In recent months, there have been concerns both in the UK and in Europe that legislation ostensibly designed to address hate speech might also place limitations on free speech. - The Stage
Flippant references to China’s military, like those to top leaders, are considered off limits in official life, and such taboos have been codified under Xi, with a new criminal code outlawing the slander of political “heroes and martyrs.” - The New Yorker
"Frank's and Charley's very different definitions of what constitutes a friend offers an astringent alternative to our culture’s sometimes treacly, overly simplistic portrayal of the bond. Even more than Broadway, Hollywood has fetishized friendship to (a fault)." - Los Angeles Times (MSN)
Musical theater star Sara Poyzer publicly shared a screenshot of an email she received from an unnamed production company which read: “Sorry for the delay—we have had the approval from BBC to use the AI generated voice so we wont need Sara anymore.” - The Daily Beast
"(In Teeth,) a show in which violence begets vengeance, … it’s a lot to endure, for both biter and bitee. … Campy or not, choreographing the many scenes of intimacy and assault required extraordinary sensitivity." Enter Crista Marie Jackson. - The New York Times
It seemed that the education department functioned as a sort of nonprofit running within another nonprofit, having separate conversations about programming. - American Theatre
"Designed in collaboration with people living with dementia and their carers, these performances are specifically adapted for their audience, allowing them to have a rollicking night out in a safe, tailored environment, free of the fear of disturbing a standard show." - The Guardian
"The 1926 dramatisation by Owen Davis, a Pulitzer prizewinner, opened to rave reviews and became a hit that contributed to the novel’s success, bringing Fitzgerald substantial royalties and fame. But the original script had long since been lost. Now a copy has been rediscovered and will be published." - The Observer (UK)
“The student cast and crew were informed by the school district in the small town of Hampshire, an hour outside of Chicago, that they were not allowed to advertise the musical outside the school building. ... They were told they could refer to it only as 'the musical.’” - American Theatre
The Indigenous theatre community has grown to sold out shows being produced across the country. This spring alone, stages in Montreal, Whitehorse, Ottawa, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Toronto are all hosting plays written by Indigenous artists. - CBC
"A group of commercial off-Broadway shows have bucked the trend and are packing in ticket-buyers. … Taken together, though, these off-Broadway gems offer an optimistic lesson to theaters everywhere: Clever, appealing, fresh ideas brilliantly executed are what put butts in seats." - New York Post
Player Kings, adapted by director Robert Icke from both parts of Shakespeare's Henry IV, is currently in Manchester and will run in London's West End from April through June before touring four other English cities in July. This is McKellen's first time in the role. - The Guardian
"A scared-sounding young man told me that there was a monster in his closet. Obviously, I was supposed to tell him to open the door and look inside, so that the story could begin. But something about the darkness, the solitude, and the persuasive fear in the actor’s voice made the call feel suddenly, uncannily real." - The New Yorker
This La Mama is in Melbourne, and (not unlike its American namesake) it has played a crucial role in the development of contemporary theatre in Australia. The company was denied funding from the national arts agency for 2025-28, so it's going on what it calls a "temporary pause." - Limelight (Australia)
"A small group of actors and staff from the theatre have resurrected the troupe in Uzhhorod, in the far west of Ukraine. Performances take place in the vast, boxy auditorium of the city’s main theatre, which has offered its stage for the Mariupol troupe. There are also occasional tours." - The Guardian