Ruby Thomas’ epic and playful modern love story takes eighteenth century court records as its starting point and explores the extraordinary true life of this gender pioneer. It follows Ruby Thomas’ two sold-out plays for Hampstead Downstairs: The Animal Kingdom ('pure theatre’ – The Guardian) and Either (‘marks Ruby Thomas out as a daring and exciting new voice’ – The Arts Desk).

Poetic licence is given by Catharina’s final grandstanding speech to the audience in which she asks “What is the good of speaking the truth if one cannot change it?”

In June, Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey will take over as artistic directors at the RSC. Let’s hope they give it a shaking. When I started reviewing for the Observer 25 years ago, the RSC was the default provider of Shakespeare productions. Since then the Globe has captured hearts, often with bolder approaches to the plays, as have stagings at the Almeida, Sheffield, the National, the Donmar and Bath’s Ustinov. Productions at Stratford are seldom less than proficient, but I can’t remember when I last left with my heart beating faster at an interpretation. In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding. Additionally, the blaring modern music choices (mixed in with more historically appropriate sound) tend to weigh down some of the transitions with heavy-handed self-awareness. We have seen plenty of historical text overlaid with modern music; this has become its own kind of trope. However, it is understandable that a sense of being ‘beyond time’ is important to the execution of this play and its subject matter. All this is achieved in the nuanced characterisations, the effective set design and clever performances. It doesn’t need the ‘edgy’ musical overlay. But in November charges against two men, who had denied involvement in the taunts were dropped. This followed an earlier decision to drop charges against two other men, who were thought to have been involved in the convoy.

In an informative session with Deputies, Price also confirmed that worryingly the biggest increase in racist, and antisemitic activity was amongst the far-right online. Price was also keen to stress that the CPS worked extremely closely with the community on crime issues, and had a good understanding of the issues at stake, with the help of Jewish prosecutors. He also said there was evidence that 13 and 14 year-old were amongst those being increasingly drawn into far-right activity internationally.

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Wilson and Bain are remarkable, deftly switching between the comedy and the subtler, more poignant moments”

The casting of Alex Kingston as Prospero more interestingly switches the emphasis of the plot, towards layers of affection and subjection. This is not a feminist first – Vanessa Redgrave took the role at the Globe more than 20 years ago – but it has a far-reaching effect. Kingston, who draws the audience to her with fervour, is a no-nonsense maternal figure, pulsing with warmth: it is the only time I have seen Prospero torn with sorrow when Ariel flies off. What is more, the most moral of the courtiers is also played by a woman. All fine, this, save that it results in a sentimental goody-baddy split on gender lines. Is a female Caliban impossible? She could still have had a violent go at Miranda. Extremely funny imagining of a queer relationship from the 1700s, inspired by historical court transcripts. What do truth and intimacy mean under such extreme pressures? Owen Horsley’s production locates it in a tender bath scene – perversely stuffed into an overhung corner of the set – where Maggie Bain’s charismatic Anastasius strips off for the first time, in the garret that has become the couple’s marital home, moments before the law comes banging at the door, bringing an abrupt swerve into courtroom drama. Nor has she paused to ponder if remaking past truths is the fuel that drives Holocaust denial and Stop the Steal “new truths”. It is a shame because other than the dead weight of this on-the-nose messaging Thomas writes with a light touch and shows a talent for comedy too. Owen Horsley directs at Hampstead Theatre for the first time; his credits for the RSC include the recent double bill of Rebellion and Wars of the Roses, as well as Maydays and Salomé.I still wish the play delivered a clear explanation of Lehmans’ final implosion. What is powerfully suggested is a gradual hollowing out of values as the business changes from dealing in goods to dealing in money: from stuff to symbol. Where better than a theatre to show how an illusion can captivate, and faith be instilled by confident presentation: “Trust me, I’m an actor.” They morph as ingeniously as the first cast’: Hadley Fraser, Nigel Lindsay and Michael Balogun in The Lehman Trilogy. Photograph: Mark Douet Keith Myers, the Edgware United deputy, and a former joint-chair of the CPS Jewish Network, pointed out that antisemitism itself was not a crime. There are not many out non-binary actors my age, but it's glorious to see so many more coming up in the generation after. There's a part of me that wishes I'd had that community around me, but I am thrilled with how things are changing. I never thought we would get here." Ruby Thomas’s sparky historical play is dulled by its messaging. The subject is a married couple who lived in 18th-century Prussia but who were tried when it was discovered that the husband was born a woman and was then executed for sodomy (I know).

In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people. Redacting Emilia’s much more likely Jewish identity was no problem for the creators of Emilia, and making Anastasius non-binary instead of a woman is a decision made just as breezily here. Ruby Thomas’ epic and playful modern love story is inspired by eighteenth century court records and the extraordinary true lives of this gender pioneering couple. It follows her two sold-out plays for Hampstead Downstairs: The Animal Kingdom ('pure theatre’ – The Guardian) and Either (‘marks Ruby Thomas out as a daring and exciting new voice’ – The Arts Desk). We couldn’t prove to the criminal standard that the people in the cars are the people that were issuing antisemitic comments. Crucially, three actors – barely adapting Katrina Lindsay’s sober costumes – become a myriad characters, multigenerational, epoch-leaping, gender-defying. Michael Balogun, Hadley Fraser and Nigel Lindsay morph as ingeniously as the first cast. They are the three Bavarian brothers and they are their American descendants. With a bend of waist and wrist, a simper or a glare (this is a man-oriented show) they become their wives; with a whimper or treble voice they turn into their children; a dying man transforms into the doctor who tends him.But if the evidence isn’t there, and in that case Andrew, it wasn’t there, then it doesn’t meet our test and can’t get the case.” After a year at drama school, Bain has worked consistently, although before landing "the most wonderful supportive agent" it could be isolating. They enjoy a good life and are well liked in the regiment but, faced with a full medical examination, Anastasius is forced to run. The truth is not an object to be found,” she continues, it can be “unravelled” and a “new truth can be made” instead. Anastasius finds employment as a clothmaker in Catharina’s town where he claims to be the son of Cornelius Rosenstengl from Prague. They meet clandestinely, fall for each other and, eventually, Catharina persuades Anastasius to marry her.