166 stories by "Aliya Al-Hassan"
These days, it seems that it's not enough to simply go for dinner or a night at the theatre. For decades, diners have been entertained by music and cabaret performances, but now, immersive d…
What makes a seemingly ordinary 15-year-old girl travel to Syria to become a jihadi bride Years before Shamima Begum became front page news, writer and actor Nyla Levy was developing the sto…
It is the irresistible tale of a lonely Parisian waitress who tries to spread happiness in the lives of others, set in a fantasy world. Having been significantly reworked since appearing on …
Take one of the best-loved stories for children and some fantastic food served by waiters who are also the actors and you have the latest project from Scripts For Supper, creators of immersi…
Reginald D Hunter's latest show was originally titled Reginald D Hunter Facing The Beast and Niggas when it premiered at his 20th appearance at the Edinburgh Festival last summer. Never one …
The omens were good for the Orange Tree Theatre's new production, Out Of Water. Writer Zoe Cooper created the beautiful Jess and Joe Forever back in 2016 and Guy Jones directed the heartbrea…
The London Coliseum has established a run of successes with some excellent revivals of almost-forgotten musicalsin recent years. It now turns toMan of La Manchain the hope of a new box offic…
Based on his 1997 smash hit film and adapted for the stage by Oscar-winning writer Simon Beaufoy, The Full Montyis the bittersweet story of a group of unemployed Sheffield steelworkers who, …
Selling millions of copies and adapted into a 2001 film, Louis de Bernieres' epic wartime novel, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, is a literary tour de force. Now inventively, if not entirely fai…
At a time when youth and beauty are valued above all andwe can edit our own images at the touch of a button, a staging of Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Grayseems both prescient a…
It is over 35 years since David Mamet's scorching critique of the male ego and the dangers of capitalism debuted at the National Theatre. Glengarry Glen Rosswent on the win the Pulitzer Priz…
From the founding duo of ex-Royal Ballet dancers, Michael Nunn and Billy Trevitt, Balleboyz has seen many variations and additions to the group. Always innovating and never predictable, the …
John Brittain's nuanced and tender play Rotterdam has had a whirlwind of success since it debuted in 2015 at the tiny Theatre503. It moved to the Trafalgar Studios, won an Olivier award, the…
In February this year, historian Hallie Rubenfold brought out a poignant book describing the backstories of the five women killed in 1888 by a murderer nicknamed Jack the Ripper. It has alwa…
Family ties are complicated things. Those we are connected to through blood are often those we love the most, but who we can also treat the most poorly. Athol Fugard's visceral 1961 play, Bl…
There is something very noble about the mission of English Touring Opera to bring the art form to parts of the country that would normally never see it. They often bravely overlook the popul…
A comic operetta is a difficult thing to pull off, but the ENO has good form with the genre, having had great success with an irreverent version of Iolanthe last year. This year, they turn t…
The Phantom of the Opera was how Aliya fell in love with theatre, but then she fell out of love with the show.
In 1998, French playwright Yasmina Reza was slightly bemused to win an Olivier Award for Best Comedy with her play ART. Her intention was to write a biting satire, tinged with tragedy, but B…
Written in 1985 and first performed in 1987, Charlotte Keatley's sensitive drama My Mother Said I Never Shouldis a warm and understated show about the complex relationships between mothers a…
Taking us back to a world of hideous stonewashed denim, huge hair and even bigger rock anthems, Rock of Agesis on a new national tour. The jukebox musical has been doing the rounds since it …
As Editor and Lead Cartoonist of Private Eye, Ian Hislop and Nick Newman are certainly not immune to the issue of libel. In Trial By Laughter they expand what was a Radio 4 afternoon drama t…
School is where most of us are introduced to William Shakespeare and the nature of this introduction will often impact on how much we love or loath The Bard in later life.In their series Sha…
Theatre audiences are certainly less easy to shock these days than they were back in 1973 when Richard O'Brien's outrageous musical The Rocky Horror Showfirst debuted at the Royal Court. The…
At 86, Chita Rivera could easily justify putting her feet up a little. She first performed in London back in 1958 in the iconic role of Anita in West Side Story and has never stopped since. …
