THEATRE: ... AND BEYOND

1

Hamlet, Birmingham Rep

A dark, urgent production which stars Richard McCabe as an unusually subversive prince. See Reviews, left.

2

Guiding Star, Everyman, Liverpool

New play by Jonathan Harvey explores the survivor's guilt still haunting the hero and destroying his family nine years after Hillsborough.

3

School for Scandal, Royal Shakespeare, Stratford

The award-winning combo of director Declan Donnellan and designer Nick Ormerod make their RSC debut with Sheridan's classic bitchfest.

4

The Talented Mr Ripley, Palace, Watford

It's not just Mr Ripley who's talented. Playwright Phyllis Nagy adapts the novel by Patricia Highsmith. A fascinating conjunction of sensibilities.

5

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Everyman, Cheltenham

Swan-song for John Retallack as director of Oxford Stage Company which, under him, has produced some of the freshest touring Shakespeare around.