London Dr Seuss’s The Lorax Adapted for the stage by David Greig Old Vic Theatre, The Cut, London SE1 8NB Perfs 3pm & 7pm; see full schedule at www.oldvictheatre.com Runs: 2hrs 10mins with interval. To Jan 16 2016 Tickets: By phone: 0844 871 7628 Mon-Fri 9am-7.30pm, Sat 9am-4pm & Sun 9.30am-4pm £2.50 transaction fee (does not apply to supporters of The Old Vic) Online: www.bookings.oldvictheatre.com Access: For further details log onto Text Relay By Post Box Office, The Old Vic, The …

London. SLAVA’S SNOW SHOW by Slava Polunin. Royal Festival Hall South Bank Centre Belvedere Road SE1 8XX To 3 January 2016. 2pm 20, 27 Dec, 3 Jan. 2.30pm 18, 19, 22-24, 26, 28-30 Dec, 2 Jan. 5.30pm 20 Dec, 1, 3 Jan. 7.30pm 18, 19, 22, 23, 26, 28-30 Dec, 2 Jan. Runs TICKETS: 0844 847 9910. www.SlavaSnowShow.co.uk Review: Timothy Ramsden 17 December. Impressive in scale rather than content.

Manchester. INKHEART by Cornelia Funke adapted by Stephen Sharkey and Walter Meierjohann. Home 2 Tony Wilson Place First Street M15 4FN To 9 January 2016. 10am 6 Jan. 2.15pm 26, 28-31 Dec, 2, 7 Jan. 7pm 28-30 Dec, 2, 7-9 Jan. Relaxed performance 7 Jan 2.15pm. Runs 2hr One interval. TICKETS: 0161 200 1500. www.homemcr.com Review: Timothy Ramsden 13 December. New theatre – and novel adaptation – both earn their place on the seasonal block.

Bolton. THE BFG by Roald Dahl adapted by David Wood. Octagon Theatre Howell Croft South BL1 11SB To 9 January 2016. 10.30am 4-7 Jan. 11am 8 Jan. 2pm 18, 19, 21-24, 26, 28-31 Dec, 2 Jan. 2.15pm 9 Jan. 7pm 18, 19, 21-24, 26, 28-31 Dec, 2, 8, 9 Jan. Relaxed performances 8 Jan 11am & 7pm. Runs 1hr 55 mi One interval. TICKETS: 01204 520661. www.octagontheatre.co.uk Review: Timothy Ramsden 17 December. Highly charged theatricality with deeply dramatic sense of …

Newcastle-under-Lyme. TALE TRAIL TO ROBIN HOOD & MARIAN by Sarah Richardson. New Vic Theatre (Stephen Joseph Studio) Etruria Road ST5 0JG To 24 December 2015. 11.15am 19, 21-24 Dec. 1pm 19, 21-24 Dec. 3pm 21, 22 Dec. Runs 45 min No interval. TICKETS: 01782 717962. Review: Timothy Ramsden 14 December. Another treasurable New Vic Tale Trail.

Midlands / Archive THE GUIDE TO BEING SINGLE: Book, Kaitlin Gilgenbach, Music and Lyrics, Alex Kovin Starbuck Theatre at Norbury Theatre, till 20 Feb Droitwich Runs: 2h 20m, one interval Review: Alexander Ray Edser, 20 Feb 2016 A real-good, feel-good evening.

London / Archive The Eulogy of Toby Peach By Toby Peach The Vaults, to Feb 21 Vault Festival, Leake Street, London SE1 7NN 6.15pm, Runs: 1hr TICKETS: 0871 220 0260 (calls cost 10p per min plus network extras) 24/7 Online: www.vaultfestival.com Review by Carole Woddis of performance seen Feb 18, 2016: Humour from the unfunny, and the power of life theatre to move us

Birmingham Orlando: Handel The English Consort Birmingham Town Hall Review: Paul David, 26 February 2016-03-08 Handel in intimate mood

