Matilda the Musical Linda Isted goes back to school courtesy of Matilda the Musical - and comes out hating authoritarian headteachers and more fond of musicals than she ever thought she might be...

Linda Isted goes back to school courtesy of Matilda the Musical - and comes out hating authoritarian headteachers and more fond of musicals than she ever thought she might be...
Read her review
#MatildaMusical @palaceandopera.bsky.social #TheRSC
www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/matilda...

The Constant Wife Laura Wade's adaptation of Somerset Maugham's 100-year-old comedy The Constant Wife virtually rewrites the original - and is set for great success, says Robert Beale

Laura Wade's adaptation of Somerset Maugham's 100-year-old comedy The Constant Wife virtually rewrites the original - and is set for great success, says Robert Beale. Read his review
@thelowry.com #TheRSC #SomersetMaugham #TheConstantWife #KaraTointon
www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/the-con...

RSC announces more 2026 & 2027 productions starring Jonathan Groff, Harriet Walter & more | West End Theatre The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford-upon-Avon has announced further productions for 2026 and 2027.

RSC announces more 2026 & 2027 productions starring Jonathan Groff, Harriet Walter & more

🔗 www.westendtheatre.com/341950/news/...

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford-upon-Avon has announced further productions for 2026 and 2027

#TheRSC #LondonTheatre #WestEndTheatre

Next one. Chuffed. #thersc

Kara Tointon to star in The Constant Wife We talk to Kara Tointon - Dawn Swann in 'EastEnders' and from many other shows - about her upcoming tour starring in comedy The Constant Wife

We talk to Kara Tointon - Dawn Swann in 'EastEnders' and from many other shows - about her upcoming tour starring in comedy The Constant Wife
#TheRSC #BlackpoolGrand #TheConstantWife
www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/kara-to...

more theatre kid weirdness from the Coriolanus crew

#assadzaman #coriolanus #thersc

love how he's giving it 10x more then anyone else around 😆

small bts clip of this scene (+extra little sword fighting at the beginning)

#assadzaman #thersc #coriolanus

What I Saw at The Other Place: Yet Another Reflection on Macbeth 🎭 Not a fangirl’s gush. A former actor’s awakening.

I went to tick two things off my bucket list: see a show at the RSC, and maybe meet Sam Heughan.

Instead, Macbeth lit the fire in my chest again. I walked out wanting to audition.

#theatre #TheRSC #SamHeughan

sharonecathcart.wordpress.com/2025/10/22/w...

When the Spotlight Isn’t Yours: Going Viral by Accident (and How It Feels) On the 13th of October, I posted a review of _Macbeth_ at the Royal Shakespeare Company — a production that moved me deeply, starring Sam Heughan in a performance I will never see the same way again. I’d been sitting with that experience quietly for nearly a week, because it _deserved_ that kind of reflection. Reverence. Stillness. And then, suddenly, my blog blew up. In the span of 72 hours, I had more than 2,500 views. As I write this, the number continues to climb. That might not sound astronomical by influencer standards, but for me — someone who’s been blogging for nearly a decade with engagement that normally tops out around a few hundred a month — it was a _lot_. It was also completely disorienting. Not because I wasn’t proud of the post; I was. And I still am. But because the explosion didn’t happen because of one of my books. Or my historical essays. Or the posts I used to write back when I blogged every week with carefully crafted features and planned-out topics. No, this happened because I happened to write about a performance by a well-known actor. And then, because I dared to write a follow-up piece about _why photographing a live theatre performance is not okay_ , that gained even more traction. I went viral — not for my life’s work, but for being adjacent to someone else’s. * * * ### I Thought I’d Feel Better About It That’s the truth of it. These are the numbers bloggers dream of. And I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t hoped _someday_ for that kind of visibility. But when it happened, I didn’t feel elated. I felt … off-kilter. Because this kind of success is supposed to come from _your_ work, right? Not from reflecting on someone else’s. I don’t want this to sound ungrateful. I am deeply, deeply grateful for the people who’ve shared my posts, who’ve read with open minds, who’ve responded with compassion and insight. I’m especially grateful to Sam Heughan — for the performance that inspired all this, and for his generosity at the stage door. But I’m also holding something heavier. * * * ### The Grief Underneath Almost two years ago, I lost a dear friend: someone who helped shape the entire trajectory of my life. His name was Keith. I met him when I was a young reporter and he was a re-enactor and archaeologist. We were involved for a time, but more than that, we were _friends_ for over thirty years. And he was the first person I would have called when something like this happened. He would’ve teased me, of course. Called me famous. Laughed in that dry, knowing way of his. And then he would’ve told me how proud he was. He always supported my writing. Always believed in what I was trying to say. His absence has been a quiet ache through all of this. One I didn’t expect to feel quite so sharply. But when your voice finally gets heard, and the person who _always_ listened is no longer there … it lands differently. * * * ### The Ethics of Witnessing I wrote the second blog post because I saw something troubling: audience members taking photos during the performance, _despite clear announcements not to do so_. I hesitated before writing it. I didn’t want to shame anyone. But I couldn’t stay silent either. Theatre is a sacred space. It’s one of the few communal experiences left in a fractured world. When someone disregards that—for the sake of a blurry photo or a few likes—they’re not just breaking a rule. They’re stealing from the performance. From the actors. From their fellow audience members. Sam gave us everything. Raw vulnerability, rage, grief, power. He _sobbed_ onstage, curled around Lady Macbeth during _Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow_ — a scene that devastated me. That changed the way I’ll see the role forever. And some people met that moment with a shutter click. That’s not fandom. That’s entitlement. * * * ### So What Now? I don’t have neat answers. I just know I needed to write this … to make sense of what I’m feeling. To say that _yes_ , I’m grateful. But also? I’m still processing. Still trying to reclaim the sacredness of an experience that got caught up in something bigger and louder than I ever expected. If you’ve been one of the people reading, thank you. If you’re staying, I hope you’ll explore more of my work: my fiction, my essays, the heart of what I do. And if you’re here because you love theatre the way I do — because something in _Macbeth_ cracked you open — then maybe we’ve definitely got something in common. Thanks for listening. More soon … on my terms. ### Share this: * Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook * Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky * Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon * Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest * Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr * Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket * Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn * Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram * Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp * Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit * Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads * Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email * Click to print (Opens in new window) Print * Like Loading... ### _Related_

