Behind the arras, reviews of professional and amateur theatre

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We are slowly learning to live with Covid and theatres will do all they can to keep audiences safe but safety for everyone, the theatre staff, the cast of the show you are watching and the people sitting around you as well as yourself will rely on audiences playing their part by following whatever has been put in place for their and your protection.

Theatres need audiences, bums on seats, to recover, some to even survive, but, if you are still hesitant about going to the theatre at the moment, for whatever reason, you can still help by booking for shows later in the year or even next year to keep box offices ticking over.

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AMATEUR REVIEWS A-Z Index of affiliate reviews Reviews listed by affiliates Sleeping Beauty, Sutton Arts Theatre Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Hall Green Little Theatre House Guest, Highbury Theatre Centre The Secret Garden, The Nonentities, Kidderminster. Elton John's Glasses, Grange Players, Walsall Anne Boleyn, The Loft. Leamington Gaslight, The Nonentities, The Rose Theatre, Kidderminster Maurice's Jubilee, Highbury Theatre Centre An Ideal Husband,Sutton Arts Theatre The Farndale Avenue Murder Mystery, The Nonentities, RoseDirty Dancing CB (11-21) Coventry Belgrade Theatre, Kidderminster Nell Gwynn, Highbury Players, Highbury Theatre Centre Underneath the Lintel, Criterian Theatre, Coventry The Wind in The Willows,, The Loft Theatre, Leamington Spa. Pre-lockdowns Edith in The Dark, Hall Green Little Theatre The Dixie Swim Club,The Grange Players, The Grange Playhouse, Walsall Yes, Prime Minister, Swan Theatre Amateur Company Directory of leading amateur companies. If you want details about becoming an affiliate contact Sue Clarke. sue.clarke@behindthearras.com NEWS ARCHIVE Past reviews The Late John Slim's FINAL THOUGHTS SMALL THOUGHTS			THEATRE REVIEWS Reviews by title Reviews by theatre (If an older review is not found try Other reviews) LATEST REVIEWS Horrible Histories Barmy Britain, The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham The new Adventures of Peter Pan, Lichfield Garrick Dial M for Murder, Malvern Theatres Alice in Wonderland The Old Rep, Birmingham Beauty and the Beast, Coventry Belgrade Death Drop, The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham The Nutcracker, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Birmingham Hippodrome Value Engineering, Birmingham Rep 9 to 5 The Musical, The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham Rising - Aakash Odedra, Birmingham Hippodrome Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham Seaview, Coventry Belgrade Groan Ups, Wolverhampton Grand Grease, The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham Blood Brothers, Birmingham Hippodrome The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Malvern Theatres Dirty Dancing, Coventry Belgrade Derren Brown - Showman, The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham The Play That Goes Wrong, Birmingham Hippodrome ARCHIVE Coming soon Strictly star Johannes Radebe will be bringing his Freedom tour to the Alexandra Theatre next year with dance and music from around the world. More Performing arts Performing Arts Archive 1 2 NEWS Alice is heading into Wonderland again at The Old Rep as Birmingham Ormiston Academy venture down the rabbit hole and through the looking glass in a journey that takes them to the end of the year. More The Alexandra Theatre is in for a snowbound March as The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe bring the icy, maystical world of Narnia to Birmingham. More FEATURES DARK THOUGHTS With theatres closed and dark, reviewers turn their thoughts to things theatrical The £1.57bn Government funding is a welcome boost to the Arts but many of the problems facing the cultural sector still remain. The cash is much needed help but is not a cure. More The Arts from bands in small venues to grand opera and symphony orchestras is in trouble. Theatres will remain closed, companies will fold, all consumed by coronavirus without a financial lifeline from the Government. More The Scottish Play and other mysteries of the superstitions of theatre explored . . . carefully . . . More Contact roger_clarke@behindthearras.com

