Features

Julie Hesmondhalgh announcing the reopening of Oldham Coliseum outside the theatre

Manchester theatre in 2024

David Chadderton looks back on some of the goings-on in the Manchester theatre scene over the year.
Giant

Unexpected Riches

A small sample suggests that new writing was alive and well in 2024.
Gerard McCabe and Shaun Blaney in Octagon Theatre Bolton, Barn Theatre & Wiltshire Creative's Stones in his Pockets

Our reviewers' picks of 2024

Some of BTG's regular reviewers pick out their favourite theatre productions and moments of the year.
Jude Williams and Natasha Gilmore in Chunky Jewellery

Theatre in Scotland in 2024

Donald C Stewart reflects on the last year of theatre in Scotland.
Aladdin at Lyric Hammersmith

Panto season 2024: five observations

BTG's Panto Editor, Simon Sladen, identifies the main trends he has spotted running through the 2024 panto season.
Danny Sapani in the title role of the Almeida's King Lear, with Clarke Peters as the Fool

Theatre and Social Change in 2024

Keith Mckenna looks back on the theatre he saw in 2024 with a political purpose.
Debra Hill, Chris Grant and Holly Hannaway in Replay's Hollow

Northern Ireland theatre highlights in 2024

Michael Quinn picks his top ten theatre shows in Northern Ireland in 2024.
Paul W Fleming with Equity banner

The Arts are in Decline

Equity has identified a very worrying downward trend in the productivity of the arts sector.
Peter Pan Goes Wrong

Catching Them Young

The Christmas holidays can be an ideal time to introduce youngsters to theatre.
Rupert Goold at the Old Vic

Exciting Times Ahead

The London stage is currently In the midst of a merry-go-round of artistic directors.
Royal Shakespeare Company

RSC Becomes Government Trailblazer

The RSC has been recruited for an innovative government scheme intended to boost employment figures.
Kwame Kwei-Armah

Is theatre set to become even more elitist?

The ongoing problems of levelling up in the arts are highlighted by two recent news stories.
The English National Opera

Manchester, so much to answer for

The lengthy saga of English National Opera transferring from London to Manchester reaches an end with the launch of a transformative cultural partnership between the ENO and the city region.
Talawa UBARD

Talawa v. Racism

Talawa is rebooting and disseminating its challenge to racism.
Protect the Heart of the Arts

Is COVID back with a Jacobethan vengeance?

The recent cancellation of several performances of Macbeth may herald the return of a more dangerous foe than the Thane himself.
Rachel Reeves Official Portrait

Has the Budget Helped the Arts?

Philip Fisher takes a look at Rachel Reeves's Budget speech and asks what it does for the cultural sector.
ACE Study

Cultural Freelancers Study 2024

Arts Council England has introduced a programme of three-yearly surveys of freelancers workers in the cultural sector.
Gary Oldman on stage at York Theatre Royal

The Lure of the Stage

As someone who is much happier sitting in the stalls, Philip Fisher wonders why TV and film stars love working on stage.
Look Back in Anger

Reappraising John Osborne and Andrew Lloyd Webber

Two major theatre figures hit the headlines this week.
Break Down Barriers

Equity Stands Up for Students

Equity is launching a Break Down Barriers campaign demanding that colleges drop audition and allied fees.

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