Lyn Gardner

Let’s celebrate the fact that West End and subsidised theatres around the country will soon be flinging open their doors, but let’s do it with an awareness that so much has been lost and cannot be regained, says Lyn Gardner

Being open to diversity is not “a threat to established modes of storytelling”, says Lyn Gardner, but a way of enriching the theatre landscape

From Brighton to Leeds and Glasgow, festivals are set to return. But with social distancing likely to remain, what will they look like? Festival chiefs tell Lyn Gardner about their adapted events

Silence cloaks abuses of power in theatre, so senior industry figures should do more to condemn the bullying behaviour the Scott Rudin reports have brought to light, says Lyn Gardner

The late 1960s spawned a surge in political art and local activism that changed the theatre industry. It stopped short of changing the world, but Lyn Gardner says conditions may have now again conspired to allow that spark to spread to the wider community

Data can be a valuable tool to help theatre make progress on diversity, says Lyn Gardner, but don’t be fooled into thinking that problems have already been solved

Venues and audiences desperately need touring shows, says Lyn Gardner, so as the industry recovers from the pandemic, it’s vital to support the freelancers and companies who make the work, rather than just buildings

The news that plays at Shakespeare’s Globe are to run without an interval should be welcomed, says Lyn Gardner – let’s hope it hastens the move to more relaxed, inclusive performances

Playwriting competitions are often a launchpad for new writers who have found themselves unable to break into the sector through the traditional submission route to theatres. Founders and winners of prizes tell Lyn Gardner why competitions are best placed to spot potential and why ‘bin sifters’ are so important

As theatres reopen, critics shouldn’t just be giddy cheerleaders says Lyn Gardner – the best thing we can do to help theatre thrive is use our voices with honesty, rigour and empathy