How to write a theatrical review…

1. How to write a theatrical review… The first rule is there are no rules! A review is personal - you're writing a review to express your thoughts and feelings about a theatre show, not taking an exam.

2. Develop your own distinct voice What ain’t we got? We ain’t got dames apparently. If you’ve been perturbed by recent news reports that the panto dame is on the endangered species list then head off to the New Wimbledon Theatre for a dose of Aladdin. Even if the principal boy is no longer played by a woman, we never see a slosh scene, health and safety prevents sweets being thrown into the auditorium and the song sheet seems to be generally lost to the past there is no danger of dame-flatlining here. Tradition is kept gloriously intact with an array of outrageous costumes and wigs inhabited by the wonderful Matthew Kelly, proving that there is nothing quite like a panto dame.

3. Be honest about what you REALLY think about a production Convey your enthusiasm for it or explain why you disliked it. Don't worry about going out on a limb. A timid theatre review is often a dull read. The hardest reviews to write are not about the shows you passionately loved or hated, but about ones that were just so-so. • ‘He shows absolutely no mercy for the English language. His stresses and pronunciation are so murderous, it's as if he is conducting a personal vendetta against the spoken word.’

4. Traditional Theatre Review • Back ground information about the production • Brief outline of the plot and themes • A sense of what the staging looks (and sounds) like • The reviewer gives his/her opinion on the writing, production and performances • Concludes with summing up and either recommending the performance (or not) to future theatre goers

5. There is strong support, too, from Jane Asher, quietly mischievous and a vision of loveliness in watered silk as the authentic aunt, and from Steven Pacey as a frisky old soldier with ramrod back and waxed moustache. Charles Kay also pops in to good effect as an old servant who looks as weathered as the college foundations. The farce takes a while to get going, and some of the minor roles are thinly written, but it will be a sad day if this piece of Victorian froth finally disappears from the repertoire.

6. Have Fun! • The best advice I can offer is to see as much theatre as you can, write about everything that you see, and always write reviews that really reflect what you felt about a show – not what you think you ought to have felt about it. Oh, and have fun. If you don't have fun writing the review, nobody will have fun reading it.

7. Facts: • The Young Shakespeare Company - provides a year-round programme of workshops, performances, residencies and INSET courses. The company works in schools, theatres and professional development centres throughout Britain. Over 800 primary schools nationwide now make a regular booking with the Young Shakespeare Company, with many booking two, three, even four productions a year to include all children in Key Stage Two. Over 100,000 children see our work every year. • The Tempest – learning the play through active story telling • Using short, accessible sections of thelanguage enhances the children’s involvement in the world of the play and deepens their understanding of the characters and their feelings. • They become involved in the world of the play by putting themselves in the shoes of the characters, imagining how they feel. This inside knowledge allows the children to discuss and predict what characters are likely to do next. The process is participatory and non-competitive, involving all the children all of the time. It is a collaborative venture between the storytellers and the children and between the children themselves.

8. Characters The Island • Prospero – the rightful Duke of Milan • Miranda – Prospero’s daughter • Ariel – Propero’s chief spirit • Caliban – a monster • Iris – Goddess of the Rainbow • Ceres – Goddess of the Harvest • Juno – Queen of the Skies • Nymphs and Reapers – spirits The Court • Antonio – Prospero’s brother • Alonso – King of Naples • Ferdinand – Alonso’s son • Sebastian – Alonso’s brother • Gonzalo An honest councellor The Crew • Master – Captain of the ship • Boatswain – Officer of the ship • Mariners – Ship’s crew