Blog

Raised on a Bradford council estate, Andrea Dunbar was just 15 when she wrote her first play, The Arbor.

Consent, our new play by Nina Raine, revolves around a court case: two friends take opposing briefs in a rape trial.

“Keep on writing, even if it’s crap. You can always throw it away later”. Maybe all writing advice boils down this bit of practical wisdom from Alistair Beaton.

Is laughing at politics a catalyst for change – or a substitute? With A View From Islington North about to open in the West End, we asked three brilliant satirists about the relationship between comedy and politics. JONATHAN LYNN co-wrote Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. He wrote and directed Clue and Nuns on the […]

Out of Joint is presenting a rare live production of Samuel Beckett’s radio play All That Fall, in which theatre-goers will be blindfolded, the actors moving about the auditorium. One of Beckett’s most naturalistic plays, it is inspired by his native Foxrock in Ireland. We asked cast members about their first experience of Beckett.     BRÍD […]

Why were women so vulnerable to being accused of witchcraft? By 1712, when our play Jane Wenham: Witch of Walkern is set, the most intense period of witch hunting was over, although still within living memory. During the height of the hunts somewhere between 100,000 and 200,000 people were tried and of those 50,000 to […]

JON BRADFIELD talks to artist Pippa Blake about her new theatre-inspired exhibition. Theatre’s a pretty transient art-form – once the last performance is over and the lights go down, it’s over. The cast moves on to other projects, the costumes are sent back and dry-cleaned, and we get on with the business of planning our next […]

On a night in late February, Gareth Thomas – former captain of the Welsh rugby team and the most famous gay team sportsman in the world – took his family and friends to a theatre press night. He’s no stranger, now, to shiny showbiz events but this was special. The play being premiered was Crouch, […]

RHYS AP WILLIAM stars in Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage, Robin Soans’ new play about gay Welsh rugby icon Gareth “Alfie” Thomas. He took time out from technical rehearsals to answer a few questions. Tell us about the show? It’s a story about a rugby man and his home town. A roller coaster. I play Baz, Alfie’s dad, and Gareth […]

Award-winning actress Stephanie Cole is much-loved for roles in Waiting for God, Tenko, Doc Martin, Open All Hours and most recently Coronation Street, as well as West End shows including Blythe Spirit and Noises Off. Here she talks about This May Hurt A Bit, our new comedy-drama about the NHS.