Behind the arras, reviews of professional and amateur theatre

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The arts are hurting. A potent pandemic and a lack of support have brought many theatres, concert halls and venues, large and small, to their knees. Audiences are the lifeblood of the arts, without them life ebbs away, and for some places it may already be too late.

You can help. Look on websites for your local theatres or venues for online broadcasts, donations pages or book now for future productions.

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AMATEUR REVIEWS A-Z Index of affiliate reviews Reviews listed by affiliates 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 Much Ado About Nothing, The Nonentities, The Rose Theatre, Kidderminster Barefoot in the Park, Highbury Theatre Centre The Invisible Man, Hall Green Little Theatre Absurd Person Singular, Sutton Arts Theatre Chase me Up Farndale Avenue, S’il Vous Plait, The Nonentities, The Rose Theatre, Kidderminster Blackthorn, Highbury Theatre Centre Confusions, Grange Players, Grange Playhouse, Walsall The Wizard of Oz, Sutton Arts Theatre Jack and The Beanstalk, Hall Green Little Theatre The Railway Children, The Nonentities, The Rose Theatre, Kidderminster. The Christmas Elves, Mint Theatre Society 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			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 Theatres have always provided a welcome home for ghosts as Roger Clarke finds out More Jeff Grant looks back on a meeting with the Prince of Darkness. More THEATRE REVIEWS Reviews by title Reviews by theatre (If an older review is not found try Other reviews) LATEST REVIEWS Rooms Rambert and Birmingham Hippodrome Jabala and The Jinn, online from Coventry Belgrade. The Color Purple on-line, filmed at co-producers Curve, Leicester. The Nutcracker, Birmingham Royal Ballet - online at Birmingham Rep The Little Mermaid, Derby Theatre - online Jack and the Beanstalk - online Coventry Belgrade Lazuli Sky, BRB, Birmingham Rep. Talking Heads, Malvern Theatres Dr Faustus, Malvern Theatres Romeo and Juliet, Paperback Theatre Company, Little but LIVE festival, Moseley Park. Mooney and his caravans: Malvern Theatres The Swan, Céline Gittens, Birmingham Royal Ballet. ARCHIVE Coming soon The Albany in Coventry is back - or at least it aims to be with a stunning piece of Fringe Theatre from the highly regarded Proforca Theatre Company on Sunday 30 May. More Single Shoe Productions and Derby Theatre have a free Zoom workshop on Saturday (6 March)highlighting the #TakeUsThere series from Lockdown Mk 1. More Birmingham Royal Ballet's celebrated Sir Peter Wright production of The Nutcracker might have fallen victim to Covid but you can't keep a good ballet down and it has been moved online to be enjoyed by ballet fans and families around the world with a live stream from Birmingham Rep on 18 December and then pay per view to Christmas Eve. More Women & Theatre's film exploring the lives and experiences of more than 40 women in Birmingham and the Black Country during Lockdown Mark 1 has its world premiere on YouTube for free this weekend. More Birmingham Royal Ballet is showing Christmas spirit in the COVID gloom by bringing an adapted version of their wonderful festive favourite The Nutcracker to Birmingham Rep in December. More Cinderella is set to have a ball next year with Sir David Bintley's celebrated Birmingham Royal Ballet version set to open the new season on 31 March, but Cinders won't be missing out on a traditional Christmas ball as she takes to the stage in panto in a socially distanced Nottingham Playhouse from 27 November. More Birmingham Hippodrome will be staging the UK premiere of the world's most visited multi-media exhibition next month exploring the world of an artistic genius with Van Gogh Alive. More Live theatre returns to Malvern for the first time in six months with two of its own production, Mooney and his Caravans and Talking Heads and a new one-man Doctor Faustus opening next month. More Hit Musical Once was heading to the Midlands on its first major UK tour, it may not arrive for some while but The Alexandra Theatre has shared a video of its stars singing a new recording of Falling Slowly. More Performing arts Performing Arts Archive 1 2 NEWS Birmingham Hippodrome is helping to give emerging talent a helping hand with live streams of TEDxYouth@Brum and UniSlam this month. More Birmingham Royal Ballet has appointed Ballet Master and former Principal Dancer Dominic Antonucci as its new Assistant Director. More Elmhurst Ballet School ends a tumultuous year and its Principal, Jessica Wheeler talks about the problems faced by her and her staff protecting and teaching pupils form around the world. More Birmingham Royal Ballet's Marion Tait is to step down as assistant director at the end of the year. More Midland Theatres given a share of the Government's £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund More Live theatre has returned to the Midlands for the first time since March with Mooney and his caravans at Malvern Theatres so what was it like?. More Stan's Cafe head into the world of call centres from living rooms and back bedrooms in For Quality Purposes, online More Rosie Kay's Dance Company was to perform again at the Edinburgh Festival but with the festival forced to move on-line the Birmingham company will be joining up again with Army@TheFringe for a first streaming of 10 Soldiers on 12 August. More Theatre and the arts facing financial meltdown with the prospect of theatre and venue closures and even orchestras folding without Government help. More Wolverhampton Grand has been awarded an Arts Council grant to assist in its community programmes More Colin Townsend, a dear friend and stalwart of amateur theatre in Sutton Coldfield has died of COVID-19. More Elmhurst Ballet School sixth former Lydia Brayshaw has started her own fashion business and has opened with a fire sale with a difference, in aid of the bush fire affected animals of Australia More FEATURES Raising a glass, or five, to Elmhurst Ballet School in the cause of helping to fund the ballet and dance stars of tomorrow. More Contact roger_clarke@behindthearras.com

