London Archives - Page 114 of 155

19Aug

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Brawn – King’s Head Theatre

As someone who’s been diagnosed as bulimic, it’s safe to say that negative body image is an issue that has personal resonance. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a condition characterised by a preoccupation or obsession with perceived flaws in one’s appearance. BDD is usually associated with girls and women, but recent studies have found that nearly as many men as women are unhappy with how they look. A third of young British men say they need to alter their appearance because of the "picture perfect culture" on social media. The Mental Health Foundation and YouGov recently released a Body Image report. The results found that a third of LGBTQ people (33%) have experienced suicidal thoughts because of poor body image. This is more than double the number for heterosexual respondents who fe...

14Aug

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

London

Dolls & Guys – Camden People’s Theatre

Part of the Camden Fringe festival which marks its 16th year, Dolls & Guys explores a dystopian world where women in a shop wait to be picked by the one and live happily ever after. Directed by Julia Sudzinsky and written by Sabean Bea and Alanna Flynn, the story focuses on five characters, Juliet, Lucy, Soraya, Maggie and Billie and explores their struggles to navigate love, life and dating. As we see the group break up and reunite as male customers (all played by Nicholas Pople) come through the door, one thing that remains the same are their friendships. We see how the characters bond over their shared experiences when the men are not around and was undoubtedly the highlight of the show. The awkward but intelligent Juliet (Sabean Bea) and her heart-warming interactions with tombo...

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...

Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope – King’s Head Theatre

13Aug

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope – King’s Head Theatre

“Never keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level. It's cheaper”. ‘Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope’ by Writer/Performer/Producer Mark Farrelly debuted at the Edinburgh Festival in 2014 and has toured constantly ever since, recently reaching its 150th performance. Directed by Linda Marlow, it offers a brief 70-minute snapshot into the extraordinary life of the legendary Quentin Crisp and is currently being performed as a unique double bill with ‘Jarman’. Split into two distinct parts, the play opens in the late 1960s in a grubby Chelsea flat. The audience is introduced to Quentin who suggests that “If at first you don't succeed, failure may be your style”. This is a clear indication of the rules and values that served as an undertone to Quentin’s early life of beatings and rejec...

11Aug

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

Rita – Charing Cross Theatre

“Marriage is bliss…” An entertaining opera about marital strife, Rita tells the story of a married couple, Rita (Laura Lolita Perešivana) and Beppe (Brenton Spiteri) who appear to be in marital bliss while running a hotel together. Unfortunately for Rita, a spanner in the works is thrown at her when her believed-to-be-dead husband, Gasparo (Phil Wilcox) finds himself in the couple’s hotel. For both Rita’s and Gasparo, this causes overwhelming denial and confusion and makes for a comedic operatic interaction. Needless to say, a love triangle ensues, but not the most typical to be seen on stage! Both Beppe and Gasparo are present when the audience arrive. The set is minimal but intriguing; displaying three doors which become a key element of the show, a single table and two chairs. The...

Kinky Boots: In Concert – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

10Aug

By Ely KingNo Comments

London

Kinky Boots: In Concert – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Kinky Boots is one of the most well-loved pieces of modern theatre. The production follows Charlie Price’s struggle to take over his father’s failing shoe company and how he finds help in the most unexpected of places…a drag bar in London. The incomparably lavish Lola and her Angels take Charlie on a journey of acceptance, defiance, and most importantly, making stiletto shoes for drag queens. Your average workday. The story of Kinky Boots is based on a true story and is split between its base in Northampton, the drag bar in London, and a fashion show in Milan. As someone who has just moved from Northampton to London, I do identify with Charlie’s struggle quite a lot, it’s certainly given me a new take on the show. Going into this performance, it was important to be reminded that it i...

Play…in your bathtub 2.0 – Camden Fringe Online

9Aug

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

London

Play…in your bathtub 2.0 – Camden Fringe Online

Theatre makers have long been pushing the boundaries around staging works but using your own bathtub as a venue is certainly a new one. However, that is where I find myself to experience This is not a Theatre Company’s ‘immersive spa experience’ Play…in Your Bathtub 2.0. Created at the height of covid lockdowns, and directed by E.B. Mee, this participatory, multi-sensory piece is a 20minute meditation bringing in poetic monologues, classical piano music, toe wiggling and ASMR-style watery sound effects. Whilst the bath is the recommended scene, you can also opt for a footspa, shower, or even a bucket. It’s certainly a different experience, where you bring your own props of choice that relate to a specific sense (touch – warm water and bubble bath, taste – a beverage of your choice, s...

9Aug

By Samantha CollettNo Comments

London

Together At Last – Aces and Eights

What I love most about shows at the Camden Fringe is the experimental, test-the-waters nature. Dave Hazelnut’s ‘Together at Last’ not only tests the water – it blows the water out of the lake and way beyond. His madcap one-man act of witty ditties and audience participation will have you squirming in awkwardness and crying with laughter. Looking like a lost ornithologist crossed with ‘Where’s Wally?’ Hazelnut takes up a variety of instruments to sing about everything from Love Nuts to a Long Spoon to Princess Anne. The lyrics show he’s clearly talented, but he doesn’t let that skill get in the way of being hilariously funny. Photo: Samantha Collett Vaguely reminiscent of ‘Flight of the Conchords’ if you squint hard enough and if they had solo careers, ‘Together at last’ is what fr...

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...

5Aug

By Robert BartleyNo Comments

London

South Pacific – Sadler’s Wells

For those who missed out on the Chichester Festival Theatre run in 2021, or those who loved it so much they need to see it again, its production of ‘South Pacific’ is back in London until the end of August, prior to a 3-month tour. Assembling the same highly acclaimed cast as last year, the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic sees US Ensign Nellie Forbush falling for French plantation owner Emile de Becque on an island in the South Pacific island during World War 2. Their happiness seems set despite the ongoing threat of war going on around them, while at the same time, young lieutenant Joseph Cable arrives on the island having been sent on a spy mission but is quickly distracted by his attraction to a local girl. Love may be in the Pacific Ocean air for both couples, bu...