Jean Racine

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The week in theatre: Britannicus; Tony! (The Tony Blair Rock Opera); The Haunting of Susan A
Even Timberlake Wertenbaker can’t quite ignite Racine’s tyrannical hero; Harry Hill’s New Labour musical is a gag-filled joy; and the spirits move for Mark Ravenhill

Kate Kellaway

12, Jun, 2022 @9:30 AM

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Britannicus review – political drama is deadly serious but full of sass
Timberlake Wertenbaker’s take on Racine’s version of ancient Rome is replete with power-crazed emperors, deadly poison and juicy family politics

Arifa Akbar

02, Jun, 2022 @1:00 PM

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You name it, she's played it: the sublime classical actor Barbara Jefford
She has given unforgettable performances in Shakespeare, Chekhov and Shaw over her extraordinary 70-year career. Where’s this great actor’s damehood?

Michael Billington

24, Jul, 2020 @5:00 AM

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Choosing my 101 greatest plays – and why I left out King Lear
How do you even begin to pick the world’s 101 greatest plays? The Guardian’s theatre critic explains how he approached this controversial task for his new book – and admits he is already having second thoughts

Michael Billington

26, Aug, 2015 @6:02 PM

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Andromache review – torrid love rectangle gets fine revival
A reminder of the power of Racine’s 1667 exploration of obsessive love in ancient Greece, Edward Kemp’s excellent new translation has an impressive young cast

Michael Billington

02, Jun, 2015 @1:49 PM

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Private Lives; Berenice; The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner – review
Noël Coward's Private Lives springs to fabulously sexy life while Racine's classic is lost in translation, writes Kate Kellaway

Kate Kellaway

06, Oct, 2012 @11:05 PM

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Berenice – review

This version breathes what Racine called 'that majestic sadness which is the whole pleasure of tragedy', writes Michael Billington

Michael Billington

02, Oct, 2012 @11:48 PM

Britannicus - review

It is well worth the detour to London's East End to catch Irina Brown's modern-dress revival of this austere masterpiece, writes Michael Billington

Michael Billington

23, Oct, 2011 @4:36 PM

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My hero: Patrick Marber by Craig Raine
Patrick Marber by Craig Raine

Craig Raine

06, Mar, 2010 @12:05 AM

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The National Theatre's Phèdre gets a Mexican wave | Lucy Popescu

Lucy Popescu: Helen Mirren and Dominic Cooper went down a storm in Mexico City, proving that the NT Live season reaches the parts other theatres can't

Lucy Popescu

22, Jul, 2009 @11:50 AM

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Theatre review: Phèdre / Chelsea Cinema, London
Chelsea Cinema, London
The National Theatre's live broadcast of Racine's play, starring Helen Mirren, works even better in the cinema, thinks Michael Billington

Michael Billington

26, Jun, 2009 @11:00 AM

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What to say about ... Phèdre
At first glance, it's DCI Jane Tennison snogging a History Boy. But it turns out the Prime Suspect star and Hollywood queen has chosen a weighty Racine tragedy for her return to the stage

Leo Benedictus

19, Jun, 2009 @2:48 PM

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