life au pair struggle to find their own

The Guardian - UK · Apr 6, 2023

Mrs Warren’s Profession review – Caroline Quentin’s bewitching madam

George Bernard Shaw’s discomfiting play finds a commanding lead in Quentin, playing alongside her real-life daughter Rose

The Guardian - UK · Nov 17, 2022

Review: Bugsy Malone at Manchester Opera House

Will director Sean Holmes' first-time touring production hit the spot with the Manchester Opera House crowd or leave them feeling tempted to fling a custard pie themselves?

Manchester Evening News · Nov 9, 2022

Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical review – familiar tale given full voice in fresh voyage

Director James Grieve retains just enough of the rough-hewn power of the original sea shanties to offset the razzle-dazzle of the musical setting

The Guardian - UK · Nov 3, 2022

Good Luck, Studio review – the toddlers’ TV show that goes wrong

Mercury theatre, ColchesterAn uneven new play from Mischief Theatre skews darker than their hit comedies, with jarring tragedy amid the clowning

The Guardian - UK · Oct 7, 2022

Identical at The Lowry review: Double the fun (and trouble) with heartfelt Parent Trap musical

A musical feast complete with catchy choruses, heartfelt harmonies and cheeky quips and backchat

Manchester Evening News · Aug 24, 2022

Identical review – a new musical of The Parent Trap has its own special effect

The casting of twins as the separated sisters adds a frisson to Trevor Nunn’s elegant production of the twice-filmed tale, with pitch-perfect music by George Stiles

The Guardian - UK · Aug 14, 2022

Identical review – Trevor Nunn takes on The Parent Trap, with songs

This earnest musical, which features three sets of real twins across its cast, has a deeply moving pay-off

The Guardian - UK · Aug 3, 2022