London Archives - Page 2 of 154

18Feb

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Spanish Oranges – Playground Theatre

Former Bond girl, Maryam D’Abo is the star turn in Spanish Oranges, a new piece of writing by Alba Arikha, currently showing at the Playground Theatre in W10. The play forms part of Women's Voices: A Celebration (WVAC) an arts festival which is inspired by International Women's Day. This world premiere is D’Abo’s first stage role in 26 years. Instead of seeking the bright lights and glitz of a West End venue, this theatre is a former bus depot that requires a rather lengthy schlep from Latimer Road tube station. D’Abo co-wrote the book Bond Girls Are Forever (2002) and in 2004 she co-produced the documentary film Bearing Witness, about five female war reporters. She had surgery for a brain haemorrhage in 2007 and after recovering, met up with other survivors and produced a 2009 document...

17Feb

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

The Bodyguard – New Wimbledon Theatre

This romantic thriller, adapted from the 1992 film of the same name starring Whitney Houston, returns to the stage this year, reviving her iconic music for a new audience. It follows former Secret Service agent Frank Farmer (Adam Garcia), hired to protect global superstar Rachel Marron (Sidonie Smith) from a dangerous threat. While the pair anticipate a clash of personalities, neither expects their professional relationship to give way to an unexpected and compelling romance. This show is bursting with energy from the start, a loud bang jolting the audience straight to attention at the beginning. The jump scares do not cease, and they present themselves at later points in the show, which work well, particularly when the threat is introduced to us as an obsessed stalker (James-Lee Ha...

17Feb

By Kira DanielsNo Comments

London

Much Ado About Nothing – Theatre Deli

Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more. A wet and wild production of Much Ado About Nothing has rolled into town to take you for a ride. Without a shirt on its back or an ounce of pretension in its other dressings, this wantonly accessible production throws the audience right into the thick of it. Shakespeare's most obnoxious lovers are back on their bull. Beatrice (Bobby Hughes) and Benedick (Zak Rosen) are capricious, ridiculous, captivating rivals locked in pursuit of the audiences' laughter with hearts bound to fall no matter how much they kick and scream on the way down. This high octane production, rehearsed and performed in only a handful of hours, is relentlessly energetic and powered exclusively by the forceful charisma of its cast. Without a set, costumes, or pr...

16Feb

By Holly SewellNo Comments

London

Sweetmeats – Bush Theatre

In the aftermath of grief, it’s a long and difficult lesson to re-learn: we’re better off with people than without them. Relationships are tedious, those we love exasperating; loss deepens with age, caution grows. It takes courage to start again when experience tells you the best days are past. Sweetmeats’ Hema and Liaquat, a widow and widower who become unlikely friends when they are forced to pair up as the ‘scary Indian woman’ and ‘irritating Pakistani man’ at their diabetes support group, are no strangers to the pain of love. Character-wise, they complete each other. Shobu Kapoor’s Hema is anxious, health-conscious, self-sufficient; as Liaquat, Rehan Sheikh is a joker, childish, indulgent despite his diagnosis. Playwright Kharim Khan makes fun of them with a brilliant, musical wit; ...

16Feb

By Alice RoseNo Comments

London

Josh Sharp’s: Ta-Da – Soho Theatre

On a late evening at the Soho Theatre, I quite simply have no idea what to expect. I know this show includes 2000 slideshow pages and our comedian/magician is finally ready to come out. This simple and witty bio could not prepare me for such an incredibly moving, hilarious and slam-dunk performance that was received. Sharp must have a brain of a genius, well he does actually in learning he has a masters in Quantum Physics, he brings us back to the beginning of his life and his dreams of becoming a magician. Moving onto his pact with God and a promise to not practice ‘confirming’ his true sexuality and a deeply moving and beautiful time shared with his late mother who gently bullied him to finally come out. After its run on OffBroadway, London has been gifted the opportunity...

