All blog posts from Lisa in the Theatre
Theatre and arts reviews, news, interviews, favourites, ticket tips, guides and more.

The Citz first Christmas show in their reopened building, Lewis Hetherington's Beauty and the Beast offers a magical piece of atmospheric storytelling for the festive season. Read my review below. Israela Efomi and Nicholas Marshall in Beauty and the Beast. Photo: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan Beauty and the Beast, Citizens Theatre ★★★★★ Review: 5 December 2025 | Citizens Theatre, Glasgow If you're looking for something other than pantomime to entertain the family this Christmas, the Cit

Twenty years since his first appearance in panto at Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling, Johnny McKnight returns to the stage with Weans in the Wood . Read my review of this exhilarating Christmas pantomime below. Johnny McKnight & Dani Heron in Weans in Wood. Photo: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan Weans in the Wood panto, Macrobert Arts Centre ★★★★★ Review: 4 December 2025 | Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling Scotland's premier pantomime dame Johnny McKnight returns to Macrobert Arts Centre t

Macrobert Arts Centre is celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Johnny McKnight’s first appearance in the venue’s Christmas pantomime. Since then, Johnny has written every Macrobert pantomime and performed as the Dame every other year. Read more about this panto legend and his legacy at the Stirling panto below. Robert Jack, Johnny McKnight & the cast of Weans in the Wood at Macrobert Arts Centre. Photo: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan Twenty years since Johnny McKnight first appeared in

With a Scottish spin on the traditional Aladdin story, Fraser Boyle and the team at Ayr's Gaiety Theatre have created two new Ayrshire pantomime heroes in Aladdie and Alassie. Read my review of the 2025 Ayr panto below. Lewis Kerr in Aladdie. Photo: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan Aladdie: Ayr Gaiety panto ★★★☆☆ Review: 29 November 2025 | Ayr Gaiety Theatre Fraser Boyle's writing is brilliant. He wisely side-steps any issues with the traditional Aladdin pantomime story and Orientalism by pl

Òran Mór's lunchtime adult pantomime is back with Mary Doll Poppins , written and directed by Martin McCormick . The madcap panto from the creative minds behind the world-famous A Play, A Pie and A Pint is performing two shows a day, most days from Tuesday 25th November to Sunday 4th January. Read my review of Mary Doll Poppins below! Mary Doll Poppins cast. Photo: Tommy Ga-ken Wan Mary Doll Poppins Òran Mór Winter Pantomime ★★★★☆ Review: 28 November 2025, Òran Mór, Glasgow

The final play in A Play, A Pie and A Pint's 2025 autumn season is Strangers in the Night by Alan Muir , directed by Cora Bissett . Strangers in the Night plays  at Glasgow’s Òran Mór from Monday 17 - Saturday 22 November. Read my review below. Juliet Cadzow and William MacBain in Strangers in the Night. Photo: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan Strangers in the Night | A Play, A Pie and A Pint ★★★★☆ Review: 18 November 2025, Òran Mór, Glasgow Jimmy (William MacBain) and May (Juliet Cadzow) a

A Play, A Pie and A Pint's autumn season continues this week with Death of an Influencer by Matt Anderson , directed by Edoardo Berto . This new play is co-presented with Aberdeen Performing Arts and runs at Òran Mór, Glasgow from 3 - 8 November before transferring to the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen. Read my review below. George Drennan and Andrew Agnew in Death of an Influencer. Photo: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan Death of an Influencer | A Play, A Pie and A Pint 2025 ★★★★☆ Review: 4 Novemb

Éimi Quinn's latest play takes pride of place as A Play, A Pie and A pint's Halloween special this year. Hauns Aff Ma Haunted Bin! is directed by 'Bard in the Botanics' Associate Director Jennifer DIck , and runs at Glasgow's Òran Mór for one week only, Monday 27 October - Saturday 1 November. Read my review below. Isabelle Joss, Gavin Jon Wright & Éimi Quinn in Hauns Aff Ma Haunted Bin! Photo: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan Hauns Aff Ma Haunted Bin! ★★★☆☆ A Play, A Pie and A Pint's Hallow

The latest new production at A Play, A Pie and a Pint this 2025 autumn season is The Glasgow Poisoner by Tom Cooper and Jen McGregor. This brand-new musical is based on the true story of Glaswegian socialite Madeleine Smith who was accused of murdering her lover in 1857. The Glasgow Poisoner: A New Musical is A Play, A Pie and A Pint production, co-presented with OneRen and The Gaiety Theatre, Ayr. Read my review of this lively new true crime musical below. Chiara Sparke