Obituaries & Archive

Our obituaries pay tribute to leading theatrical figures who have recently died, while our archive features look back on key events from the history of theatre.

Looking back to 1936: the origins of Hot Ice, Blackpool’s iconic skating spectacle

Looking back to 1936: the origins of Hot Ice, Blackpool’s iconic skating spectacle

by Giverny Masso

Looking back to 1951: how The Archers came to rule radio

Looking back to 1951: how The Archers came to rule radio

Looking back to 1988: the National Theatre’s drum revolve finally makes its debut

Looking back to 1988: the National Theatre’s drum revolve finally makes its debut

by Nick Smurthwaite

Olivier Awards at 50: looking back at their glamorous debut

Olivier Awards at 50: looking back at their glamorous debut

by Nick Smurthwaite

Boy Blue’s hip hop: from the school gates to Olympic stadium

Boy Blue’s hip hop: from the school gates to Olympic stadium

by Nick Smurthwaite

How George Devine’s English Stage Company paved the way for the Royal Court

How George Devine’s English Stage Company paved the way for the Royal Court

by Nick Smurthwaite

Talawa pioneers look at its legacy as the company toasts four decades

Talawa pioneers look at its legacy as the company toasts four decades

by Nick Smurthwaite

Traditional secular carols celebrated in Dickens’ Christmas classic

Traditional secular carols celebrated in Dickens’ Christmas classic

by Nick Smurthwaite

Fit-ups: the touring companies that brought theatre to rural Ireland

Fit-ups: the touring companies that brought theatre to rural Ireland

by Douglas McPherson

Pantomime veteran Matt Crosby on 20 years at the Arts Theatre Cambridge

Pantomime veteran Matt Crosby on 20 years at the Arts Theatre Cambridge

by Nick Smurthwaite

Shifting gear: how a lesbian-run garage sparked a musical

Shifting gear: how a lesbian-run garage sparked a musical

by Holly Williams

Inside the Globe of Death: the history of the perilous circus act

Inside the Globe of Death: the history of the perilous circus act

by Douglas McPherson

Pina Bausch’s The Rite of Spring: from walkouts to a world tour

Pina Bausch’s The Rite of Spring: from walkouts to a world tour

by Nick Smurthwaite

The AIDS Plays Project: resurrecting the voices of a lost generation of writers

The AIDS Plays Project: resurrecting the voices of a lost generation of writers

Big top branding: why circus posters are in the middle of a vanishing act

Big top branding: why circus posters are in the middle of a vanishing act

by Douglas McPherson

Shakespeare on air: looking back at the debt that radio owes to theatre

Shakespeare on air: looking back at the debt that radio owes to theatre

by Andrea Smith

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Linus Roache withdraws from Michael Sheen’s Owain & Henry

Cloud 9 review

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Royal Ballet and Opera asks staff to cover front-of-house shifts following cuts

The Mousetrap artistic director to step down after 18 years in post

National Theatre receives £15m boost to touring work in bid to reach 100,000 young people

Nero review

Matt Smith to star in world premiere of Jack Thorne’s The Humans

Theatre bosses urge PM to protect women in arts after Brand crimes

Prima Facie review

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