Posts by Rachel Coombes
Friday, 25 May 2018
Rothko revealed: a review of 'Red' at Wyndham's Theatre
“What do you see? … Be specific, be exact…” barks Mark Rothko (Alfred Molina), to his new studio assistant Ken..
By Rachel Coombes
Friday, 4 May 2018
Scandal in Soho: review of Absolute Hell at The National
The chequered history of Rodney Ackland’s Absolute Hell has granted it a level of notoriety which does not stand up to scrutiny..
By Rachel Coombes
Friday, 20 April 2018
The enduring appeal of the opera Stalin banned
Stalin couldn’t stand Shostakovich’s second opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk: when the dictator heard it performed in 1936 it was..
By Rachel Coombes
Friday, 13 April 2018
Glyndebourne is more than just snobs on the lawn
The Moderate Soprano runs at the Duke of York’s Theatre until June 30 Following an acclaimed run at Hampstead Theatre..
By Rachel Coombes
Tuesday, 20 February 2018
Riotous exuberance: a review of Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe at ENO
The arts scene might be solely interested in cultural earnestness and agenda-pushing at the moment, but judging by the packed-out..
By Rachel Coombes
Friday, 9 February 2018
The power of 'slow theatre': a review of John at The National
There is something strangely absorbing about the quotidian human exchanges staged in all their mundanity. Annie Baker’s new play ‘John’..
By Rachel Coombes