When the Spotlight Isn’t Yours: Going Viral by Accident (and How It Feels) sharonecathcart.wordpress.com/2025/10/16/when-the-spot... #livetheatre #samheughan #theatreetiquette #thescottishplay #thersc

When the Spotlight Isn’t Yours: Going Viral by Accident (and How It Feels) In 72 hours, my blog saw more engagement than any other time in the past several years. But the posts that went viral weren’t about my books or my fiction: they were about witnessing someone else’s…

When the Spotlight Isn’t Yours: Going Viral by Accident (and How It Feels) sharonecathcart.wordpress.com/2025/10/16/w... #livetheatre #samheughan #theatreetiquette #thescottishplay #thersc

Kara Tointon to star in RSC tour of The Constant Wife Eastenders star and Strictly winner Kara Tointon will star in an RSC tour of The Constant Wife from January

Eastenders star and Strictly winner Kara Tointon will star in an RSC tour of The Constant Wife from January
#TheRSC #KaraTointon #TamaraHarvey @grandtheatrebpl.bsky.social #YorkTheatre @liveveryplay.bsky.social @thelowry.com #LeedsGrandTheatre
www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/kara-to...

First Encounters: King Lear - Percy Shurmer Academy, Birmingham - The Reviews Hub Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Justine Themen The RSC’s First Encounters is as vaulting in ambition like no others in their previous ken, reaching out to some anticipated young and not so young...

#THEATRE #REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ First Encounters: King Lear Percy Shurmer Academy #TheRSC www.thereviewshub.com/first-encoun... "the raw, core power of the verse and its delivery pull no punches" #Birmingham

Cyrano de Bergerac with Adrian Lester – first look at rehearsals The tragic romance comes to Stratford-upon-Avon

Cyrano de Bergerac #TheRSC with Adrian Lester – first look at rehearsals via @whatsonstage.bsky.social

www.whatsonstage.com/news/cyrano-...

Simon Russell Beale pulls out of Titus Andronicus due to illness Simon Russell Beale has been forced to step back from his leading role in the Royal Shakespeare Company's Titus Andronicus due to ill health

Gutted, but looking forward to seeing John Hodgkinson in the role...

Simon Russell Beale pulls out of #TheRSC Titus Andronicus #HampsTheatre due to illness

Story via @thestage.co.uk

www.thestage.co.uk/news/simon-r...

O, when she's angry, she is keen and shrewd.
She was a vixen when she went to school,
And though she be but little, she is fierce.
(Helena, Act 3 Scene 2)
#ShakespeareSunday
@hollowcrownfans.bsky.social

📸Company of 1970 #TheRSC production Dir Peter Brook taken by Reg Wilson

The RSC reveals full cast for Wendy and Peter Pan at the Barbican Second star to the right and straight on to London!

The #TheRSC reveals full cast for Wendy and Peter Pan at the @BarbicanCentre via @whatsonstage.bsky.social

www.whatsonstage.com/news/the-rsc...

