Initially performed at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, True Brits has added to the pertinent debate of what it means to be British in the 21st century. Written by the talented Vinay Patel, who will shortly be writing a short film for BBC iPlayer and working on a pilot on the prestigious C4 screenwriting programme, True Brits will make its return to the theatre scene at this year’s VAULT Festival. With VAULT Festival’s theme of ‘inequality in politics’ being the driving force for this year, True Brits is a piece of theatre that could not be anymore timely or on the mark! Ahead of this year’s festival, Theatrefullstop were able to talk to Vinay about his motivations for writing the play, what he’d like to achieve with his play and why London is so welcoming!

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Emile Zola’s novel Thèrese Raquin, adapted into a play, is playing at the Courtyard Theatre as part of the New Writing Festival. There is not much that is new about it though. Being that the story is familiar, one would think that the genre of writing or the staging would be fairly modern and fresh, but it fails to bring the element of surprise onto the stage.

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The Mountain Bluebird is ragingly current, yet disconnected. It is a seemingly complicated play that, when you break it down, becomes a simple one. It is the debut of playwright Jamie Eastlake and posesses that charming thing first plays often have, over-ambition.

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The atmosphere in the Courtyard bar before Brendon Burns’ gig feels similar to waiting in the queue for a roller coaster: there’s a distinct feel of people who are excited for what they know is about to happen, and people who’ve never seen Burns and are bloody terrified. The location is certainly different: a student union bar as the venue for an award-winning international comedian. It’s all part of Burns’ latest tour, Outside the Box. Following in the footsteps of Doug Stanhope and Neil Hamburger, the tour deliberately avoids large arenas and opts for secluded or intimate venues, off the beaten track of the comedy circuit. What follows is a unique night of comedy unlike any other I’ve seen in York.

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Adapted from the 1998 Oscar winner, Shakespeare in Love is the latest screen to stage production to hit the West End. The story imagines William Shakespeare writing Romeo and Juliet. In auditions for his new play he meets and falls in love with Viola, who disguises herself as a boy so that she can fulfil her dream of acting. It is a warm romantic comedy of errors come drama. The merits of the film version make it clear to see why it would make an excellent transfer to stage.

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With the 100th anniversary of the start of World War One last year, it seemed a natural choice by the Theatre Royal Stratford East to revive the dark musical that re-examines the established view of ‘The Great War’. Following this revival last year, the same production started on its six month national tour last month where I saw it, on its first leg.

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We’re now living in the age of the internet, so a potential employer’s first port of call can very well be your social media profile or online cv. Therefore, it’s imperative to create that perfect first impression, as you may very well find yourself judged on the image you choose to project online. Home to over 30,000 theatre creatives, Stage Jobs Pro is one of the UK’s biggest casting websites, offering creatives the opportunity to sign up to an array of job opportunities, contact a network of fellow creatives as well as create an impressive portfolio of work for potential employees and contacts to view. Amelia Forsbrook, Stage Job Pro’s site manager speaks to Theatrefullstop about the ever popular castings website, what makes Stage Jobs Pro so unique and what makes for the perfect Stage Jobs Pro Profile!

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Heart shaped balloons… check! Box of chocolates… check! A bouquet of red roses… check! It’s that time of year when you’re greeted with the not so subtle reminders that Valentines Day is just around the corner! Whether it’s your partner, a friend or a secret admirer, it’s nice to be spoiled every once in a while. That’s why we’ve teamed up with the American inspired Hummingbird Bakery, who are renowned for their mouth watering sweet creations, from their iconic rainbow celebration cake, to their delectable cheesecakes to giveaway a Valentine’s Day Cupcake Giftbox to one lucky reader!

You’ll also be able to dance the day and night away, as you’ll get the chance to watch performances at the UK’s biggest dance event, MOVE IT 2015! A celebration of all things dance and performance, join fellow dance enthusiasts as the UK’s brightest dance talents from the worlds of ballroom, Hip Hop, Tap and many more set the stage alight! So if you fancy a show stopping quickstep courtesy of Strictly’s Aljaz and Janette, or a comedic inspired street dance courtesy of Twist and Pulse, enter this competition now!

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Dark Side is the latest in Artful Badger’s Wild World series, a confusing anthology of shows that will leave you scratching your head. It‘s mad, it‘s beautiful and it will get you on your feet.

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As Britain’s Got Talent prepares for a new year of the good, the bad and the absolutely bewildering, the national competition is renowned for its showcasing of talent, giving performers from all walks of life the opportunity to change their lives and pursue their dreams. At just 16, Charlotte found herself auditioning in front of the infamous Britain’s Got Talent crowd alongside her singing partner, Jonathon Antoine. Together they wowed audiences, charming the nation and the four judges with their classical vocals. They both finished as runners up, however fast forward 3 years and Charlotte has enjoyed much deserved success, having performed at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall and releasing her debut solo album, Solitaire last year. Charlotte is set to star in Joe Masteroff’s 1963 hit musical, She Loves Me at the Landor Theatre from next week. Ahead of the production, Charlotte speaks to Theatrefullstop about what drew her to the musical, working with director Robert McWhir and what inspired her to audition for BGT.

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