London Archives - Page 2 of 124

All The Happy Things – Soho Theatre Upstairs

10Apr

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

All The Happy Things – Soho Theatre Upstairs

If your sister has died, are you still a sister? All The Happy Things explores the devastating effects of grief and loss. Overwhelmed by grief at the death of her older sister Emily, Sienna struggles with all aspects of her life without her. She imagines that Emily is still there with her, arguing, remembering their past, listening to music. Emily shadows her at work, at home and in her relationships. On top of this delusion, Sienna is dealing with her father's decline into dementia and the likelihood of him having to leave his care home because of his aggressive behaviour. Written by Naomi Denny (who also plays Sienna), All The Happy Things initially sounds like it will be a depressing piece, but it's told with great warmth and plenty of light-hearted moments, e...

The Play’s The Thing – Wilton’s Music Hall

9Apr

By Ralph JeffreysNo Comments

London

The Play’s The Thing – Wilton’s Music Hall

Mark Lockyer’s The Play's The Thing is a completely exhilarating performance, and an incredibly impactful version of Shakespeare’s classic. A one-person Hamlet is a serious challenge to any actor and has become something of a byword for something you should probably give a miss. Do not miss this one. Mark Lockyer is a truly singular actor, and probably one of the few whose inventiveness, energy, and total command of the language allows for this incredible feat to come off so perfectly. Taking us through director Fiona Laird’s very cleverly abridged version of the play, Locker utilises deft characterisation to bring the cast of characters to us. There are subtle changes in voice, and neat, repeated gestures and mannerisms that make the complex task of following an actor switching ...

5Apr

By Savitha VenugopalNo Comments

London

Per-Verse – Riverside Studios

Just about everyone would have those moments in life that seem to be straight out of fiction or could make for great stories. But only few of them actually go ahead and turn those into forms of entertainment. Georgie Wedge is one of them and that’s a good thing, because now we have Per-Verse. Written and performed by Wedge, this one-woman act is directed by Ilya Wray and combines poetry with stand-up with storytelling with physical comedy. It may not be all that new to get on stage and talk about your dating life, but it is the way in which Wedge does it that makes this a standout show. The script is tight, packed with wit, and engaging all through. The word play of the title carries on into the performance as well, with puns and rhymes by the dozen. You better keep up, because t...

Darkfield at The Ditch – Shoreditch Town Hall

5Apr

By Klervi GavetNo Comments

London

Darkfield at The Ditch – Shoreditch Town Hall

Set in the basement of Shoreditch Town Hall, Darkfield at The Ditch offers four immersive micro-experiences around theme of fear and darkness. I sampled two: VISITORS and ARCADE. VISITORS was a big no from me. After a monotonous and fast pre-show briefing that left me overwhelmed with instructions and still no clue as to what I was getting myself into, I was invited to take a seat and put on some headphones. Then hell broke loose. With noise-isolating headphones flooding my ears with 360-degree voices of the Dead and no visual cues to ground me, my body went into high alert; for 20 minutes I sat in palpable panic, hyper-aware of every breath and terrified at the idea of something suddenly appearing or touching me without my consent. The added instruction to stand with my back to a door ...

5Apr

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

Rhinoceros – Almeida Theatre

Deeply relatable, remarkably crafted and rooted in reality. Rhinoceros was originally written by Eugène Ionesco in 1959. Based on his personal experience of dissenting Nazi propaganda and bursting left-wing disbelief of the growth of fascism. The play is already rich with symbolism, metaphors and satire. It makes a mark not just with the doyens of theatre who have come together for this production. Hayley Carmichael, Paul Hunter and Alan Williams bring effortless wit and candour to their roles. Director Omar Elerian walks the tightrope of bringing humour in recreating the everyday. He also brings into sharp focus the political reality in our everyday interactions. The crowd engagement tools offer a live example of how and how much humans are willing to follow. Movement Director: Toby Se...

