London Archives - Page 103 of 150

24Oct

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

An Improbable Musical – Hackney Empire

An Improbable musical is a fun mixture of drama, music and theatre. The Hackney Empire is a fitting venue with its splendour of old-world charm and stunning productions. In the 120 years since its inception, it has played host to important and admired comedy legends. An Improbable Musical unfolds in front of you with improv magic, live music and puppetry. The team created a full-length play of varied characters with suggestions from the audience, all on the spot! Superb stagecraft, some stereotypical theatrical choices talented actors and musicians made this an enjoyable watch. Improvised theatre brings such joy due to the element of surprise for the audience and the performers on stage, tearing apart the fourth wall. With seasoned players like Lee Simpson and Josie Lawrence, joined ...

22Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

A Single Man – Park Theatre

Tonight, I had the pleasure of experiencing a near perfect night at the theatre. People, place, performances - to steal a well-known phrase, everything was coming up Zoë and I could not have been happier about it. Arriving at the brightly lit, inviting Park Theatre I was warmly greeted by the super-accommodating front of house, acquired a delightful glass of rose and found my seat. The stage is surrounded on three sides, and the front row of the audience’s knees are level with the stage. I’ve personally never been a fan of this set up, it’s always felt a bit too intimate somehow and if any of the action gets too close to you it’s a bit like being sat on the floor in a school assembly staring at teacher’s feet. Luckily, I was sucked into the action and after about 15 minutes any discomfo...

Brown Girls Do It Too: Mama Told Me Not to Come – Soho Theatre

22Oct

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

London

Brown Girls Do It Too: Mama Told Me Not to Come – Soho Theatre

Based on the critically acclaimed BBC Sounds podcast Brown Girls Do it Too, dynamic duo Rubina Pabani and Poppy Jay have brought their charm, wit and openness to the stage in this new show. Winners of Best Podcast of the Year at the British Podcast Awards (2020) and Asian Media Awards, (2021) the podcast explores the chaotic reality of being a British Asian woman and their experiences of sex, identity and family while growing up. Titled 'Brown Girls Do It Too: Mama Told Me Not to Come, the unfiltered show is a hilarious mix of skits, songs , stories and dancing. Set in the early 2000s- style teen bedroom decorated with nostalgic pop culture references from the likes of Bend it Like Beckham, Friends and American Pie with R&B classics playing in the background, the intimate set perfec...

22Oct

By Jennifer LaishleyNo Comments

London

A Gig For Ghosts – Soho Theatre

A Gig for Ghosts at The Soho Theatre is a heart-warming story that tells of the romance between Lilly and Amy. The show is a gig theatre show with one act. There is a lot more story to this show than other shows I’d the same format which helps to bring alive the characters. Although the subject matter is dark the script is also funny. Amy (Hanora Carmen) has a morbid job administering deaths for forgotten people and Lilly (Rori Hawthorn) is temping and new to London. The two characters are complete opposite, Lilly is desperate to fall in love and Amy is more comfortable alone. In the first scene we learn that Lilly is dead and this hangs over us throughout the show. The girls had convincing chemistry together and built believable characters. They were accompanied on stage by Maud (Li...

The Solid Life of Sugar Water – Orange Tree Theatre

21Oct

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

The Solid Life of Sugar Water – Orange Tree Theatre

The solid life of sugar water opens at the Orange Tree Theatre to critical acclaim. The venue is a cosy setting for the play that brings the intimacy of a young couple to stage. They meet greet, to moving in and falling in love. It's a masterpiece on how theatre can dwell with poignancy on often untold stories and transport us to witness human beings with their rawest emotions. The audience enters the dark theatre that has ‘the bed’ centre stage lighted below. Around the room the screens display the dialogues as uttered by the actors on stage. Indiana Lown-Collins commitment to make access cool with the brilliant collaboration of designer Ica Niemez shines through. Actors Katie Erich and Adam Fenton arrive with authenticity, as they bring Alice and Phil to life with their sign, tw...

