Pitlochry Festival Theatre in Scotland, is about to open its 75th anniversary season, its first since star of stage and screen Alan Cumming took over as Artistic Director.

BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Sam Hardie, Associate Director at the theatre, who is directing a revival of Iain Heggie's Wiping My Mother's Arse, and to playwright Douglas Maxwell, whose new play Inexperience will open in June, about the new season and the ways in which the new artistic director and his predecessor, Elizabeth Newman, changed the theatre's focus.

Douglas also shares the best piece of advice he was ever given about playwriting that he thinks about every day, which came from Iain Heggie.

Pitlochry Festival Theatre's 75th anniversary season opens on 23 May 2026 with a revival of the musical Once directed by John Tiffany, followed by Finn Den Hertog's production of Shakespeare's Lear starring Maureen Beattie, a revival of 2024 Edinburgh Fringe hit A History of Paper, Beckett's Happy Days starring Siobhán Redmond directed by Roxana Silbert, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie directed by Vicky Featherstone and My Fair Lady directed by Maria Friedman with Alan Cumming as Professor Higgins.

In the Studio, Douglas Maxwell's Inexperience opens on 13 June, followed by I Can Die Too by Frances Ruffelle, Sally George and Alan Cumming, Wiping My Mother's Arse by Iain Heggie (directed by Sam Hardie) and I'll Be Seeing You by Martin Sherman.

Liverpool's Unity Theatre is the last surviving member of the Unity Theatre movement formed from left-wing workers' drama groups in the 1930s.

The theatre is to present a series of events under the name A Radical Reimagining to celebrate a century of radical theatre in Liverpool, a project conceived by Artistic Director Eli Randle.

BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Eli about the project, the theatre's history and the changing face of political theatre. Eli also paid tribute to Graeme Phillips, Artistic Director of the Unity for more than thirty years, who died last year.

The various events in A Radical Reimagining will take place through May and June 2026 at the Unity Theatre, including Young Radical Theatre Makers from a new generation of artists and Stage Left, a production that looks back on the company's history, both running from 4 to 6 June.

Birmingham Rep is to present its first Shakespeare play for ten years. Joe Murphy who became artistic director 12 months ago is directing A Midsummer Night's Dream along with deputy artistic director Madeleine Kludje.

BTG Midlands editor Steve Orme spoke to Joe and Madeleine about their take on the play before chatting to three of the cast, Evie Ward-Drummond, Isabel Adomakoh Young and Charlotte Wallis.

A Midsummer Night's Dream will run at Birmingham Rep from Saturday 25 April until Sunday 24 May 2026.

(Pictured from left: Charlotte Wallis (Helena), Isabel Adomakoh Young (Hermia), Evie Ward-Drummond (Lysandra), deputy artistic director Madeleine Kuldje and artistic director Joe Murphy.)

Bryony Kimmings has been creating and performing shows based closely on events in her own life since her award-winning Sex Idiot in 2010.

Her latest solo show, Bog Witch, about her difficult move from the city to the countryside and growing awareness of environmental issues, is currently on a tour of the UK and Ireland.

BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Bryony about the show, her creative process, how she began creating this type of theatre, the role of a dramaturg, her surprise at finding she was influenced by Brecht and doing audience participation the correct way.

Bog Witch has been performed so far at Soho Theatre in London, Attenborough Centre in Brighton and HOME Manchester.

From May to October 2026, it can be seen at Assembly Hall Theatre in Tunbridge Wells, Warwick Arts Centre in Coventry, Cambridge Junction, Bristol Old Vic, Connaught Theatre in Worthing, Swan Theatre in Worcester, Newbury Corn Exchange, Pavilion Theatre in Dún Laoghaire, Nottingham Playhouse, Chester Storyhouse, St George's Hall in Bradford, The Dukes in Lancaster, Sherman Theatre in Cardiff and Leeds Playhouse.

For more information, see www.bryonykimmings.com.

(Photo of Bryony Kimmings in Bog Witch at Soho Theatre, credit: Rosie Powell)

Northern Stage and Derby Theatre are joining forces to present the musical Little Shop of Horrors.

Kristian Cunningham will play Seymour while Amena El-Kindy will take the role of Audrey.

BTG Midlands editor Steve Orme spoke to director Sarah Brigham about her take on the play before chatting to Kristian and Amena.

Little Shop of Horrors will run at Northern Stage in Newcastle from Friday 8 until Saturday 23 May 2026. It will then transfer to Derby Theatre from Saturday 30 May until Saturday 20 June.

London's Marylebone Theatre is soon to present a revival of Arthur Miller's 1968 play The Price, directed by Jonathan Munby and starring Henry Goodman in the role of 89-year-old Gregory Solomon.

BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to Henry about the role and the play and its current relevance as well as about rehearsing, directors, political theatre, the influence on him of playing Freud in Terry Johnson's Hysteria and the types of roles he is currently looking to play.

David then spoke to Jonathan about the play, his reasons for wanting to direct it now, the production's design and style, how he will approach rehearsals and the influence his five years working for Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama have had on his directing.

The Price will run at Marylebone Theatre in London from 17 April to 7 June 2026.

The 2016 Palme d'Or and BAFTA-winning film I, Daniel Blake, directed by Ken Loach, written by Paul Laverty and featuring comedian and actor Dave Johns in the title role, was adapted by Johns for a stage production in 2023 directed by Mark Calvert.

The production is to be revived for a short tour in 2026 produced by Northern Stage in Newcastle and Leeds Playhouse featuring most of the original cast and production team.

BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to director Mark Calvert about the play and its strong message, how playing the title role in the film fired up Dave Johns politically and made him keen to bring it to the stage, the reactions from audiences across the political spectrum in 2023, the fear of having Loach and Laverty in the audience on press night and more.

I, Daniel Blake opens at Northern Stage in Newcastle from 20 March to 2 April 2026 before touring to Citizens Theatre in Glasgow 7–11 April, The Dukes in Lancaster 14–18 April, HOME Manchester 21–25 April and Leeds Playhouse 28 April–9 May.

(Photo of Mark Calvert, credit: Von Fox Promotions)

English Touring Opera has been taking live opera productions and educational and community projects around the UK since 1979.

The company has been based in London up to last year, when it began a move to Sheffield, and its spring 2026 season will be its first to open in the South Yorkshire city.

BTG Editor David Chadderton spoke to ETO's Artistic Director and CEO, Robin Norton-Hale, about the three productions about to open as well as about what makes the company unique, the challenges of touring, developing new opera works and about why no one should be afraid or daunted about going to the opera.

Ada and the Code Crusaders by Anna Pool visits mainly schools and libraries around the country from 17 March to 23 May.

Gilbert and Sullivan's The Gondoliers and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci will open at Sheffield Lyceum on 20 and 21 March respectively before touring to Cheltenham Everyman, Hackney Empire, Buxton Opera House, Norwich Theatre Royal, Storyhouse Chester, the Marlowe in Canterbury, Cambridge Arts Theatre, Hall for Cornwall in Truro and Gala Durham.

For more information and tickets, contact the theatres themselves or see English Touring Opera's own web site.