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	The Albany in Coventry is back - or at least it aims to be with a stunning piece of Fringe Theatre from the highly regarded Proforca Theatre Company on Sunday 30 May. More Derby Theatre: Single Shoe Productions and Derby Theatre have a free Zoom workshop on Saturday (6 March)highlighting the #TakeUsThere series from Lockdown Mk 1. More Birmingham Royal Ballet's celebrated Sir Peter Wright production of The Nutcracker might have fallen victim to Covid but you can't keep a good ballet down and it has been moved online to be enjoyed by ballet fans and families around the world with a live stream from Birmingham Rep on 18 December and then pay per view to Christmas Eve. More OH Yes they Are!!! Birmingham Hippodrome and Qdos are bringing a socially-distanced Panto to Brum in January with Robin Hood at the Alexandra Theatre starring Matt Slack, Craig Revel Horwood, Doreen Tipton and Richard Cadell and Sooty. More Birmingham Royal Ballet: You are invited to a birthday party by BRB at Birmingham Town Hall in celebration and as thank you for the company's 30 years in the city, More Women & Theatre's film exploring the lives and experiences of more than 40 women in Birmingham and the Black Country during Lockdown Mark 1 has its world premiere on YouTube for free this weekend. More Birmingham Royal Ballet is showing Christmas spirit in the COVID gloom by bringing an adapted version of their wonderful festive favourite The Nutcracker to Birmingham Rep in December. More Birmingham Royal Ballet: Cinderella is set to have a ball next year with Sir David Bintley's celebrated BRB version set to open the new season on 31 March, but Cinders won't be missing out on a traditional Christmas ball as she takes to the stage in panto in a socially distanced Nottingham Playhouse from 27 November. More Paperback Theatre will be leaping from the page to the stage with their one hour Romeo and Juliet in a three day socially distanced festival the young Birmingham company has organised in Moseley Park and Pool this weekend (18-20 Sept) with everything from comedy and jazz to showtunes and improv. More Birmingham Hippodrome will be staging the UK premiere of the world's most visited multi-media exhibition next month exploring the world of an artistic genius with Van Gogh Alive. More Live theatre returns to Malvern for the first time in six months with two of its own production, Mooney and his Caravans and Talking Heads and a new one-man Doctor Faustus opening next month. More Macbeth, RSC, Stratford-upon-Avon: Polly Findlay’s RSC Macbeth took off fabulously on several counts: first, she cast the three witches as (roughly) 11 to 13 year old girls, memorably clad in quite garish pyjamas, electrifying in their speech and wondrously subtle in their moves and half moves. Read on.
		Actor Samuel West makes a heartfelt plea to save funding for theatres - More
	News and features
	Birmingham Hippodrome is helping to give emerging talent a helping hand with live streams of TEDxYouth@Brum and UniSlam this month. More
	Birmingham Royal Ballet has appointed Ballet Master and former Principal Dancer Dominic Antonucci as its new Assistant Director. More
	Elmhurst Ballet School ends a tumultuous year and its Principal, Jessica Wheeler talks about the problems faced by her and her staff protecting and teaching pupils form around the world. More
	Birmingham Royal Ballet's Marion Tait is to step down as assistant director at the end of the year. More
	Midland Theatres given a share of the Government's £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund More
	Malvern Theatres has dipped a toe in the water and opened for live theatre again under Covid conditions with its own production of Mooney and his caravans - so, what was it like? More
	Birmingham Royal Ballet are back on stage, albeit the paved terrace of Rowheath Pavilion with a special performance of ballet class and dance along with the city's Sampad company, More
	Stan's Cafe head into the world of call centres from living rooms and back bedrooms in For Quality Purposes, online More
	Rosie Kay's Dance Company was to perform again at the Edinburgh Festival but with the festival forced to move on-line the Birmingham company will be joining up again with Army@TheFringe for a first streaming of 10 Soldiers on 12 August. More
	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
	Theatre and the arts facing financial meltdown with the prospect of theatre and venue closures and even orchestras folding without Government help. More
	Wolverhampton Grand has been awarded an Arts Council grant to assist in its community programmes More
	Birmingham theatre company Stan's Cafe will be serving up a virtual menu from the end of June with a sort of takeaway theatre in Stan's Internet Cafe. More
	Lichfield Garrick will be holding auditions by video for youngsters to join the cast of this year's panto, Peter Pan, which is scheduled to open on 26 November this year. More
	BE FESTIVAL: To BE or not to BE has been decided. It will BE and Birmingham's popular European performance and arts festival will be going ahead, online next month. More
	Elmhurst Ballet School and English National Ballet School are continuing to teach with lessons and classes on line with a video produced by students to show them practising at home. More
	Elmhurst Ballet School: Teacher and choreographer Sander Blommaert is keeping dancers on their toes with free ballet classes every morning streamed live on Instagram More
	CORONAVIRUS: Colin Townsend, a dear friend and stalwart of amateur theatre in Sutton Coldfield has died of COVID-19. More
	*Birmingham Royal Ballet will be live streaming a ballet class tomorrow with a solo performance of The Swan* by Céline Gittens streamed live on April 8. More**
	Elmhurst Ballet School: Sixth form student Lydia Brayshaw has started her own fashion business and has opened with a fire sale with a difference, all in aid of the bushfire affected animals of Australia. More
	THE KING AND I: Coventry born West End star Annalene Beechey and Broadway star Jose Llana were at The Alexandra Theatre to launch the award winning Broadway production of The King and I singing songs from the show. More
	Birmingham Hippodrome: Rosie Kay has been talking about the world premiere of her 10 SOLDIERS this week, taking a fresh look at life for the men and women in the British Army serving on the front line, while we watch the cast in rehearsal. More
	For more information, comments or views about the site you can contact us on roger.clarke@behindthearras.com