20Oct

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

Soweto Gospel Choir – Cadogan Hall

Three times Grammy winning Soweto Gospel choir is synonymous with energetic magnetism that has you glued to your seats from the first note. The show packs music, rhythm, history, dance, choreography and the most colourful and fashionable costumes. The show starts with bringing into the spotlight the female drummer, who sets the rhythm, the mood and the pace through the next two hours. Twenty years of being on stage, the choir has travelled worldwide to prestigious locations in North America, Australia and Europe. It continues to raise funds for the Nkosi Haven Vukani Trust. The collections after performances go to buy supplies from food for the children the charities serve, plastic tables and chairs for pre-schools and funerals, kitchen appliances for soup kitchens, and child-fee...

20Oct

By Akshay RahejaNo Comments

London

The Poltergeist – Arcola Theatre

Sasha, once a renowned child artist, is now a stationer and haunted by the artist he could never be. The Poltergeist is a play about art, family and memory. In many ways, the experience of this play felt like a good rock concert. Just as one feels the drops and hits of the distortion of an electric guitar, one is hit by the movement, switch and the strong performance by Joseph Potter who seems to be playing an overwhelming number of roles (instruments) in the play. The heavy movements of the performance resemble the sensibilities of ritual theatre made by the ingredients of the alienation of modern subjects and the rage of a failed artist. “3…2…1…” Sasha expects a response from his partner, and we wait. The performer's intensity and the rhythm of narrating the story are central t...

Something In The Air – Jermyn Street Theatre

19Oct

By Caroline JamesNo Comments

London

Something In The Air – Jermyn Street Theatre

The world premiere of ‘Something In The Air’ by Peter Gill was staged at Jermyn Street Theatre. A beautiful and poignant reminder that no matter the age of the outer shell, the inner memories of youth remain. We arrive in a care home where we meet Colin, played by Ian Gelder, and Alex, played by Christopher Godwin. They begin to recount their youth and the boys they had loved. Meanwhile we see, what at first, feels like two younger versions of themselves acting out various scenes from the past. The most lovely moments coming between Gareth played by Sam Thorpe-Spinks and Alex, having a conversation that spans time. It would have been lovely to see more of this. Juxtaposing the reminiscences nicely were two visitors in the modern day setting of the care home. They were Alex’s niec...

Nigel Osner: Still Ticking! – Etcetera Theatre

17Oct

By Louise PennNo Comments

London

Nigel Osner: Still Ticking! – Etcetera Theatre

Barrister turned cabaret performer Nigel Osner has had a busy life. In twenty-five years on the stage (“it sounds better than quarter of a century”) this lively septuagenarian has formed his new show following his near-death experience during heart surgery last year. Over the course of an hour Osner looks at the songs he has written, the places he has been to become “self-sufficient” and “comfortable” with his ageing self and performs a handful of character-driven monologues. He tells us of the musicals he wrote – Rock Heaven, with its posturing star and cyborgs, never got produced, but Magic in Ravenswood, a children’s fantasy based on Osner’s own book, did – and his earlier shows, notably Angel to Vampire! which won acclaim at the Buxton Fringe. In personality, Osner presents as...

The Canterville Ghost – Southwark Playhouse

17Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

The Canterville Ghost – Southwark Playhouse

Coming up in the lift from the underground on my way to the Southwark Playhouse (fast becoming one of my favourite theatre venues - lovely space, absolutely delightful staff, reasonably priced wine) I saw a poster advertising The Canterville Ghost which proclaimed the warning “Contains puppet profanity”. I found this a very pleasing prospect - who doesn’t like a sweary puppet - and so I went into the performance hoping for some silly, joyful giggles. Which is, happily, exactly what I got; a charming, hugely entertaining evening of slick theatre and performances delivered by a talented cast. While the show is based on the Oscar Wilde short story of the same name, the setup is very different - a play within a play if you will. A theatre group consisting of a musician/compere, a ventriloqu...