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Friday, January 31

London

A Good House – Royal Court
London

A Good House – Royal Court

Following the struggle of new residents Sihle and Bonolo to adjust to their new neighborhood of Stillwater, A Good House is a brilliantly tense and funny examination of race and community politics. The sudden appearance of a makeshift shack is what drives the action of the play, as Stillwater’s white residents try to get Bonolo and Sihle to become the faces of the plan to evict the squatters. This is a truly masterful piece of writing. Amy Jephta’s script is intricate and layered, and where the most obvious tension is between Stillwater’s black and white residents, this never becomes reductive. For example, Jephta layers in class politics between Sihle and Bonolo - in Sihle’s words Bonolo has always been “bougie as fuck’. These and many other layers prevent an argument heavy script from...
Kyoto – Soho Place
London

Kyoto – Soho Place

Rarely can a play genuinely be labelled as an "important piece of theatre”, but Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson's Kyoto is firmly in that category.  Fresh from its critically acclaimed run in Stratford-upon-Avon, Kyoto offers a tense and challenging insight into the process of what John Prescott called "diplomacy by exhaustion".  And rarely has a play been so topical. With wildfires raging and floods destroying communities, while some politicians and commentators continue to deny the existence of man-made climate change, Kyoto is a much-needed history lesson, a demonstration of what is diplomatically possible as well as a grim warning for the future if governments fail to act. The nations of the world have got together to discuss climate change and attempt to agree to targets and...
The Lonely Londoners – Kiln Theatre
London

The Lonely Londoners – Kiln Theatre

This is unusual and creative adaptation of Samuel Selvon's 1956 book, which was one of the first.to focus on the lives of poor working class black people settling in England following the enactment of the British Nationality Act 1948.  Set in the 1950s it provides vignettes of the life of a small group of black Londoners as they try to adjust to the cold and the blatant racism of the time, finding inevitably that London's streets are not paved with gold which they had been promised back in their home countries. This production, which has transferred to the Kiln theatre after a very successful run at the Jermyn Street theatre is a mixture of theatre and movement.  The eight strong cast worked very well as an ensemble with members of the cast not directly involved in the current...
10 Nights – Riverside Studios
London

10 Nights – Riverside Studios

10 Nights is a funny and earnest play that sadly fails to live up to its full potential. The play follows Yasser, played by Adeel Ali, who decides to undertake I’tikaf, a 10-day period of isolation, prayer and spiritual cleansing at the end of Ramadan. For Yasser, more interested in TikTok than religion, this is a daunting prospect. One of the play’s strengths is in the themes it sets out to explore. Of these, imposter syndrome and social exclusion feature prominently. Yasser is made to feel uncomfortable by religious busybodies. His impassioned assertion that the mosque is supposed to be a place for everyone produced audible reactions of affirmation from the audience. Yet most of the play’s themes feel underexplored. Yasser is a character wracked by a central guilt, but we never fully ...
Belly Of The Beast – Finborough Theatre
London

Belly Of The Beast – Finborough Theatre

Any kind of societal ill is, like society, gigantic. A hyperobject. Something that expands beyond what the human mind can easily grasp. Often, theatre that tries to engage with such phenomena can feel some combination of lost, scattered, bloodlessly instructional. This is not the case with The Belly of the Beast at Finborough Theatre. We begin in a small black box theatre, arranged tennis-court style, with two simple spaces dispersed across time – an office and a classroom – that, thanks to the set-lighting-sound work of Delyth Evans, Arnim Friess and Max Pappenheim, provides an excellent environment for the action of the play, dynamic and real without distracting from what happens next. Things really come to life, however, through the performances: Sam Bampoe-Parry and Shiloh Coke,...
Liar Liar Pants on Fire – The Union Theatre
London

Liar Liar Pants on Fire – The Union Theatre

Liar Liar Pants on Fire delivers an authentic slice-of-life experience, anchored by the remarkable debut of Hayley Schiffer. From the very first scene, Schiffer’s performance draws you in with its raw emotion and unflinching honesty, encapsulating the all too familiar feelings of a second-generation immigrant with grace and depth. Her portrayal resonates deeply, leaving audiences feeling as if they are witnessing their own lives unfold on stage. Schiffer’s acting is nothing short of extraordinary. The way she speaks about Londoners and the observations she shares about everyday spaces feel incredibly genuine. It isn’t just dialogue; it’s a depiction of reality, infused with personal touches that make the narrative so relatable. This authenticity sets her apart, and it is evident in ...
Panacea – The Cockpit
London

Panacea – The Cockpit

Panacea is a tragedy centered on a scientist who creates an infectious disease intended to save humanity from future pandemics. While the synopsis may appear straightforward, the play explores profound themes, presenting a layered narrative that delves into navigating love and relationships while being on the autism spectrum, confronting grief and suicide, and grappling with ethical dilemmas about whether humans should "play God" and the consequences of such actions. This thought-provoking play weaves together these complex aspects into a seamless performance that lingers in the audience’s mind. Augustus Jameson, portrayed by Jonty O’Callaghan, delivered a superb and deeply empathetic performance. His portrayal of someone on the autism spectrum was both sensitive and authentic, capt...
The Creakers – Southbank Centre
London

The Creakers – Southbank Centre

What a way to end 2024 and bring in the new year than to spend it with Tom Fletcher's stage adaptation of ‘The Creakers’. Following Lily, the ‘bin girl’ to all the children on the street whose Dad works as a bin man and clears up all the rubbish on Clutter Avenue. One night, there’s a rumble under her bed and in the morning, her dad is nowhere to be seen. Along with the rest of the street’s parents. All the kids are now by themselves, much to their surprise and enjoyment. Lily takes it upon themselves to find out where the parents have gone and how to get them back. As this show opened, we are introduced to an incredibly interesting and beautiful set, explosive with colour and light and never for a second left a dull moment on stage. The cast enter with the opening number, the character...
Ballet Shoes – National Theatre
London

Ballet Shoes – National Theatre

Based on the well-loved novel by Noel Streatfeild, Ballet Shoes is the heartwarming story of three orphans who, in twists of fate, find themselves as sisters with the unlikely but chosen surname of “Fossil”. Pauline, Petrova and Posy make a vow to put their name in the history books and make a living to support their unconventional but loving family. Before we meet the Fossils, we are told of Sylvia (Pearl Mackie), who finds herself orphaned and taken to live with her only living relative, Great Uncle Matthew (Philip Labey), or more affectionately known as “GUM”. GUM is a collector of fossils and a devoted geologist, who adventures around the world looking for the next gem. The three treasures he happens to bring home are the three orphan sisters, much to the dismay of Sylvia’s Nana (Je...
Cinderella – Kings Head Theatre
London

Cinderella – Kings Head Theatre

I had the luxury of seeing Cinderella in Pantomime at the Kings Head Theatre in Islington. They have 2 varieties of this performance with a family showing and an adults only showing. I had the pleasure of seeing the adults only showing with different guest performances throughout their running. A standout feature of this show is the inclusion of voiceovers by none other than Dame Judi Dench and Miriam Margolyes. Their iconic voices add an extra touch of magic and prestige to an already delightful production. True to pantomime tradition, the show is packed with audience participation, cheesy jokes, and a script that keeps the laughter rolling from start to finish. As an adults-only performance, it adds an extra layer of risqué humour and cheeky innuendos, making it an unforgettable ex...