These production photos make me feel things. 😍🎭

Ncuti Gatwa and Edward Bluemel in the RSC production of the Christopher Marlowe/William Shakespeare play Born With Teeth. Photos by Johan Persson. #NcutiGatwa #EdwardBluemel #LondonTheatre #TheRSC

RSC reveals complete Cyrano de Bergerac cast joining Adrian Lester The tragic romance comes to Stratford-upon-Avon

Our pals #TheRSC reveals complete Cyrano de Bergerac cast joining Adrian Lester

Story via @whatsonstage.bsky.social

www.whatsonstage.com/news/rsc-rev...

Truth is truth
To th’end of reck’ning.
(Isabella, Act 5 Scene 1)

#ShakespeareSunday
#MeasureForMeasure
📸Emma Fielding as Isabella & Daniel Evans as Angelo, Measure for Measure, Dir Sean Holmes #TheRSC 2003

Winters Tale #thersc picked up in the second half. Lovely ‘solstice’ scene. Constant Wife #thersc creaky but chipper first half. Could have been far shorter.

The Winter's Tale | Production photos | Royal Shakespeare Company See production photos of The Winter's Tale, directed by Yaël Farber.

Our pals #TheRSC have released production shots for Yaël Farber's new production of THE WINTERS TALE...

www.rsc.org.uk/the-winters-...

The Constant Wife - The Swan Theatre, Stratford upon Avon - The Reviews Hub Writer: Laura Wade, based on the play by W. Somerset Maugham Director: Tamara Harvey This is a stylish and stylised production. At times an almost farcical comedy about a tragic situation – a woman’s ...

#THEATRE #REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Constant Wife #TheRSC The Swan Theatre www.thereviewshub.com/the-constant... "First staged in 1926 … Laura Wade has given it a modern edge for its centenary" #StratfordUponAvon

RSC announces Barbican winter season, including Toby Stephens as Hook The actor is back on the London stage

The #TheRSC announces #BarbicanCentre winter season, including Toby Stephens as Hook!

Full deats via @whatsonstage.bsky.social

www.whatsonstage.com/news/rsc-ann...

Micah Balfour (PC Benjamin Gayle) as Don John in The Royal Shakespeare Company's 2022 production of Much Ado About Nothing.

#muchadoaboutnothing #Shakespeare #thersc #royalshakespearecompany #thebill #OffTheBill #EastEnders

A season of globally inspired stories, thrillingly told | Royal Shakespeare Company Welcome to our bold new programme of work from Co-Artistic Directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey.

A season of globally inspired stories, thrillingly told... our pals at #TheRSC complete the new season with 7 new productions...

www.rsc.org.uk/news/globall...

Hamlet Hail to the Thief Hamlet Hail to The Thief is a wild, highly musical ride - thanks to a mashup with Radiohead's Thom Yorke and album Hail to the Thief. But Linda Isted believes what the audience gains in brevity and en...

Hamlet Hail to The Thief is a wild, highly musical ride - thanks to a mashup of Hamlet and album Hail to the Thief, with the help of Thom Yorke. Read Linda Isted's review
@factoryintl.bsky.social #ThomYorke #Radiohead #TheRSC
www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/hamlet-...

RSC to bring Hamlet production north in 2026 The Royal Shakespeare Company will take its hit production of Hamlet on tour next year, visiting Bradford, Blackpool, Newcastle and York

The RSC will take its hit production of Hamlet on tour next year, visiting Bradford, Blackpool, Newcastle and York
#TheRSC @grandtheatrebpl.bsky.social #BradfordAlhambra #YorkTheatreRoyal #NewcastleTheatreRoyal
www.theatrereviewsnorth.com/post/rsc-ham...

This time last week we were hurtling our wat to Stratford Upon Avon to catch Daniel Raggett's blistering production of #Marlowe's #EdwardII at #TheRSC

#Bliss

RSC's Daniel Evans to direct Ncuti Gatwa in Shakespeare vs Marlowe drama Ncuti Gatwa and Edward Bluemel will portray Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare in the West End premiere of Born With Teeth at Wyndham's Theatre

Ncuti Gatwa to star in #TheRSC Shakespeare vs Marlowe drama

Story via @thestage.co.uk

www.thestage.co.uk/news/rscs-da...

‘The violence is relentless. I don’t understand it’: Simon Russell Beale faces up to Shakespeare’s goriest play The celebrated actor has long struggled with the murder and dismemberment at the heart of Titus Andronicus. Now, at 64, he is finally tackling a play that ‘teeters on the edge of acceptability’ – but ...

‘The violence is relentless. I don’t understand it’: Simon Russell Beale faces up to Shakespeare’s goriest play #TheRSC

Interview via @theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/a...