Dave Smith, Author at North West End UK

And Then There Were None – Richmond Theatre

1Nov

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

And Then There Were None – Richmond Theatre

"And Then There Were None" is one of the best-selling novels of all time with Agatha Christie's sales surpassed only by the Bible and William Shakespeare. The inscription above the stage at Richmond Theatre which reads "To wake the soul by tender strokes of art," seems to contrast starkly with the ruthless and unforgiving nature of events in this play. Eight strangers and two servants receive invitations to stay on Soldier Island, but it quickly becomes evident that they have all been deceived, as connections to their supposed hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Owen, turn out to be shaky or false. The Owen’s never appear, and a storm isolates the group on the island, cutting them off from the mainland. The guests seem to have little in common, and they squabble with each other and with the servants. E...

23Sep

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

The White Factory – Marylebone Theatre

At a time when war rages in Europe, a play written by Dmitry Glukhovsky and directed by Maxim Didenko - both political exiles from Russia about the things that people can be forced to do seems timely. The White Factory tells the story of the Kaufman family living in the Lodz Ghetto in Poland under Nazi occupation from 1938 onwards. The family of five are the heart of the story, husband and wife Yosef and Rivka, grandfather Ezekiel and boys Hermann and Volf. Initially in the wrong place and forced to translate, Yosef is forced to give up all he believes and take increasingly desperate action in efforts to keep his family safe. The horror that it takes to survive such a horror. Adrian Schiller is exceptional as Jewish Elder Chaim Rumkowski, appointed to run the city by the SS, forced t...

8Sep

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

Birthright – Finborough Theatre

Continuing their re-discovery season, Finborough Theatre presents Birthright by T. C. Murray. Written in 1910 and staged at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin that same year, it was a huge success. Set around the same time in rural Ireland, a farming family comes to conflict over the different ways the two sons are being drawn in their own lives. Shane, the second son, has an innate talent for farm work, often finding solutions to farm challenges more swiftly than his father, Bat. Yet, despite this, the farm and its birthright were never destined to be his. He has arranged to emigrate to America. On this particular evening, we find ourselves at the family table, where a freshly delivered trunk rests, symbolising the second son's future far away – a "spare," borrowing a phrase from recent UK te...

5Jul

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

Agatha – Theatre503

Agatha and Ben are newly engaged and about to have his parents around for dinner to share their happy news. Agatha seems distracted and when Ben finds a sonogram picture, their different needs from their relationship come into combat. Told through a series of flashbacks, from their first night together we follow the couple through the years, young love, moving in together, settling into the quiet moments and to the marriage proposal. There is a complication that Ben wants children, Agatha does not and despite the years together and the time jumps to show them together, it isn’t something either of them ever brought up. It seems odd that so far into a relationship, living together for years, talking of marriage and of future plans but neither have mentioned their strongly held beli...

24Jun

By Dave SmithNo Comments

Scotland

To The Ocean – The Greenhouse Theatre

When I think of Canary Wharf, I think of tall buildings and architecture and banks and bankers and the ‘city boys’ stereotype. I don’t immediately think of green spaces, cheap beer, wooden huts, classic literature raps (a fun performance from Julian Shakes Story during pre-show entertainment) and fringe theatre. At least I didn’t until now. The Greenhouse has taken over a little piece of Jubilee Park, Canary Wharf and turned it into a magical little space with all of the above! Not only that but it is the UK’s first zero zero-waste performance space, everything gets reused. To The Ocean is staged in the round in a little wooden hut in the park with stones and seashells laid out as set decoration and long pieces of fabric hanging above, the small space brings the audience right up ...

20May

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

Mustard – Arcola Theatre

Mustard, both written and performed by Eva O'Connor, is a one-woman show about Eva, a young Irish woman escaping the religious trappings of rural Ireland to London to study art. On a night out clubbing she meets a ‘smoking area man’, and after going back to his and discovering he is a professional cyclist, he is then known only as The Cyclist. O'Connor’s script is smart and zings, mustard being the only English ‘colonial’ item allowed in Eva’s home, lines about dipping Tayto and other moments leading to extra laughs from the knowing Irish in the audience. There are some lovely turns of phrase throughout including describing the caller id of her ex as ‘the letters and numbers that make him up’. O’Connor keeps the audience's attention throughout, a focused and measured delivery with lyric...

8Apr

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

The Dry House – Marylebone Theatre

Chrissy (Mairead McKinley) is passed out on the couch. Her house around her is dishevelled, empty beer cans and wine bottles litter the floor. The walls are showing damp and mould, and everything looks to be in need of a good clean. Her sister, Claire (Kathy Kiera Clarke) arrives having agreed to bring four final drinks before Chrissy has agreed to go to an alcohol treatment facility. The Dry House is staged in a small letter box, the surround of the stage blacked out, leaving us focused on the unkempt home and the women before us. The relationship between the two sisters feels very real, we see and feel the long history between them, picking up on snippets of family background and times shared together. Chrissy always liked a drink but after the death of her daughter Heather (Carla Lan...

25Mar

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

Leaving Vietnam – Park Theatre

On a career break in my late 20s, I spent a few months in Southeast Asia. I followed the well-trod backpacker's routes to the standard tourist sites and the occasional pub. These days most of us know the Vietnam War through pop culture like Robin Williams wishing us good morning or Marlon Brando telling of terrors. When I went to Vietnam, all I really knew was from pop culture. One of the first things I did was visit the Vietnam Military History Museum and I will never forget the moment the guide pointed out to me that of course in Vietnam, they call it the “American War”. Leaving Vietnam is a monologue written and performed by Richard Vergette about an American Vietnam vet. Jimmy wasn’t drafted, he signed up to become a marine and spent a tour in Vietnam, in the jungle, interrogating v...

10Mar

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

Under The Black Rock – Arcola Theatre

Coming up on 25 years since The Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland still has many issues to face and strongly entrenched divides within its community. Thankfully, it no longer sees the violence and terror of the troubles and when there is violence it is condemned by the majority, including leading figures from each side of the division. Tim Edge’s Under The Black Rock looks back at a time when that violence and terror were a daily part of life in Northern Ireland. Set in Belfast, we meet the Ryan family and follow the main role of Niamh (Evanna Lynch, known for Harry Potter, is strong in this) who follows her father into the IRA. Many of the cast play dual roles, Flora Montgomery is excellent; first as a hard-worn senior IRA figure then slipping into the role of Sandra Ryan, desper...

20Feb

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

The Tinker – VAULT Festival

In the middle of the night, as a storm rages all around, there is a sudden knock on your door. A man in ragged clothes seeks shelter for the evening - do you let him in? Frank (Keon Martial-Phillip) and Evelyn (Lauren O’Leary) left the big city and moved to a distant rural home to take over the day-to-day running of the family whiskey business. The house is described as built for company, but it feels cold and impersonal. There are hints of love and warmth between the couple, but they are bogged down with distance and loss which threatens to overwhelm them as they seek solace following the disappearance of their only child. It is only in brief moments we see their love through the tangle and depression, almost as if they both know their relationship is broken but have made an active dec...