The longest-running play in world history is in good shape, despite the lackluster and mechanical cast

New comedy by a debut writer about a West Indian wake is lively, full of spirits, but a bit undercooked

Jack Thorne’s account of local austerity politics is at its best when it pulls down its pants to expose excruciating emotions

New epic from Jerusalem playwright Jez Butterworth is a breathtaking, if heartless experience

One from the archives: “I must make myself clear about this question of identity.”

Explore the work of a handful of British theatre’s brightest and most exciting writing talents

Censorship appears to be simple, but is actually quite complicated.

David Suchet is majestically magnificent in excellent revival of Arthur Miller’s 1968 family drama

Collection of four monologues is free-thinkingly transgressive, politically incorrect and thoroughly delightful

I’ve always loved the idea of chaos: it’s a word that seems to perfectly sum up the thrill and the uncertainty of the whole theatrical enterprise.

Pix of the week: sneak preview of The Time Traveler’s Guide to British Theatre.

New play by Clean Break about a troubled woman released from prison is strongly acted, but its form is frustrating

Yes, it’s spooky! Coups de theatre and sudden shocks in trilogy of shorts from television duo

David Eldridge’s new one about the Essex working classes buzzes with ideas and with sympathy

Philip Ridley’s new play about homelessness and the housing crisis is brilliantly staged and ethically pertinent

The fraught relationship between Thatcher and the Queen creates hilarious theatrical sparks

Travel back to the 1970s for a political docu-drama that’s high on circumstantial detail, but low on drama

Laura Wade’s return to the stage is a bright satire about marriage and nostalgic fantasy

Rare revival of Peter Barnes’s classic satire on the Establishment stars James McAvoy and remains relevant

Welcome return of Oladipo Agboluaje’s vigorous and highly entertaining satire on Nigerian revolutionary politics

Inua Ellams’s new play about fatherhood and masculinity has a vigorously enjoyable global reach

This revival of Errol John’s 1953 Caribbean classic is warmhearted enough, but rather undramatic

Six Philip Ridley monologues about extreme emotions offer trips to apocalyptic futures, outer space and erotics

New drama about the downfall of Margaret Thatcher is theatrically exciting and immensely enjoyable

In the Brexit era, this site-specific revival of Agatha Christie’s 1953 courtroom drama works like a treat

The Critic releases a howl of anguish as he goes against the will of the people

New play about a deranged Ulster loyalist begins in hilarity and ends with some horrific violence

More overviews of British new writing from the In-Yer-Face Theatre archive.

Text of the day: “From Jewish mouth to Jewish mouth the tales slowly come back from Germany, tales so full of dread I would close my ears if I dared, but I cannot.”

New show about English nationalism is timely, but completely undermined by its musical form

Text of the day: “So I made a decision.”

Play by Indian playwright about the bitter conflict in Kashmir is difficult, heavy, but ultimately rewarding as well

The death of David Bowie provokes the Critic to take a trip down the motorways and side alleys of memory

A powerful monologue about a knife crime is powerfully restaged in a rundown South London shop

This time, I have time travelled with my companion Lia Ghilardi, crossing four hundred years of British theatre history.

All-star cast — including a gently charismatic Christian Slater — in American classic that celebrates the ideal of the deal

A powerful account of the realities of FGM is brilliantly written and superbly staged as an urgent piece of new writing

Bright new satire on office life kicks the hell right out of alienation and exploitation, and capitalism