January
Herald Arts is honoured to conduct the first interview with new RSC artistic directors Tamara Harvey and Daniel Evans. They promise to “stride forward, drive excitement and grow and build” as they announce their inaugural season.Phoenix Players bring their take on Cinderella to the Methodist Hall, promising “it’s going to get ugly”.Charming actor and local resident Paul Greenwood talks to Herald Arts about his career – including appearing in The Fair Maid of the West – the RSC’s first show at the RSC in 1986. Also a playwright, Paul wrote Head & Heart, which is performed at the Bear Pit Theatre.
n January: Left, actor, writer and director Paul Greenwood.July: Right, Alex Lowde talks about his designs for The School for ScandalPhotos: Mark Williamson
February
A Midsummer Night’s Dream opens at the RST directed by Eleanor Rhode. Herald Arts gives it four stars and singles out Mathew Baynton’s standout performance as Bottom. “Baynton’s Bottom is a victim of that most modern of unfortunate maladies – entitlement,” observes our reviewer. Stratford Youth Theatre’s production of The Spiderwick Chronicles at the Bear Pit brings an attic-full of praise from Herald Arts: “Perhaps the greatest thing about the show was the way that it blends fantasy of warring fairy folk with modern-age believability… in no small thanks to the naturalness of the young actors.”New RSC play Ben and Imo opens at the Swan, exploring the tempestuous but unrequited relationship between Benjamin Britten and Imogen Holst – and earns four stars from us. Imo actor Victoria Yeates tells Herald Arts how she fell in love with her character.
n February: Mathew Baynton’s Bottom
March
Ahead of his Warwick Arts Centre gig, renowned classical guitarist Milos Karadaglic tells Herald Arts how his guitar became his best friend growing up in 1990s Montenegro against the background of civil war.The Bear Pit company tackle Colder Than Here, a comedy about a mum dying of cancer, ‘dead funny’ in other words.New exhibition The Women Who Made Shakespeare opens at New Place, putting women of the 16th/17th century in the spotlight.Playbox Theatre actors show off their acting chops with a stellar production of The Three Sisters, directed by Mary King.Praise goes to KES School actors Edward’s Boys for an exuberant production of The Maid’s Metamorphosis.Legendary Giffords Circus performer Tweedy the Clown brings his little big top to the RSC theatre gardens for the first leg of his national tour. During an interview with Herald Arts he says his ultimate role would be to play the Fool to David Tennant’s King Lear. The show is a hilarious delight.
n March: Tweedy’s Massive Circus performers in the theatre gardenPhoto: Mark Williamson
April
Dame Vanessa Redgrave is this year’s recipient of the Pragnell Birthday Award for services to Shakespeare.“Our production is sexy, interesting, moving and funny,” promise Love’s Labour’s Lost actors Luke Thompson (Berowne) and Joyce Bermudez (the Princess) in a joint interview with Herald Arts. We agree and give the RSC show five stars.An outdoor exhibition of sculptures by modern artists, Landscape and Imagination, is praised by Herald Arts for its quirky yet thoughtful appeal at Compton Verney.Herald Arts’ favourite show of the year, The Buddha of Suburbia scores top marks from us (and anyone with any taste!). Emma Rice’s clever collaboration with writer Hanif Kureishi is a sublime. Charming lead Dee Ahluwalia tells Herald Arts how he went from studying for a masters in Economics to strutting his stuff as narrator Karim.
April: RSC actor Dee Ahluwalia who stars in The Buddha of Suburbia in the Sswan Theatre. Photo: Mark Williamson
May
Dunkirk spirit saves the day at the Stratford Literary Festival which is quickly reorganised after fire shuts original venue the Crowne Plaza. The festival is a huge success, leaving Herald Arts praising its wonderful, thought-provoking programme.Japes aplenty as the Phoenix Players put on The Scottish Play at the Bear Pit.Former RSC artistic director Gregory Doran tells Herald Arts about his first directing gig away from the company – working with students at Oxford University to put on The Two Gentlemen of Verona at the Oxford Playhouse.English by American-Iranian playwright Sanaz Toossi opens at The Other Place bringing a gently observational piece on language and identity, and earning three stars from the Herald Arts reviewer.
