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Edinburgh Festivals: the 50 best shows to see this August
From comedy to theatre, opera to dance, our critics pick unmissable shows at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe, EIF, Art Festival and Book Festival
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The Hot Wing King, National’s Dorfman Theatre: sitcom and social realism make an uneasy mix
A cookery competition sits at the heart of a Pulitzer-winning play that opts for feelgood emotion over force
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Hello, Dolly!, London Palladium: Imelda Staunton is back where she belongs
The star raises the roof without breaking into a sweat – it’s a performance that reaffirms her as one of British theatre’s greats
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ECHO: Blurs time and space in magically uplifting and soulful ways
Each night this brilliant meta-theatrical experiment is tackled by a new high-profile actor, from Toby Jones to Emilia Clarke
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The Baker’s Wife: Two star turns save this half-baked confection
The plot’s lightweight and the songs so-so, but this comedy about French marital infidelity here gets an undeniably spirited revival
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Daniel Kitson: Collaborator – sharp, subversive and oddly feelgood
The award-winning comedian’s new high-concept show revolves around audience participation – but it’s a lot more enjoyable than it sounds
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Ooh, Betty! The return of Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em proves that some jokes never get old
The sexual politics may be antediluvian, but you can’t fault the farce in a fresh stage adaptation of the classic Michael Crawford sitcom
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Visit From An Unknown Woman, Hampstead Theatre: Christopher Hampton’s strange new play will horrify feminists
This adaptation of Stefan Zweig’s short story is a tale of female obsession and self-sacrifice that rings shrilly to present-day ears
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Chariots of Fire, Crucible: This timely film adaptation skips frothily along but doesn’t move as it should
Mike Bartlett’s adaptation of the famous film boasts a wealth of theatrical inventiveness, but fails to explore the story’s big themes