London RUFF Presented by Split Britches Barbican Silk Theatre Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS 70 mins without interval followed by 20mins Q&A TICKETS: 0845 120 7550 In person: Mon– Sat, 9.00am-8pm; Sun & Bank Hols 11.00am-8pm On-line: www.barbican.org.uk/bite Review: by Carole Woddis of performance seen April 16, 2016 As great as ever

Archive Queens of Syria Adapted from The Trojan Women by Euripides 4Star**** The Maria, Young Vic July 5 – 9 66 The Cut, London SE1 8LZ Runs: 1hr 15mins without interval TICKETS: 020 7922 2922. www.youngvictheatre.org Review by: Carole Woddis of performance seen July 8, 2016: Art doing what it does best

Now We Are Here Created by refugee writers in workshops with Deanna Rodger, Ian Rickson and Imogen Brodie 4Star**** The Clare, Young Vic 66 The Cut, London SE1 8LZ Runs: 1hr 40 with 10 min interval, July 20 30 TICKETS: 020 7922 2922. www.youngvictheatre.org Review by: Carole Woddis of performance seen July 27, 2016: Very human stories

London Shangri-La A new play by Amy Ng 4Star**** Finborough Theatre To August 6 118 Finborough Road, London SW10 9ED Box Office: 0844 847 1652   Book online at www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk Runs: 1h 20 min without interval Review: by Carole Woddis of perf seen Aug 4, 2016: A complex issue opened up by the playwright and a sensitive team

SWEENEY TODD: Music and Lyrics Stephen Sondheim: Book Hugh Wheeler WNO On Tour Runs approx. 3h, one interval Information: https://www.wno.org.uk Reviewed Alexander Ray Edser, 20 11 15, Birmingham Hippodrome It’s marvellous

London. PIAF by Pam Gems. Charing Cross Theatre The Arches, Villiers Street, London WC12N 6NL to 2 January 2016. Tues-Sat 7.30pm. Mat Wed & Thur 2.30pm Sat 3pm. No performances 25 & 31 December. Runs 2hr 25 mins One interval. TICKETS: 020 7930 5868. www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk Review: William Russell 12 December. This Sparrer can sing.

London. LULU – A MURDER BALLAD words and music by Martyn Jacques based on the plays Earth Spirit and Pandora’s Box by Frank Wedekind. Linbury Studio Theatre Royal Opera House Bow Street Covent Garden WC2E 9DD To 28 November 2015. Wed-Fri 7.45pm Sat 6pm performances sold out. Runs 2hr One interval. TICKETS: 020 7304 4000. www.roh.org.uk Review: Carole Woddis 24 November. Sensuously horrific if ultimately falling short.

Nottingham ALADDIN. Theatre Royal Tkts 0115 989 5555 www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk. Runs: 2h 30m: one interval: till 10th Jan. Performance times: Varies, 1.30pm, 2.00pm, 5.30pm, 7.15pm (check with box office). No performance 7th, 14th, 18th and 25th Dec and 1st and 4th Jan. Audio Described: 2.30pm 12th Dec and 1.30pm 3rd Jan. Sign Language Interpreted: 1.30pm 10th and 13th Dec and 7.15pm 8th Jan. Captioned: 2.30pm 2nd Jan. Review: Alan Geary: 10th December 2015. An all-round delight.

Mold. MY PEOPLE by Caradoc Evans adapted by Steffan Donnelly. Clwyd Theatr Cymru (Emlyn Williams Theatre) Mold CH7 1YA To 21 November 2015. Mon-Sat 7.45pm Mat Sat 2.45pm. Runs 2hr One interval. TICKETS: 01352 701521. www.theatrclwyd.com Review: Timothy Ramsden 16 November. Visions of hell from a country’s past.

London How To Keep An Alien By Sonya Kelly, Soho Upstairs Theatre 21 Dean Street London W1D 3NE 7.00pm; Runs: 75 mins no interval. To 19 12 15 TICKETS : 020 7478 0100 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            On-line: www.sohotheatre.com Review: by Carole Woddis of performance seen Dec 4, 2015: Hilarious,touching and a strong finigh to the year.