16Feb

By Klervi GavetNo Comments

London

After Miss Julie – Park Theatre

What I find most unsettling about Strindberg’s Miss Julie these days is no longer the play itself, but that it remains one of the most frequently produced plays in the Western canon, a status that feels increasingly difficult to justify. Especially when, in the preface, Strindberg a well-documented misogynist openly articulates his hostility toward women, and feminists in particular, describing Julie as a degenerate product of emancipation, bound to self-destruct. Knowing this, one is left wondering why theatres keep returning to this text, and what is still being sought or defended in bringing it back to the stage. Knowing that, I had hoped Patrick Marber’s After Miss Julie might reframe or redeem the problematic source or do for Strindberg what Lucas Hnath’s A Doll’s House, Part...

12Feb

By Michelle KnightNo Comments

London

Dear Liar – Jermyn Street Theatre

Dear Liar, is a play adapted by Jerome Kilty from the correspondence of Bernard Shaw and Mrs Patrick Cambell. It portrays the communication between the writer George Bernard Shaw and actress Mrs Patrick Campbell. A relationship of expression; love, frustration and conflict between the artists. An affair of the heart, battling egos and a collective passion for performance. Their affair captured in a series of personal letters that survived World War two. The prose and context of the play centred around the letters creates a voyeuristic view of how their relationship brought about some of Shaw’s best theatrical work. Pygmalion written in early 1912 was read to actress Mrs Patrick Campbell first in June. Written with Campbell in mind Shaw “this is for you; I wrote it just for you “. Keen t...

Saaniya Abbas: Hellarious – Soho Theatre

12Feb

By Savitha VenugopalNo Comments

London

Saaniya Abbas: Hellarious – Soho Theatre

Watching Saaniya Abbas on stage is like listening to that one friend who has a funny take on just about everything. That’s how well she builds a rapport with the audience. And nothing is too sacred or out of bounds, from politics to religion to personal life. Abbas, we quickly learn, grew up in a conservative Muslim family in New Delhi and studied at a residential school run by Roman Catholic nuns. That in itself offers comedic gold – the restrictions of convention and religion turn into anecdotes of sharp wit. Having then moved to Dubai for work, she found standup comedy, porn, and a British husband, not necessarily in that order. She brings to stage her experiences from all these different aspects of her life as sharp social commentary hidden in a clever script. Take for instance h...

11Feb

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Miles – Southwark Playhouse

The Southwark Playhouse (Borough) was heaving and giddy for the Monday press night of Miles, which swaggers into London after dazzling Edinburgh Fringe last year. Two young women were sat next to me. We chatted before the show started. They are both actors, blessed with good looks, quick wit and youthful enthusiasm. They were amused to hear I’m reviewing the show. Why? One of them turned out to be to be Amelia Bright, Assistant Director on this production. Written and directed by Oliver Kaderbhai, the concept of this show was crafted by globally renowned jazz trumpet whizz, Jay Phelps. He also happens play one of two characters in Miles. Phelps plays a thinly veiled version of himself. His co-star, Benjamin Akintuyosi, plays Miles Davis. Phelps isn’t messing about. The man with the trum...

9Feb

By Kira DanielsNo Comments

London

The Virgins – Soho Theatre

Oh my god, twist! And shout. Come on and work it on out. For these virgins, that’s pretty much the entire night’s agenda. Best friends Chloe (Anushka Chakravarti) and Jess (Ella Bruccoleri) are headed out for the night to “pull” for the very first time but find their plans needlessly complicated by the simple fact they have no idea what they actually want. Aided and abetted by the persistently peripheral Phoebe (Molly Hewitt-Richards), cool girl/experienced slut Anya (Zoë Armer), a bottle of Absolut vodka, and two liters of lemonade, they’re ready for anything, in theory. In practice, practice is about all they’re up for. Writer Miriam Battye’s playtext is clever and cringe in equal measure, and Jaz Woodcock-Stewart’s direction is funky and fresh, with particular flavour peppered...