From 1939 up until 1945, World War II would impact the lives of many military personnel and civilians. Referred to as a global war, a total of 30 countries took to battle across various continents. The war would witness a conflict between the Allies (Great Britain, The United States of America, China, The Soviet Union and the Commonwealth) and the Axis (Nazi Germany, Empire of Japan and the Kingdom of Italy amongst other countries). There are particular figures attributed for the Allies’ victory and applauded for their efforts, however WWII is a war that involved the efforts of numerous specialists behind the scenes. Azma Dar brings us the story of Noor Inayat Khan, a trailblazer ruled by fighting for what she believes in.

I feel incredibly lucky to be sat in the audience of Matthew Bourne’s current UK tour, Cinderella. I adore Bourne’s work, having studied many as a teacher of Dance and Head of Performing Arts, passing on my passion and knowledge to students. I love the intricacy of detail in his choreography and his artistic choice and vision, the way he challenges stereotypes and always strives to break down barriers.

Isn’t love a funny old thing? It’s that emotion that gives you butterflies in your stomach and pains in your chest. It’s the feeling of being brave whilst at the same time you’re terrified. We see love everywhere; from the mother tending to her child that’s just fallen over, the young couple taking selfies in the park, to the man playing Frisbee with his dog – it’s all around us and chances are, we’ve felt it at least once.

With the rise of the #MeToo movement and angry white men who want to turn back the clock to the good old days of gender inequality, plays discussing the war of the sexes have been produced in theatres all over Germany. Nicolas Stemann, resident director at the Kammerspiele chose August Strindberg‘s first naturalistic play The Father to contribute to this discussion.

Courtesy of Thomas Aurin.

An integral part of Tibetan’s history rests on its unquestionable devotion to Buddhism, a religion originating from North India between the 7th and 13th century CE. Another facet of Tibet’s history is its ongoing resistance against China. Currently ruled by the People’s Republic of China, significant leaders such as the Dalai Lama now find themselves expelled from their country of origin. Governed by communist rule, Tibetans face a situation whereby members of their own government currently reside in Daramsala, North India, a nation who have willingly accepted the arrival of a Tibetan refugees after the Lhasa Uprising against the People’s Republic of China in 1959.

A deeply- sociological tale celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Windrush arrival, retold by the awe-inspiring movements of its performers.

Courtesy of Richard Moran.

There’s a definite magic beaming from the Dorfman Theatre. The space has played host to a variety of wonderful productions in recent months, which have put many underexplored stories onto the big stage, and Natasha Gordon’s debut play continues this trend. Following the death of Gloria, the family prepare for the usual nine-night wake. Consecutive evenings of food, family visits, music and mourning take place, and as each day passes, the family’s personal endurance is tested to the limit.

The Bridge Theatre is converted into a Hampshire farmhouse garden for Laurie Sansom‘s staging of Nightfall, a new play by prodigious 31 year old playwright and author Barney Norris. Nightfall follows the declining fortunes of grief-striken widow Jenny (Claire Skinner), her son Ryan (Sion Daniel Young) and daughter Lou (Ophelia Lovibond) and a surrogate third child Pete (Ukweli Roach) who has recently been released from a year long stint in prison. Pete’s return, and his scheme with Ryan to illegally siphon oil from a pipeline that runs through the family land, promises to ease the families financial problems, but events take an unexpected turn.

Courtesy of Manuel Harlan.

visit here… After missing the opportunity to see Hairspray on West End, I jumped at the chance to see at The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury. A colourful, energetic story revolving around Tracy and her fight for change. Set in a racially segregated Baltimore in 1962, Tracy successfully becomes part of the Corny Collins TV show, only to discover that her black friends are only allowed to dance on the show one day a month. She quickly sets about changing this, fighting for their right to dance together.

As the alcohol flows, the stage is set for a night of drunken debauchery and revelations. In an uncomfortably hot theatre, the suffocating, inescapable realities of Albee’s characters, extend into the auditorium. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf is a complex telling of a martial breakdown, a challenging premise but approached with admirable commitment at the Corpus Playroom.

Wine on black background