When a widower brings home his new (and much younger than him) bride it sparks conflict with his youngest son over the ownership of the family farm. But the battle lines soon become blurred when the son embarks on a passionate affair with his father’s new wife.

‘I just want to be normal.’

That’s the plaintive cry of feral teenager Urban Grimshaw who leads a bunch of feral kids fuelled by a diet of glue, smack, pills and booze living on the edges of society in a Leeds city centre shed.

It was inevitable that feminist theatre makers RashDash would turn their attentions to patriarchy which they give a good battering with their trademark mix of devised words, raucous songs and lots of wild dancing.

Adapted from the 2003 novel by Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner, (adapted for stage for its premiere in 2009), tells the story of Amir, a young boy from the district of Kabul, in the mid 1970s, whose closest friend is Hassan.  As a young boy Amir’s father (“Baba”) took Hassan into his care following the tragic death of his own mother.  The story is set against a backdrop of tumultuous events, from the fall of Afghanistan’s monarchy through the Soviet military intervention and the exodus of refugees to Pakistan and United States, and the rise of the Taliban regime.

I think you would be hard pushed to find a member of the public who has not at least heard of the classic musical that is Grease. You could feel the excitement within the audience at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre last night, to see their much loved musical live on stage.

Can it really be 170 years since Charlotte Brontë’s tale of a little orphan hit the bookshelves?

The story of Jane Eyre, the orphan in question, was given 21st-century touches in parts, by the National Theatre and the Bristol Old Vic, in the first touring production to grace the stage of Hull New Theatre, after its £16m revamp.

Cameron Mackintosh wants a new musical and fast!  In fact, he wants it ready in just under two hours, and he wants his writers – (the audience) to come up with everything from the location/setting to the themes and influences. 

It may not be quite Halloween season yet, however that hasn't stopped everyone's favourite kooky and mysteriously spooky family, the Addams Family arriving (by hearse of course!) at Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre for the week.

This was an oddity as the Quarry Theatre has been converted into an ad hoc radio studio for a live action version of Nick Ahad’s Partition, first broadcast on the anniversary of the day that created independent states India and Pakistan seventy years ago.