Five from Inside review – the inner workings of the mind in isolation

Available online From a violent prisoner to a haunted children’s entertainer, these up-close-and-personal new monologues by Rona Munro show us characters in retreat from the outside world • Hottest front-room seats: the best theatre and dance to watch online • The best arts and entertainment during self-isolation Many theatre-makers have responded to the coronavirus lockdown by seeking to re-create a sense of community. Whether it’s the Zoom-based talking heads of the Show Must Go Online’s Shakespeare marathon , the collage of images in St Helens Theatre Royal’s Rapunzel: The Lockdown Panto or the bring-your-own-laughter-track banter of the Stand comedy club’s weekly mixed bills , they are using the internet as a conduit for the shared experience. Rona Munro comes at it from the opposite direction. In a time of isolation, the playwright has turned inward, offering five monologues which are introspective and reflective. Written and rehearsed speedily, to fill the gap left by Donny’s Brain , which had been