"James Erskine," the critic in Patrick Marber’s latest screenplay, is a complicated bounder. He parades his prejudices and attacks his victims with the same ferocity that his kind (queers not critics) have long endured from homophobes, like the National Front bullies in the film.

On the day of the 101st and final performance of Player Kings – without me – I celebrated by removing Falstaff’s hair, which has been growing for 9 months. I will be in the audience for the matinee in Newcastle. Photo by Frederic Aranda. Hair by Luke Davies at Supply 91.

In our director Anand Tucker’s rehearsals, I realised that Jimmy shares some attributes of real-life theatre critics I have known or known of. The first theatre critic I read was John Wardle, who wrote in the 1950s for the daily "Bolton Evening News," reviewing local amateur

Calling Directors! I’m excited that the Royal Theatre Support Trust has chosen my home town for its next venture. Here’s an exceptional opportunity for a director to originate a touring production on the main stage of Bolton’s Octagon Theatre.

TUESDAY AUGUST 13TH @ 7.30pm Screening of HAMLET, followed by Q & A with its director SEAN MATHIAS: TALIESIN ARTS CENTRE, Swansea University, SA2 8PZ. I’ll be there. Hope you are too! taliesinartscentre.co.uk/en/cinema?id=6…

Peter Jackson presents a groundbreaking journey back to Middle-earth through the eyes of legendary director Kenji Kamiyama. #LOTR The War of the Rohirrim - only in theaters Christmas. youtu.be/gCUg6Td5fgQ

Ambition seduces. Power corrupts. Don’t miss Ian McKellen and Gemma Arterton in the acclaimed British thriller THE CRITIC. Exclusively in cinemas September 13. #TheCriticFilmUK #TrueBritEnt

Turn on the sound to hear Post Malone: instagram.com/reel/C7-OmTIx1…

Continued from my previous post about the critic who wrote my first review (1958), Alan Dent. 12 years on I received this letter: “9th August, 1970; Dear Mr. McKellen, Some press-agency sent me recently a cutting from FLAIR in which you were very capably interviewed by Sheridan

Step behind the scenes of thrilling new film THE CRITIC with @IanMckellen & more. Only in cinemas September 13. #TheCriticFilmUK #TrueBritEnt

👏Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong & Lesley Manville. Don't miss THE CRITIC exclusively in cinemas September 13. #TheCriticFilmUK #TrueBritEnt

Sir Ian McKellen agreed to speak to Big Issue as one of the few engagements he’s carried out since a terrifying recent stage fall left him with significant injuries, forcing him to drop out of a UK tour. 🎭 Steven MacKenzie takes us behind the scenes. ⬇️ bigissue.com/opinion/ian-mc…

Our wonderful cast & director of THE CRITIC 🙌 #TheCriticFilmUK #TrueBritEnt Ian McKellen Anand Tucker

THE CRITIC opens in cinemas only (US, UK, Ireland) on September 13.

Want to know what ‘steatopygous’ means? Ask Jimmy Erskine. Don’t miss Ian McKellen’s acclaimed sharp-tongued performance in THE CRITIC - exclusively in cinemas September 13. thecriticfilmuk.com #TheCriticFilmUK #TrueBritEnt