From the Quill of Sean Sable

In this review written by Sean Sable, she looks at Opera North’s premiere of The Marriage of Figaro at Leeds Grand Theatre. The opera receives a 5 star rating for truly superior performances and rousing orchestral accompaniment. Check out her personal observations and find out more details about the show.

In this review written by Sean Sable, she looks at RSC Swan Theatre’s production of The Constant Wife performed at York Theatre Royal. The play receives a 4.5 star rating for energetic performances and a fresh and timeless story that was due a revival. Check out her personal observations and find out more details about the show.

In this review written by Sean Sable, she looks at The Woman in Black, based on the acclaimed novel by Susan Hill. The production receives a 5 star rating for spine chilling performances and a fabulous use of lighting effects. Check out her personal observations and find out more details about the show.

By Douglas Adams“The story so far: in the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.”—Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe Douglas Adams had a gift, and it wasn’t just a...

By Shirley Jackson “No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream.”—Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House There’s plenty of advice out there on what not to do...

at the The Grand Opera House York“Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.” That Peter Ustinov quote came to mind last night as I watched The Last Laugh, and it hasn’t quite left me since. Written and directed by Paul Hendy, the production is an affectionate...

at the Leeds PlayhouseIt’s rare to see an audience walk out of a theatre stunned into silence, not because the show was ambiguous or abstract, but because it cut so deep that words momentarily fail you. A Thousand Splendid Suns, presented by Leeds Playhouse in...

at the Leeds Grand TheatreIt’s not every day a pair of heels walks on stage and takes over the room—but then again, Lola’s boots aren’t just any boots. A dazzling, high-octane celebration of self-expression and resilience, this brand-new touring production is...

at the Leeds PlayhouseSome plays interrogate the world; others interrogate their audience. Tambo & Bones does both—and then leaves the audience in the wreckage. Written by West Philadelphia playwright and poet Dave Harris, this razor-sharp triptych of a play...

at the Leeds Grand TheatreThe stars have to burn themselves up or be invisible.’ Spoken by Strat as he gazes into the crowd, this line from Bat Out of Hell: The Musical lands as a strangely apt metaphor for the show itself. In this 2025 touring production, everything...

at the York Theatre RoyalIt’s a little-known fact that buried beneath a stiff collar and a cloud of cigar smoke, Alfred Hitchcock had a wicked sense of humour. Should he have turned his sights to reimagining his classic thriller North by Northwest as a comedy, I...

at the Grand Opera House YorkI’ll be the first to admit it: I have a serious Agatha Christie addiction. I don’t think there’s a play, film, TV series or radio adaptation I haven’t seen (or heard) in the past thirty years. After all, who can resist the allure of a...