A Small Mind At The Theatre

Roald Dahl is perhaps one of the most famous children’s authors of any generation, and his work has inspired an exceptional number of film, television, and theatre adaptations. Fifteen years ago, this musical of Matilda , one of his most fondly remembered stories, took to the stage and has not looked back since. Adapted from the original book by Dennis Kelly, with lyrics and music by Tim Minchin, the show has been a fixture at the Cambridge Theatre in London since 2011, has performed on Broadway, and is now reaching Milton Keynes Theatre as part of its second UK and Ireland Tour. Inspired by the Roald Dahl book of the same name, this Royal Shakespeare Company’s multi-award-winning musical tells the story of an extraordinary little girl with a vivid imagination and the courage to change her own destiny. Matilda is of course the centre of attention in this production, and on this extensive tour, the role is shared by Felicity Brown, Petra Hutchings, Mollie Hutton, and Caroline Ravansari ...

Independent theatre company Nerve Theatre was founded in January 2025, when its first original production, Broken Party , took to the stage at Benn Hall in Rugby. That was followed the same year by a modern retelling of Frankenstein . Now, for 2026, Nerve Theatre founder Mia Ballard has written and directed The House She Built , staged for three nights at The Black Diamond, Northampton. The House She Built , set in 1950s Hollywood, is a dark thriller influenced by the lives of Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn and their treatment as women within the cogs of Hollywood. Our leading lady here is Nancy Carlton, who returns to Mellor Brothers Productions to make one final film. But something awaits her, and the scene is set for a period thriller that explores the grimy world behind Hollywood's apparently glamorous days. Michaela Clement-Hayes leads the cast as Nancy Carlton, the star troubled by her past, but returning to her old studio for that final mov...

The low-budget film Paranormal Activity , first released in 2007, has since become the starting point of one of the most prolific horror series ever, with seven films now released in the franchise and another due next year. Its unique down-to-earth style of storytelling, inhabiting what is many people’s real life, with dangers within the house, has contributed greatly to its success. So, from one successful medium franchise, it is no surprise the series was developed for theatre in 2024, with a new story by Levi Holloway (though it borrows heavily from the original film). First performed at Leeds Playhouse before heading to both the West End and Broadway, and now, for 2026, a UK and Ireland tour, which this week arrives at Milton Keynes Theatre. So the question is: has the medium successfully crossed to the other side? Newly married couple, James and Lou, move from Chicago to London in an attempt to escape both of their past lives. However, as events begin to repeat themselves, they re...

Barnum , with a book by Mark Bramble, lyrics by Michael Stewart, and music by Cy Coleman, premiered on Broadway in 1980 and followed in the West End just a year later. At the helm for these two productions were two huge names in the entertainment business: Jim Dale on Broadway and Michael Crawford in the West End. It needed, of course, big names to fill the shoes of the legendary P. T. Barnum, whose tale is told in this now-fondly remembered musical. Filling these boots in this new production, now pitched at Milton Keynes Theatre, is Matt Rawle, a prolific theatre performer himself, but can he, and this production, live up to the iconic greatest showman? “Step right up and enter the dazzling world of P.T. Barnum, where imagination and ambition know no bounds”, the publicity for the show announces, and this new production of the now-classic Barnum - The Circus Musical mostly ticks these boxes. Rawle is a captivating and strong presence as the lead, bringing an infectious charm to the p...

Annie was first performed now a remarkable fifty years ago at Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut, and since then, the tale based on a 1920s comic strip and adapted for the stage by Thomas Meehan on book, with music by Charles Strouse, and lyrics provided by Martin Charnin, has become a perennial favourite across the world. Indeed, this version, directed by Nikolai Foster, last appeared at Milton Keynes Theatre in 2023. So, after all these years, does Annie still have that appeal? Set in  1930s New York during the Great Depression,  Annie  follows the life of an orphan abandoned to the care  of its evil matron, Miss Hannigan. Annie seeks escape, and after one failed attempt, she finds herself the chosen Christmas guest of billionaire Oliver Warbucks, and things slowly, hopefully begin to improve for the little but fiercely strong Annie. Leading the adult cast for this tour now as the cruel Miss Hannigan is Claire Sweeney. Sweeney clearly revels in the chance to embr...

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street first appeared in this musical form in 1979. Adapted from an original play by Christopher Bond, the work was set to music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, with a book by Hugh Wheeler. It quickly became a huge success, opening on both Broadway and the West End within a year. Following Tony and Olivier wins, the show has seen revival after revival over the years, as well as a musical film starring Johnny Depp. Now, Birmingham Rep presents its own pared-back version of the show, featuring some big stars of the theatre world. So, the question is, is Sweeney Todd as razor-sharp as it once was? What is clear to all at the outset is that director Joe Murphy, also artistic director at Birmingham Rep, has assembled a remarkable and bold cast for the show. Leading as Sweeney is Ramin Karimloo, whose bio speaks for itself and is the biggest draw for this show, especially for theatres outside London. His Sweeney is a perfectly brooding affair, broken...