London Archives - Page 136 of 149

17Aug

By Donna M DayNo Comments

London

Tree Confessions – Camden Fringe

Tree Confessions, written by Jenny Lyn Bader, and directed by E B Mee, is a unique audio play told entirely from the point of view of a tree. Performed by Kathleen Chalfant, this is a site-specific piece which should be listened to while sitting beneath a tree. The piece begins with a buzzing and humming sound, reminiscent of bees. The story is told by a single tree, who is embarrassed to be caught humming to itself, but takes the opportunity to tell the story of a scientist who discovered that trees communicate, with each other at least. Presumably inspired by the story of Suzanne Simard, the persistent scientist is never actually specifically identified, but the trees, admiring her determination to prove her theory right, and being keen to seize the chance to help humans save the p...

Changing Sheets – The Playground Theatre

16Aug

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

Changing Sheets – The Playground Theatre

Changing Sheets is a new two-hander romantic comedy about the complexities of modern relationships written by Harry Butler. Developed at The Playground Theatre and directed by its artistic director Anthony Biggs, the story takes us through a series of encounters between Patti (Máiréad Tyers) and Robert (Harry Butler) who meet over a series of Tinder dates. The script touches upon the loneliness, confusion and self-doubt that comes with hookups, where partners have mismatched expectations and boundaries. Through awkward run-ins, friendly banter and unassuming pillow talk, Patti and Robert navigate their feelings for each other. Interestingly, the design of the show calls for an empty stage with minimal movements and no props. The romantic action and intimacy referenced in the text are never...

The Emoji Project – The Hen & Chickens Theatre

16Aug

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

The Emoji Project – The Hen & Chickens Theatre

If there’s one thing that has dominated digital communications for the last 10 years, it has to be the little animated icons and hieroglyphs that have now carved out an entire subculture of their own. It’s hard to deny the overwhelming presence and impact of emojis (or emoticons) on our day to day lives, filling the important emotional cues that would otherwise be missing from our typed conversations. Their rapid growth and ever-evolving nature as a digital language are at the heart of The Emoji Project, an anthology of new writing staged by Distracted Rat, a writing company whose work intersects radio, film and theatre. Consisting of pocket-sized pieces and scenes that span the absurd and the political, the show has been assembled by a team of creatives ranging from 11 to 75 years of a...

2:22 A Ghost Story – Noel Coward Theatre

13Aug

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

2:22 A Ghost Story – Noel Coward Theatre

If there was one thing that nearly all of us have experienced together (apart from living through a global pandemic of course), it'll have to be hearing strange noises at night (and jumping to absurd conclusions almost immediately!). In Danny Robins’ new play ‘2:22 A Ghost Story’, we witness a group of friends investigate the source of strange noises that can be heard in their house at 2:22 am every night, trying to ascertain if it’s just an elaborate hoax conjured by chance or a genuine occurrence that seemingly defies reason and logic. Directed by Matthew Dunster, this is one show that keeps you on the edge of your seat with its spellbinding production and design elements, as well as strong performances by the ensemble. The story concerns the lives of Jenny (Lily Allen) and Sam (Hadle...

The Windsors Endgame – Prince of Wales Theatre

11Aug

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

London

The Windsors Endgame – Prince of Wales Theatre

To try and summarise just how outlandish The Windsors is as a stage show, imagine if the writers of Spitting Image found a file labelled ‘Daily Mail Royal Fan-fic’ and gave it to the editors of Viz magazine, after getting them spectacularly drunk and sitting through a marathon of ‘Carry On’ movies. Based on the satirical Channel 4 show, by Bert Tyler-Moore and the late George Jeffrie, and featuring many of the show’s original cast, The Windsors imagines a world where the Queen, weary of public life after the death of her beloved Phillip, has abdicated in favour of the world’s longest-serving intern, Prince Charles. Charles - played by Harry Enfield with the perfect sense of tired pompousness that one would expect from someone waiting 70 years for a work promotion – promptly goes powe...

