Thursday, December 18

Author: Alice Rose

1884, an anti colonial game-theatre show at the Wellcome Collection
London

1884, an anti colonial game-theatre show at the Wellcome Collection

Without any previous research, I chose to enter this piece blind in which I am immensely glad I did. Created by Rhianna Llube, we wait patiently at the doors. We are told this is as immersive as you chose it to be, you can simply observe or be as active as you desire. Once inside you have a choice of 5 tables to sit at, you are encouraged to start as strangers and so as a solo traveller that is what I did. In front of you, you have a home, a letter holder, and a few counters with pieces of furniture on them. The actors begin their welcoming speeches, inviting us to a new society in which we are all separate families building their homes. The set and costume is beautifully designed, almost 50’s American style with pale blues, pinks and browns to express solidarity and neutrality. We begi...
Love Quirks – The Other Palace
London

Love Quirks – The Other Palace

Four friends living in London brought together by unfortunate events: their love life sucks. Ryan (Lewis Bear Brown), Stephanie (Clodagh Greene), Chris (Tom Newland) and Lili (Ayesha Patel) have struggled to keep their love life on the upward trajectory. Stephanie announcing her divorce, Chris being cheated on by his fiancé, Ryan struggling to find a man he truly likes and Lili never quite getting over Ryan- the only man she’s ever loved. We are slightly rooting for Stephanie and Chris as it’s revealed they have a past and potentially through their heart break, they can find comfort in each other. However, the story does feel quite dated and limiting for the actors as every time we explore a complexity to heartbreak the script stays very 2 dimensional. Lili is a masters student who i...
LENNY. – Omnibus Theatre
London

LENNY. – Omnibus Theatre

Lenny, also known as ‘big man’ by his best friend Carly is soon to be turning 30. Living with flatmates he doesn’t like, a job that fulfills him with no purpose and a huge burning desire to be loved. Written and performed by Alfie Webster and directed by Sarah Stacey, this 80-minute piece travels through the usual spots Lenny exists like the cinema, a nightclub, the nightclub’s cubicle and back in his room where even there he struggles to take up space. But on this particular day he is haunted by a dream, in which he had sex with a banana. This unravels him completely as he realises his own loneliness. His mission becomes clear, to prove the banana wrong and make sense of who he is. Location to location, Webster invites us into his lens of life. He finds humour in almost anything mundan...
101 Dalmatians – Eventim Apollo
London

101 Dalmatians – Eventim Apollo

A well-known Disney classic retold in musical form, showing at the Hammersmith Apollo. This big production has spared no expense in its flashy lights, big stage and a few well-known faces. Unfortunately, it doesn’t hit you quite the same way as it may have in your childhood. This retelling is scatty, nonsensical and just basic. Photo: Johan Persson We begin with meeting Pongo, one of our central characters and told through puppetry. The stage is mostly filled with beautifully designed puppets, moving very effectively and breathes so much life into this story. Eventually met with Purdy before birthing 15 adorable puppies. After this, the story goes a little bit diagonally- Cruella played by Sydnie Christmas, a fashion idol is looking for her big hit for London’s fashion week and has h...
Get Happy – Omnibus Theatre
London

Get Happy – Omnibus Theatre

Performer and writer of the wonderful ‘Get Happy’ Joseph Aldous greets his audience like a cheerleader. Big energy, smiling and excitable- it’s impossible not to be pleased as we take our seats and buckle in for a wild night. Get Happy focuses on a 30-year man, single and looking for a long term partner but being subjected to one night stands and transactional relationships. He is plunged into chaos as his flatmate ‘Ryan’ announces his perfect engagement and perfect to be life as he ends his tenancy. Adam has only one choice to prove that he’s as worthy as his flatmate. He needs to ‘get happy’. To do this he trusts his Alexa to journey with him through this week in London, hoping by the Sunday he 1. Has a new boyfriend, 2. Has a new promotion and 3. Finds a new flatmate. This 75-...
Speed – Bush Theatre
London

Speed – Bush Theatre

An entrepreneur, a nurse and a delivery driver arrive for their speeding awareness course. Each of them at fault for getting too heated in the moment. To save their license, must complete their specialised course with Abz (Nikesh Patel). Abz is running a new course which combines the speed awareness with self awareness- what is making you so angry that you feel the need to act on it? Each of our guests find moments of self discovery and shame as we dig deeper to understand their moments of crisis but they start to realise something unusual might be at play. Abz’s twitching, quick to rage tendencies and judgemental opinions showcase a deeper reasoning for why they’re here today. Faiza (Shazia Nicholls) our entrepreneur brings an absolutely hilarious performance straight off the bat, prou...
Asbo Bozo – Riverside Studios
London

Asbo Bozo – Riverside Studios

18 minutes to start her day in silence, our lead and Anti-social Behaviour Officer (Georgina Duncan) needs to start her day off peacefully before dealing with the gruelling week ahead. Even more excitingly- it’s her birthday! With high expectations of the day, she prepares herself to play it cool when presented with cake and cards at work! She whirls around positive thinking, her phone quietly buzzes with yet another work meeting, a voicemail, an email. Her 18 minutes are cut 5 minutes short, so we journey with her on her walk to work through Wigan high street. Observant and suspicious of the locals, she’s seen far too much to just take life at surface level, but rather than confronting these demons, she remains forever bubbling on top of a kill switch. One small spark could set off an exp...
Double Act – Southwark Playhouse
London

Double Act – Southwark Playhouse

Two clowns enter the stage, their mission: to end their life tonight. We travel with them for the day as they quarrel over the best way to spend this final day. Representing one male, 28 and lost in what purpose his life might have, we meet strangers and exes on the way to the coast. Small gestures of kindness and connection breaks his mission to the cliff, giving him moments of doubt as he continues to question - what is courage? Is it to finally bring it all to an end or is it to keep trying? Written and performed by Nick Hyde, they play one side of the coin along with Oliver Maynard. Each of the pair double as other characters in this man’s life. The nosy neighbour, the ex and the unbearable finance bro from school. Each moment is relatable and hilarious, as we all connect over the j...
The Creakers – Southbank Centre
London

The Creakers – Southbank Centre

What a way to end 2024 and bring in the new year than to spend it with Tom Fletcher's stage adaptation of ‘The Creakers’. Following Lily, the ‘bin girl’ to all the children on the street whose Dad works as a bin man and clears up all the rubbish on Clutter Avenue. One night, there’s a rumble under her bed and in the morning, her dad is nowhere to be seen. Along with the rest of the street’s parents. All the kids are now by themselves, much to their surprise and enjoyment. Lily takes it upon themselves to find out where the parents have gone and how to get them back. As this show opened, we are introduced to an incredibly interesting and beautiful set, explosive with colour and light and never for a second left a dull moment on stage. The cast enter with the opening number, the character...
Hansel and Gretel – Shakespeare’s Globe
London

Hansel and Gretel – Shakespeare’s Globe

A new version of the classic tale ‘Hansel and Gretel’ directed by Nick Bagnall takes us through a journey of abandonment, survival by all means and some slightly odd creatures luring the kids astray along the way. Ned Costello as Hansel has a fiery spirit who uses his intelligence and determination to keep the pair hopeful. Yasemin Özdemir as Gretel is just as powerful in spirit and never shy to show how angry she may feel, staying smiling all through the hardships of finding their way back home. Supported by an incredible cast, narrator Jenni Maitland is cheerful and engaging keeping everyone on their toes for what could possibly happen next. Photo: Ellie Kurttz As to where it goes, it is slightly confusing on what message we can take from this new adaptation by Simon Armitage. A...