Tag Archives: army

Father Comes Home From The Wars, Royal Court

The current racial crisis in America might seem too urgent, too horrific, for us to be constantly seeking historical stories, but Suzan-Lori Parks’s play cycle makes a vividly articulate case for the long thread running from 19th-century slavery to 2016 debate … Continue reading

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Maybe It’s Because I’m A Londoner

Daredevil Chelsea Pensioner Charmaine “Bimbo” Coleman shares her capital experience. Read my full Discover Britain article here

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The Patriotic Traitor, Park Theatre

Theatregoers suffering from First World War fatigue may want to pass on Jonathan Lynn’s merely competent historical drama about two mythic figures: Charles de Gaulle and Philippe Pétain. It’s a fascinating subject – de Gaulle had his former mentor tried … Continue reading

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Dear Lupin, Apollo Theatre

A sterling case is made for the lost art of letter-writing in Michael Simkins’ dramatisation of Roger Mortimer’s missives to his wayward son. Mortimer’s inimitable turn of phrase, preserved in epistolary form, is the highlight of a genial show notable … Continue reading

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Fighting words

When Joan Littlewood’s iconic musical premiered in 1963, its revisionist condemnation of the First World War sent shockwaves through British society. Now, criticising bungling generals is preaching to the choir, and the stoic Tommy has been reclaimed. Having inspired a … Continue reading

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Not About Heroes, Trafalgar Studios

This time of remembrance has inspired a fascinating theatrical skirmish. In one corner, Nicholas Wright’s 2014 Regeneration, an adaptation of Pat Barker’s trilogy; in the other, Stephen MacDonald’s 1982 two-hander Not About Heroes. Both plays, currently touring, concern the pivotal … Continue reading

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Regeneration, Richmond Theatre

The intellectually rigorous artistic response to the anniversary of the First World War continues with Nicholas Wright’s economical adaptation of Pat Barker’s acclaimed 1990s literary trilogy, which arrives at Richmond Theatre following a national tour. Regeneration and its sequels are … Continue reading

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Verse drama about deception is incoherent

How apt that Peter Oswald’s play should coincide with Shakespeare’s 450th birthday. Undoubtedly, the Bard is a touchstone for this unwieldy epic. And yet the comparison does Lucifer Saved at the Lion & Unicorn no favours. The master communicates universal themes … Continue reading

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