Carousel – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

10Aug

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

Carousel – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Walking into the atmospheric surroundings of an open-air theatre is always a joy, never more so than with the anticipation of seeing one of Rodgers and Hammerstein's most popular musicals. Carousel is undoubtedly a classic and was even voted the best musical of the 20th Century by TIME magazine. Written in 1945, the story is a simple one: young millworker Julie Jordan meets bad-boy and serial womaniser carousel barker Billy Bigelow and is immediately smitten. So much so that she risks her livelihood just as he's also given the sack. Living on the generosity of family and friends, their situation goes from bad to worse when Julie tells Billy she's pregnant and he becomes desperate to provide for his family and is willing to risk, and lose, all. Carly Bawden is a charmingly innocent Julie...

6Aug

By Zoё MeeresNo Comments

London

Singin’ In The Rain – Sadler’s Wells

I saw the film Singin’ in the Rain when I was about 14 and some of the songs lodged themselves in my head to the extent that whenever anyone says “good morning” to me, I sing “good morning, we’ve talked the whole night through” silently to myself. If the musical numbers from the film stayed with me, the plot and performances definitely didn’t - but fortunately the same can’t be said of last night’s production. Don Lockwood (Adam Cooper) and Lina Lamont (Faye Tozer) are lighting up the Hollywood silent movie scene on and off screen, but all is not as it seems. Dom has fallen for unknown performer Kathy Seldon (Charlotte Gooch) and the dawn of the ‘talkies’ spells trouble for Lina, whose talents aren’t quite as wide-reaching as the audience has been led to believe. Together, Dom, Kathy an...

5Aug

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

All That – King’s Head Theatre

All That is a deliciously funny and heart-warming take on how convoluted modern relationships can get when their very foundation is threatened. Written by Shaun Kitchener (Hollyoaks, Positive) and directed by James Callàs Ball, this production at the King’s Head Theatre, staged as part of their popular Queer Season, is a delightful watch. Through the lives of four housemates – two couples with wildly different outlooks on life – we witness a hilarious evening of misunderstandings, confessions and secrets unfurl as they try to salvage the lives they’ve built together. The show additionally explores themes of love, sex, monogamy and the fallacy of the “right” way for LGBTQ+ couples to manifest their relationships in the public eye. At the centre of the drama is a decision made by suburban...

Wonderville Magic & Illusion – Palace Theatre

3Aug

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

Wonderville Magic & Illusion – Palace Theatre

The West End has new wizards in town. While Cambridge Circus awaits the return of Harry Potter in October, Wonderville, a new family-friendly show packed with magic and illusion, is keeping his place warm. Wonderville is a throwback to the type of vaudeville magic show of old, featuring an eclectic range of acts. Alongside the regular performers, there's also a set by a guest artiste, one of a number performing at different shows. The energetic bowtie-wearing Chris Cox, a star on both Broadway and the West End, hosts and provides the links between the acts. Cox is an excellent MC, affable and funny. He's also a brilliant mind-reader, producing some stunning moments of "How did he know that?" and gasps from the audience as he follows in the footsteps of Derren Brown, but wit...

I Could Use a Drink – Vaudeville Theatre

3Aug

By Sophie GrahamNo Comments

London

I Could Use a Drink – Vaudeville Theatre

“I Could Use a Drink”, and couldn’t we all after the year we’ve had? Originally a successful streaming event, tonight Drew Gasparini’s “I Could Use a Drink” made it’s west end debut at the Garrick Theatre, London. First released in 2013 as a contemporary Musical Theatre album, exploring a range of themes from love and heartbreak to teen pregnancy, producers Liam Gartland and Alex Conder (of Gartland Productions) transform this album to a staged production. Whilst the original album features an array of Broadway’s biggest names, this cast certainly gives a well overdue opportunity to showcase some of the young west end stars of the future. And what an exciting cast this is: Ahmed Hamad (Rent), Billy Nevers (& Juliet, Jesus Christ Superstar), Caroline Kay (Daisy, The Space Between), L...