5Apr

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Wake – Peacock Theatre

Wake is an exhilarating variety production by Irish theatre company THISISPOPBABY, showcasing an eclectic mix of talent and movement. The show features everything from Riverdance-inspired footwork and tap dancing to balloon dancing, acrobatics, pole dancing, strip teases, and breakdancing. It seamlessly blends traditional Irish music with club classics, creating a vibrant, unexpected fusion that feels both nostalgic and cutting-edge. I went into the performance with scepticism, unsure of what to expect. As it opened with traditional folk music, my doubts remained. But then—the beat dropped, a breakdancer took centre stage, and suddenly, the party had begun. One of the show’s greatest strengths was its unpredictability. It was packed with comedic moments that had the audience in fits ...

5Apr

By Michelle KnightNo Comments

London

Fluff – New Wimbledon Theatre

This is a one-woman play and is the first creation from the duo James Piercy and Tayla Kenyon, the founders of Teepee productions. This story focusses on a life afflicted by Alzheimer’s in ways that highlight how this debilitating disease impacts the lives of the people it penetrates. Tayla Kenyon as Fluff herself acts out the story through her many different roles, narrative and dramatisation from birth, school years from young love and boyfriend crush to her adult years as a teacher and a mother. Surrounded by her father for whom she loved dearly, and an Irish mother. Fluff faced challenges of her own as she navigated her way through life. The staging is simplistic, the lightning and projection of pictures amplify the poignancy of how people change and mem...

4Apr

By Ralph JeffreysNo Comments

London

RELIC – Coronet Theatre

RELIC suggests in its blurb that it is about “what survives from the past. A thing left behind, be it a memory, an object, a language or being”. On stage, we are treated to a barrage of images, sequences, and absurdist stand up and cabaret style performances from a strange figure: initially in just heels and a kind of bloated, amorphous body suit, this grotesque mannequin transforms and mutates throughout the performance, taking on several forms that are barely, but not entirely un-human. It's a strange show. At the heart of the piece is Euripides Laskaridis’ incredible performance which is itself a serious feat. Purely on a physical level, it demands a great deal of endurance and an incredible physical awareness of the body on stage. But considering he is also the director and set desi...

The Bollywood Guide to Revenge – Soho Theatre

4Apr

By Savitha VenugopalNo Comments

London

The Bollywood Guide to Revenge – Soho Theatre

Where there is Bollywood, there is melodrama. There is song and dance. There are beautiful faces. Shafeeq Shajahan’s cabaret brings all these to the stage and uses them to pick at some scars and talk about healing. And yes, revenge. As his springboard, Shajahan (who is also the writer and director of this performance) picks “Satyam Shivam Sundaram”, a 1978 Hindi movie about Rupa, a woman with a heavily scarred face, and her suitor Rajiv, who fails to see beyond the scars. It forms the backdrop not only to an exploration of his own life, but also to his mother’s, who grew up in Singapore as a neglected dark-skinned girl and found resonance in Rupa’s character. Photo: Marc Sirsi Through songs, storytelling and some playful interaction with the audience, Shajahan talks about his grow...

The Importance of Being Oscar – Jermyn Street Theatre

3Apr

By Paul AckroydNo Comments

London

The Importance of Being Oscar – Jermyn Street Theatre

There has never been anyone quite like Oscar Wilde. Famed as an author, playwright and poet in late Victorian England and then vilified for his homosexuality, his works remain as popular today,125 years after his death, as ever. Original Theatre and the Reading Rep Theatre have revived this dramatised biography, which was originally written and performed in 1960 by Micheál Mac Liammóir. Alistair Whately's one man show is a narrative of Wilde's life, illustrated with quotations from his best-known works: The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Importance of Being Ernest, as well as some of his best-known poems and letters. The first half focuses on his rise from his early life in Ireland to his fame in London for his poems and theatrical works. The second half is darker with his prosecu...