Category Archives: Behind the Arras Reviews

Macbeth- Derby theatre

Posted on April 3, 2026 by garylongden

***** The East Midlands has been treated to Shakespeare’s greatest hits just recently. A few weeks  ago the RSC brought Hamlet to  Nottingham. Now Derby theatre in conjunction with Hull Truck Theatre , and Octagon Theatre Bolton, offer us Macbeth … Continue reading →

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Priscilla Queen of the Desert- Birmingham Hippodrome

Posted on March 30, 2026 by garylongden

Priscilla Queen of the desert- Birmingham Hippodrome **** Old sparkling favourite  Priscilla Queen Of The Desert returns to the Birmingham Hippodrome stage with a dazzling, brand new 30th anniversary tour production. An unseasonably cold, drab Tuesday evening in Birmingham , … Continue reading →

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Lad- Brunswick Inn, Derby

Posted on March 26, 2026 by garylongden

Lad- Brunswick Inn- Derby **** Lad is an immersive pop up  play by John Booker, set in a pub, and here, performed in a pub.it tackles masculinity and identity. Coincidentally I saw fellow East Midlands playwright’s James Howard’s production of … Continue reading →

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Midsomer Murders, the Killings at Badgers Drift- Derby Theatre

Posted on March 26, 2026 by garylongden

Midsomer Murders- the Killings at Badgers Drift- Derby theatre *** The television series is something of a cult show now, as a packed Wednesday night demonstrated. All of the ingredients which make this murder mystery so compelling on screen were … Continue reading →

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Punch- Nottingham Playhouse, 21/3/26

Posted on March 21, 2026 by garylongden

 ***** A play about violence, forgiveness and   redemption –  Punch  returns to Nottingham Playhouse, following its remarkable simultaneous openings on Broadway and in the West End.  After its premiere in 2024, this powerful account of Jacob Dunne’s story sparked discussions … Continue reading →

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Operation Mincemeat – Wolverhampton Grand theatre 21/3/26

Posted on March 21, 2026 by garylongden

Operation Mincemeat ***** As a keen historian I knew the story. This was my first opportunity to catch up with the show itself replete with hyperbole . It’s a good story- but a musical? – The first 20 minutes I … Continue reading →

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Noises Off – Highbury Theatre

Posted on March 19, 2026 by garylongden

Noises off **** A play about sardines and doors. A favourite with amdram companies because if things go wrong the audience think it is part of the play. – Noises Off was written in 1982  by artistic polymath Michael Frayn, … Continue reading →

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Hamlet by RSC – Royal theatre, Nottingham 17/3/26

Posted on March 18, 2026 by garylongden

Hamlet, RSC, Nottingham Royal Theatre To sea or nor to sea- that is the question Shakespearean traditionalists should give this a wide berth, the Court of Elsinore is now to be found on a ship.under  Rupert Goold’s  Captainship as director. … Continue reading →

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Dear England- Birmingham Hippodrome, 13/3/26

Posted on March 15, 2026 by garylongden

This was my second visit to this production having attended the opening night in Nottingham in Autumn 2025. The link to that review follows:Dear England – Nottingham Royal Court Theatre, 24/09/25 | Garyswordz I had enjoyed it so much first … Continue reading →

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Top Hat – Birmingham Hippodrome

Posted on March 10, 2026 by garylongden

Spring is upon us . The cold of winter is starting to recede – surely a cue for some old-style, Hollywood glitz? If you like song and dance, particularly tap dance, then this is your show. Visually it is a … Continue reading →

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