The Albany in Coventry is back - or at least it aims to be with a stunning piece of Fringe Theatre from the highly regarded Proforca Theatre Company on Sunday 30 May. More

Derby Theatre: Single Shoe Productions and Derby Theatre have a free Zoom workshop on Saturday (6 March)highlighting the #TakeUsThere series from Lockdown Mk 1. More

OH Yes they Are!!! Birmingham Hippodrome and Qdos are bringing a socially-distanced Panto to Brum in January with Robin Hood at the Alexandra Theatre starring Matt Slack, Craig Revel Horwood, Doreen Tipton and Richard Cadell and Sooty. More

Birmingham Royal Ballet: You are invited to a birthday party by BRB at Birmingham Town Hall in celebration and as thank you for the company's 30 years in the city, More

Women & Theatre's film exploring the lives and experiences of more than 40 women in Birmingham and the Black Country during Lockdown Mark 1 has its world premiere on YouTube for free this weekend. More

Birmingham Royal Ballet is showing Christmas spirit in the COVID gloom by bringing an adapted version of their wonderful festive favourite The Nutcracker to Birmingham Rep in December. More

Birmingham Hippodrome will be staging the UK premiere of the world's most visited multi-media exhibition next month exploring the world of an artistic genius with Van Gogh Alive. More

Live theatre returns to Malvern for the first time in six months with two of its own production, Mooney and his Caravans and Talking Heads and a new one-man Doctor Faustus opening next month. More