Riana Howarth, Author at North West End UK

<strong>Pericles – Riverside Studios</strong>

11Nov

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

Pericles – Riverside Studios

Flute Theatre’s Pericles begins with a hushed stage as the performers sit quietly on benches facing the audience. The sombre silence borders on ritualistic as we wait for the drama to unfold. The story begins in King Antiochus' palace. When Pericles finds out about the incest within the kingdom, Antiochus sends someone to kill him. Pericles' flight starts a long voyage through which he falls in love but then endures several tragedies. Flute Theatre specialises in staging productions of Shakespeare for autistic individuals. Scenes are cleverly brought to life with impressive movement direction and choreography by Juan Sanchez Plaza. This made the play visually captivating, and the masterfully seamless transitions kept it light and dynamic. With strong physicality and emotive expre...

A Dead Body in Taos – Wilton’s Music Hall

28Oct

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

A Dead Body in Taos – Wilton’s Music Hall

Sam is informed that her mother’s dead body has been found in the desolate region of Taos. She handles the news surprisingly well, but grief turns into anguish as she receives a letter from her mother’s pocket: Do not grieve me, I am not here. It transpires that her mother, Kath has been investing in new technology which allows her consciousness to function after death. As Sam discovers her mother’s past and interacts with her bodiless form, she comes to terms with their relationship and unresolved conflict. Eve Ponsonby is electric as Kath as she is resurrected in snapshots of her life. Brewing with rage and propelled by an interminable search for meaning or truth, Kath jumps between different ideologies. Ponsonby expertly captures her stubborn, unbound spirit governed by a deep inner ...

10Oct

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

The Coral – Finborough Theatre

Collide Theatre’s adaptation of The Coral originally written by Georg Kaiser is as direct as it is puzzling. The Millionaire, cleverly represented with a red face, and a portrait covering his face in red, makes him synonymous with other powerful, rich men like Trump or Elon Musk. He sets up monthly meetings with struggling individuals, listening to their cases before donating generous amounts. Yet this is done to ease his conscience, as he still holds onto insurmountable wealth to protect him from the horror of poverty that he experienced as a child. Kaiser’s political stance soon becomes clear as the antagonistic Gentleman in Grey confronts the Millionaire, asking him to sign a treaty that ends the divide between rich and poor. Hints at a stylised, expressionistic world are conveyed on...

30Sep

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

Brown Boys Swim – Soho Theatre

Brimming with excitement and the promise of the future, Kash and Mohsen are unwittingly each other’s lifeline during their isolating adolescence. Mohsen, the more reserved and cautious of the two plans to study at Oxford university and shies away from leaving his hometown. In spite of his banter and humorous nature, he is constantly guarded and aware of how he navigates the world as a young, Muslim man. Kash serves as his polar opposite, uninhibited and blissfully ignorant of others’ perceptions of him and even interprets them to suit himself. When a pool party is on the cards Kash, forever the optimist decides to learn how to swim, much to Mohsen's reluctance. Arguments and clashes arise as they explore tensions surrounding their friendship and their different attitudes to life. Karim ...

The Wonderful World of Dissocia – Stratford East

24Sep

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

The Wonderful World of Dissocia – Stratford East

Anthony Nielson’s dizzyingly timeless play is given a spectacular revival. The story follows a young woman, Lisa who receives a visit from a peculiar watchmaker explaining why her wristwatch is broken. He sends her on wild goose chase to the land of Dissocia where she seeks to restore her life’s balance. She meets a plethora of colourful characters bound by a strange collective consciousness. Think of Alice in Wonderland with more wit and luridness. Neilson’s play explores dissociative disorder from the perspective of the sufferer, whilst also showing the absurdity within our social world. The set designed by Grace Smart along with Alexandra Faye-Braithwaite’s sound design combine to create the surreal feeling of a children’s TV show with brightly coloured, 2D cardboard cut outs of scen...

16Sep

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

The P Word – Bush Theatre

Waleed Akhtar’s new play is sharp as it combines the warmth of friendship with the brutal reality of life as a refugee in the UK. The story follows two gay Pakistani men as we watch their lives unfold in London. Zafar is seeking asylum, fleeing from the danger he would face as a gay man in Pakistan. He attends counselling sessions and lives in a constant state of unrest as he waits to hear about his application. Bilal, who goes by the name Billy, has been brought up in London and as he enters the stage, we are given the lowdown on his Grindr status. The pacing is gentle and gradual as the parallels between their lives are established, assisted by Max Johns’ minimalistic stage design; it is a rotating circle platform split in two. Each character sticks to his own side of the circle, whic...

13Aug

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

The West – COLAB Tavern

Colab Theatre’s immersive show propels you into a Western, bursting with sub-plots and missions. The story centres around the Mayor and Sheriff’s son who is arrested on suspicion of robbery and murder whilst we also rebuild the town after a devastating sandstorm. The set was wonderfully detailed without being too overwhelming or distracting. The tavern location was perfect for the show and the saloon swing doors were a neat touch. Co-written by Bertie Watkins, Ben Chamberlain, Charlotte Potter and the company, the script was bursting full of ideas and kept the audience entertained throughout whilst allowing for interjections from audience members and time to figure out the puzzles. With so many activities going on at once, the actors were excellent multitaskers and remembered which g...

7Aug

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

The Dumb Man – Cockpit Theatre

Based on Sherwood Anderson’s short story, this play for Camden’s Fringe Festival tells the tale of a man who lives in a world he created in his head. It begins with an elusive man addressing the audience and giving us a poetic introduction to the story. As Richard, the older character comes on stage he becomes consumed by whispering voices and eerie sounds. He gradually calms down and opens a letter which brings the characters of David and Jack to life as they converse across the stage and thus begins the illusory world. Jagoda Kamov’s writing has moments of eloquence and a particularly engaging scene between Jack and the nurse. The motifs of the windows and of the trees gave it a poetic feel and communicated Richard’s desperation to hold onto his illusions, as mirrored by Hardy Gru’s i...

22Jul

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London

Closer – Lyric Hammersmith

An obituary writer’s life is changed when he meets Alice, a reckless free spirit. Her habit of not looking as she crosses the road lands her in hospital where the two have flirtatious banter with Alice seeking intimacy through bizarre personal questions. From there unfolds the messy interweaving of four characters’ lives as they struggle and scheme to hold onto love or what they think is love. Patrick Marber’s play, first performed in 1997 feels as relevant and as shocking as it would have been then. With hints of the 90s as well as modern aspects and a minimalistic bright red stage designed by Soutra Gilmour, it gives the story a timeless feel. Marber’s dialogue fascinates and entertains, particularly the consistently surprising quips from Larry’s character. It was engaging and intrigu...

9Jul

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

Dracula’s Guest – White Bear Theatre

Brother Wolf presents this creative adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula’s Guest. The title is suitably euphemistic as it is revealed that Mr Renfield is being held against his will as Dracula continually glosses over this with a grandiose/ mocking hospitality. Dracula delves into the past, mapping out the scene to an eventual conclusion in which Renfield is forced to choose between two diabolical options. In the intimate studio space, the stage is minimal with a table, two chairs and a few props. One of which is a rotting pig’s head on a platter, a constant reminder of the grim, uneasy undercurrent. An eerie environment is instantly established as Dracula walks in with an open music box. There is a chilling atmosphere as you envision them surrounded by the gloomy walls and maze of a cas...