n May: The Scottish Play by Graham Holliday at the Bearpit Photo: Mark Williamson
June
Playbox Theatre’s take on Lord of the Flies brings a dark descent into hell in a flamboyant all-male production.The Shakespeare and Poland Festival returns bringing cultural unity to Stratford.Tread the Boards revives its not-to-be-missed production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare to the Attic.‘Warm and friendly and funny as hell’ is how Herald Arts recalls our interview with Samantha Spiro and Siubhan Harrison who are as joyous as they are in real-life as they are onstage as the wives in The Merry Wives of Windsor. The production scores five stars.Thought-provoking political thriller Kyoto opens at The Other Place, with a four-star rating from Herald Arts.Gangsters take over Henley School with a blistering production of Guys and Dolls.
n June: Samantha Spiro, left, and Siubhan Harrison starred in the The Merry Wives of WindsorPhoto: Mark Williamson
July
Local writer, actor and director Graham Tyrer bings the second in his Polish trilogy of plays, Do Not Forget Me, to the Bear Pit. The profoundly moving story of his ancestors’ fates during the Second World War amazes audiences.RSC designer Alex Lowde tells Herald Arts about his fuchsia-istic vision for The School For Scandal at the RST – a romp of a production that garnered four stars.At last the RSC’s Garden Theatre is back in operation with a highly loved-up As You Like It. Director Brendan O’Hea tells Herald Arts about keeping it simple for this frolicksome tale that scored three stars from us.
July: Alex Lowde talks about his designs for The School for Scandal. Photo: Mark Williamson
August
Anime, cult classics and award-winning documentaries are on offer when the Big Picture Film Festival rolls into town.Tread the Boards hit comedy gold with Treasure Island.RSC co-artistic director Tamara Harvey directs her first show for the company – a thoughtful and elegantly told take on Pericles starring Alfred Enoch, which earns four stars.Sunshine and storms greeted the audience at Camper Calling – there to see the likes of Jessie J, Kula Shaker and The Beat.
n August: Left, Alfred Enoch plays Pericles in the RSC’s new Swan Theatre production.
September
Broadway playwright Ken Ludwig tells Herald Arts about his passion for Shakespeare as he donates a million to help save Hall’s Croft.We look back at some seminal RSC productions as The Other Place turns 50.“A fabulously erotic seismic force” is how Herald Arts described Northern Ballet’s dazzling production of Romeo and Juliet.As David Edgar’s The New Real opens at The Other Place, Herald Arts speaks with Lloyd Owen who spin doctor Larry in the political thriller, given three stars by our reviewer.
n September: Harris Beattie and Saeka Shirai in Romeo and JulietPhoto: Emily Nuttall
October
Herald Arts interviews a couple of legends ahead of appearances at the Stratford Playhouse: Sean Ryder of Happy Mondays and Robin Williamson formerly of The Incredible String Band.Nicky Cox directs Four Minutes Twelve Seconds to much acclaim at the Bear Pit.Playbox Theatre notches up another belter musical with The Addams Family directed by Juliet Vankay.The RSC’s Othello proved to be divisive… Herald Arts found it to be style over content and a disappointing two stars.
n October: Addams Family at Playbox. Photos: Lucy Barriball
November
Trinity Players put on a compelling performance of Antigone at the Methodist Hall in Stratford, with newcomer Holly Gorne dazzling in the lead role.Dog’s tails, furry wings, Hook’s hook and now red shoes… the things Herald Arts found while visiting the RSC’s Costume Workshop shoes and props department as they readied for The Red Shoes – with the festive family show scooping four stars from our reviewer. We also got to chat to Sebastien Torkia – who shone in the central role of the shoemaker.A tense take on Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba, found Playbox Theatre on top form.The Long Road at the Stratford Playhouse saw people share stories of how their lives had been changed – through bereavement, disability, fleeing their birth country – set to music by the Orchestra of the Swan in an extraordinary concert.The Return of Sherlock Holmes proved another stunner at the Attic Theatre, Stratford.
n December: Samuel West as Malvolio in Twelfth Night
December
December: Alice Through the Looking Glass. Photos: Lucy Barriball
Festive magic was in the air as The Railway Children was told with warmth and soul by the brilliant community at the heart of the Bear Pit Theatre.Chekhov short The Proposal was brought brilliantly to life with a touch of German expressionism at Playbox Theatre – one of the funniest things Herald Arts saw all year.Twelfth Night proved to be an absolute cracker at the RST, with Samuel West returning to play Malvolio after 20 years absence from the company. He spoke movingly of his father Tim – who died just before the production opened – during an interview with Herald Arts.The year was seen out with one of the best shows of 2024, Playbox Theatre’s brilliantly realised Alice Through the Looking Glass – a new adaptation by Toby Quash and the Blank Shift writers and directed by Emily Quash.It showed the power of imagination and the amazing power of theatre to create new realms and understanding.