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	Latest
	THE ALEXANDRA THEATRE is in for a snowbound March as The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe bring the icy, maystical world of Narnia to Birmingham. More HIGHBURY THEATRE CENTRE has a reunion to celebrate this month when the four members of Little Grimley Amateur Dramatic Society return after 14 years in David Tristram's fourth play in the comedy series, Lockdown in Little Grimley. More. THE NONENTITIES in Kidderminster are back on the boards this month with the first of four separate productions of monologues up to the end of July. More BRB's Cinderella had a ball with her prince in the splendid ballroom at the newly reopened Grand Hotel. More ALEXANDRA THEATRE: Strictly star Johannes Radebe will be bringing his Freedom tour to the Alex next year with dance and music from around the world. More TOWN HALL & SYMPHONY HALL, PLUS THE SPOTTED DOG have announced more details of the lineup for Jazz Fest, Birmingham's new Jazz Festival in August. More THE JERSEY BOYS are on the road again and will be spending Christmas and New Year at the ALexandra Theatre from 7 December to 1 January 2022. More THEATRE IS BACK: The lights are turning back on stages across the land as theatre prepares to return from enforced hibernation this month, and what ges and treats they have in store for us. More Rosie Kay Dance Company launch two world premieres this year with Adult Female Dancer as part of Rosie Kay's one woman triple bill, Absolute Solo II at Birmingham Rep next month and Romeo + Juliet at Birmingham Hippodrome in September. More
		Actor Samuel West makes a heartfelt plea to save funding for theatres - More
	News and features
	Birmingham Ormiston Academy and Alice are heading into Wonderland again at The Old Rep vebturing down the rabbit hole and through the looking glass in a journey that takes them to the end of the year. More
	HGHBURY PLAYERS will be heading back in time on Tuesday when they delve into the life of orange seller, actress and mistress Nell Gwynn in Jessica Swales Olivier winning comedy. More
	ROCK OF AGES rocked Birmingham Alexandra Theatre three years ago and next week it is back as sexy and raunchy as ever loaded with rock anthems that have stood the test of time. More
	THE BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME'S CEO and artistic director, Sydney-born Fiona Allan is set to return home in autumn to take over as chief executive of Opera Australia. More
	The Alexandra Theatre is back in business, after 491 days of enforced closure, and not only has a new progremme but also a new theatre director. More
	THSH: A new name and a new look as Town Hall and Symphony Hall open up for live music again with a programme of international and home grown stars. More
	Birmingham Royal Ballet is heading back to its home stage of Birmingham Hippodrome in October and has announced its programme from Romeo and Juliet to the festive Nutcracker. More
	Bedknobs and Broomsticks, the Disney classic film, 50 years old this year, takes to the stage in August in a world premiere musical which will be bringing its magic to the Alaxandra and the Grand. More
	For more information, comments or views about the site you can contact us on roger.clarke@behindthearras.com

THE ALEXANDRA THEATRE is in for a snowbound March as The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe bring the icy, maystical world of Narnia to Birmingham. More

HIGHBURY THEATRE CENTRE has a reunion to celebrate this month when the four members of Little Grimley Amateur Dramatic Society return after 14 years in David Tristram's fourth play in the comedy series, Lockdown in Little Grimley. More.

THE NONENTITIES in Kidderminster are back on the boards this month with the first of four separate productions of monologues up to the end of July. More

BRB's Cinderella had a ball with her prince in the splendid ballroom at the newly reopened Grand Hotel. More

ALEXANDRA THEATRE: Strictly star Johannes Radebe will be bringing his Freedom tour to the Alex next year with dance and music from around the world. More

TOWN HALL & SYMPHONY HALL, PLUS THE SPOTTED DOG have announced more details of the lineup for Jazz Fest, Birmingham's new Jazz Festival in August. More

THE JERSEY BOYS are on the road again and will be spending Christmas and New Year at the ALexandra Theatre from 7 December to 1 January 2022. More

THEATRE IS BACK: The lights are turning back on stages across the land as theatre prepares to return from enforced hibernation this month, and what ges and treats they have in store for us. More

Rosie Kay Dance Company launch two world premieres this year with Adult Female Dancer as part of Rosie Kay's one woman triple bill, Absolute Solo II at Birmingham Rep next month and Romeo + Juliet at Birmingham Hippodrome in September. More