Back from a mini tour of Yorkshire and Stockport and cheering for supporting act Indignation Meeting
His better halves
PETER MASON welcomes the national tour of an irreverent show that switches the spotlight to the wives of Henry VIII
six
ALISTAR FINDLAY is mesmerised by this multiple ‘Visions of Scotland’ assault on the audience’s eyes and senses
The Star's critics ANGUS REID, ANDY HEDGECOCK and MICHAL BONCZA reviews I Am Love, The Penguin Lessons, Freaky Tales, The Thicket
MAYER WAKEFIELD has reservations about the direction of a play centered on a DVLA re-training session for three British-Pakistani motorists
New releases from Steve Knightley, Jupiter & Okwess, Jason Palmer, Lisa Knapp and Gerry Driver, Kin'Gongolo Kiniata, Ingrid Laubrock/Tom Rainey, Dan Sealey, Simin Tande, PAZ
JOHN GREEN relishes photography that unfolds a longstanding and poetic relationship with Leeds
A uncomfortably misogynistic authorial voice that sometimes seems to lack insight troubles FIONA O’CONNOR
Six The Musical
Vaudeville Theatre, London
TOBY MARLOW and Lucy Moss’s breathless, modern take on the fate of Henry VIII’s six wives now has a “forever” home at the Vaudeville in the West End, but it’s also about to embark on a British tour, beginning with Stockton-on-Tees and continuing through to Oxford at the back end of next year.
If it’s coming near you, then discard any prejudices you might have about glitzy, in-your-face musicals — and indeed about King Harry himself. Buy a ticket: it’s great fun.
Six has made its name with catchy pop songs, sparkly costumes, cutting wit and the novel idea of staging a 21st century gameshow in which Henry’s resurrected wives — all more or less divas — are pitted against each other to find out who was the most wronged.
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While the group known as the Colourists certainly reinvigorated Scottish painting, a new show is a welcome chance to reassess them, writes ANGUS REID
ANGUS REID recommends an exquisite drama about the disturbing impact of the one child policy in contemporary China
The phrase “cruel to be kind” comes from Hamlet, but Shakespeare’s Prince didn’t go in for kidnap, explosive punches, and cigarette deprivation. Tam is different.
ANGUS REID deconstructs a popular contemporary novel aimed at a ‘queer’ young adult readership
