Selected reviews by Arifa Akbar, chief theatre critic of The Guardian.
Arifa Akbar was appointed chief theatre critic at the Guardian in 2019, succeeding Michael Billington who stepped down as chief critic in December 2019.
Prior to taking on the chief role, Arifa had been reviewing for the Guardian for several years, and interviewing theatre talent.
Akbar previously worked as arts editor at Tortoise Media, and had worked for 15 years at the Independent, where she started as a news reporter before becoming arts correspondent and literary editor. She has also written for the Observer and the Financial Times, and is on the board of trustees of the Orwell Foundation.
More about Arifa Akbar:
The Guardian Bio & Articles | Twitter | Instagram
Cloud 9 at the National Theatre Lyttelton (2026)
★★★★
"Caryl Churchill's magnificent Cloud 9 reaches for the skies." "This crisp, handsome and note-perfect revival lands in exactly the right…
The Guardian
The Lives of Others at the Adelphi Theatre (2026)
★★★
"[This] adaptation of the Oscar-winning film has plenty of suspenseful stagecraft but struggles to match its subtlety" "This production is…
The Guardian
The Cherry Orchard at the The Harold Pinter (2026)
★★★
"The drama never quite enters dark or tragic territory." "Kristin Scott Thomas, who brings a hard-edged modernity that you believe…
The Guardian
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the @sohoplace (2026)
★★★
"The play, while exquisitely written and structured, feels tortuously long at over three hours, and though this is the point…
The Guardian
The Standard of Living at the Theatre Royal Haymarket (2026)
★★★
"Played with equal amounts of old-school reserve, and charm." "Little short of ravishing." "Cleverly crafted dialogue." "A nod to today."
The Guardian
Thelma & Louise: The Musical at the The Old Vic (2026)
★★
"Despite a book by the original screenwriter, this stage adaptation doesn’t have the depth – or the songs – worthy…
The Guardian
Electra/Persona at the National Theatre (2026)
★★★
“Blanchett and Hoss face off in lopsided Sophocles/Bergman double bill” “Benedict Andrews’ drama after Bergman and Sophocles first welds the…
The Guardian
Who Killed Marilyn? at the Emerald Theatre (2026)
★
“You imagine this drama is setting itself up for something beyond the slew of familiar theories. But there is little…
The Guardian
As You Like It at the Shakespeare's Globe (2026)
★★★
“This production of the Bard’s pastoral comedy begins the dress-up long before its characters enter the forest for their games…
The Guardian
Abigail's Party at the Harold Pinter Theatre (2026)
★★★
“Tamzin Outhwaite’s incredible achievement is that she banishes Steadman’s original portrayal of Bev as the definitive one.” “Her performance, and…
The Guardian
The Oresteia at the Bridge Theatre (2026)
★★★
“They are so privileged that they speak of Bollinger as a cooking wine, and live in a house that has…
The Guardian
Jesus Christ Superstar - London Palladium at the London Palladium (2026)
★★★
"Sam Ryder raises the roof in rock opera turned up to 11." "There is actual stardust in the cast as…
The Guardian
PRIDE The Musical at the National Theatre (2026)
★★★★★
“As a musical, it becomes more than the sum of its parts: a remarkable piece of British social history, deeply…
The Guardian
The Misanthrope at the National Theatre (2026)
★★★
“This reworking of the 17th-century classic simpers in its satire and woos in its human drama.” “With sprawling ideas and…
The Guardian
Much Ado About Nothing at the Shakespeare's Globe (2026)
★★★
"A riot of romcom energy… insuppressibly crowd-pleasing, eminently worth seeing." "This elegant, effervescent production of Shakespeare's problem play has all…
The Guardian
Glengarry Glen Ross at the The Old Vic (2026)
★★
"For all its promise, the purpose of the gender reversal here feels unresolved." “Mamet’s gender-swapped motormouths fail to close the…
The Guardian
High Society at the Barbican Theatre (2026)
★★★
"Smooth musical hardly misbehaves but the songs are heavenly" "Impeccable vocals and slick staging make for dazzling set pieces in…
The Guardian
Mother Courage and Her Children at the Shakespeare's Globe (2026)
★★★★
"Anna Jordan’s new translation and Michelle Terry’s lovable performance bring out the humanity of a woman doing what’s necessary to…
The Guardian
An Ideal Husband at the Lyric Hammersmith (2026)
★★★★
"The dissolute aristocrats from 1895 remain sharply funny, and bitingly relevant, in this flamboyant new spin" "Its first, slower half…
The Guardian
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