Theater Update: Rose Byrne can, and does, do it all

February 25, 2026

Dear Theater Fans,

Lauren Yee’s dark, twisty, spy tale “Mother Russia” is not only very funny, but also a prime example of what makes theatergoing so rewarding: the communal experience. At one point during my performance, I looked around and noticed that the other audience members were laughing as much as I was. During a time of deep divisions, I found it to be quite refreshing. In her review, Elisabeth Vincentelli described it as “a comedy with a lot on its mind” and “as funny as it is smart.” Laura Collins-Hughes talked to Yee about her fascination with societal shifts and geopolitics, rooted in her San Francisco childhood.

Also this week: Helen Shaw revisited Clare Barron’s “gorgeously precise” 2014 drama “You Got Older,” which is being revived at the Cherry Lane Theater with Alia Shawkat and Peter Friedman; Laura Collins-Hughes explored some of the plays about addiction and recovery — including “The Reservoir” at Atlantic Theater Company — onstage this month; and Michael Paulson broke the news that Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell will star in Jamie Lloyd’s “Much Ado About Nothing” when it transfers to Broadway.

We also continued our preview of the spring season. Leah Greenblatt wrote a lovely profile of Rose Byrne, an Oscar nominee this year for “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” who is shifting gears with a Broadway revival of Noël Coward’s 1920s comedy “Fallen Angels.” Byrne told Leah: “It’s such a different skill being onstage. It’s so rigorous, particularly high comedy. There’s a different sort of energy required.”

And with “The Lost Boys” coming to Broadway in April and Cynthia Erivo currently starring in a solo “Dracula” in London’s West End, our horror expert Erik Piepenburg looked at how vampires have held such a firm grip on pop culture. It’s a rich and visually stunning dive into just how much our cultural landscape is teeming with them.

Please reach out to me at theaterfeedback@nytimes.com with suggestions for articles or to offer your thoughts about our coverage. And urge your friends to subscribe to this newsletter.

Have a wonderful week,
Nicole Herrington
Theater Editor

SPRING PREVIEW

The New York Times

Vampires Won’t Die. What’s Behind Their Bite?

With “The Lost Boys” on Broadway and Cynthia Erivo in “Dracula” in London, our horror expert looks at how bloodsuckers sank their teeth into pop culture.

By Erik Piepenburg

Sam Hellmann for The New York Times

Rose Byrne Can, and Does, Do It All

An Oscar nominee for a movie in which everything crashes down on her (literally), Byrne is shifting gears with the Broadway comedy “Fallen Angels.”

By Leah Greenblatt and Sam Hellmann

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NEWS AND FEATURES

A woman in a blue jacket over a green blouse and khaki pants poses for a portrait while standing in a stairwell.

George Etheredge for The New York Times

Her Post-Soviet Buddy Comedy Was Decades in the Making

Lauren Yee’s boisterous play “Mother Russia,” about the origins of the contemporary oligarchy, has its roots in her San Francisco childhood.

By Laura Collins-Hughes

A person wearing a crown and neck brace leans forward while holding a glowing microphone in a dark setting.

Arno Declair

Sword Strikes Playgoer During ‘Richard III’ in Berlin

The German actor Lars Eidinger lost control of the weapon in the final scene of Shakespeare’s play.

By Christopher F. Schuetze

Four people on a darkened stage, with one man throwing his arms outward.

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

12 Steps and Cups of Coffee: Sobriety Has Its Moment Onstage

Plays about addiction are filling Manhattan stages this month, depicting very different places on the recovery spectrum, from harrowing to serene.

By Laura Collins-Hughes

Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell in formal wear in front of a wall reading Olivier Awards.

Kate Green/Getty Images

‘Much Ado About Nothing’ on Broadway to Star Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell

The Marvel alumni will star in Jamie Lloyd’s mischievous take on Shakespeare’s comedy.

By Michael Paulson

THEATER REVIEWS

A woman looking anguished sits on a rock while another woman, standing, watches her. The backdrop is a brightly colored wall.

Joan Marcus

‘The Waterfall’ Review: A Mother’s Blessing and a Daughter’s Burden

Phanésia Pharel’s wistful two-hander starring Patrice Johnson Chevannes and Natalie Paul looks at a Haitian American family and questions of legacy.

By Rhoda Feng

A man in mime makeup and overalls sits on a blackened stage.

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

‘Marcel on the Train’ Review: A Famous Mime’s Little-Known Back Story

This bio play about Marcel Marceau, which delves into his part in the French Resistance, stars Ethan Slater (yes, that’s Boq from the “Wicked” movies).

By Elisabeth Vincentelli

In a production image, two men kneel on either side of a chair as they savor a fish sandwich that they are sharing.

George Etheredge for The New York Times

Critic’s Pick

‘Mother Russia’ Review: A New Play That’s as Funny as It’s Smart

A strong cast stars in Lauren Yee’s new play, part of a cycle of works about the collisions between 20th-century communism, capitalism and pop culture.

By Elisabeth Vincentelli