London Archives - Page 21 of 181

12May

By Klervi GavetNo Comments

London

Escaped Alone – The Coronet Theatre

Escaped Alone at The Coronet Theatre is one of those productions that feels perpetually on the verge of becoming something unsettling and profound, yet never quite arrives there. Directed by Lisa Ferlazzo Natoli and Alessandro Ferroni, this Italian-language adaptation of Caryl Churchill’s 2016 play certainly has atmosphere, but little dramatic momentum. The premise is deceptively simple: four older women sit in a suburban garden, chatting about ordinary things: cats, television, old memories, drinks, passing time... Beneath the surface, each carries some private fracture or trauma. Every so often, one of them steps out of the everyday realism to deliver apocalyptic monologues describing floods, disease, famine and societal collapse, while projections and sound design suggest a world qui...

12May

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

Company – Bridewell Theatre

Stephen Sondheim's Company won six Tony Awards for its original 1970 US production. Its witty and innovative format of a series of vignettes, focusing on the central character Bobby, stunned audiences then and continues to delight with a message that's as relevant today as it was 50 years ago. It's Bobby's 35th birthday and he's reluctantly at a surprise party thrown by his friends. Surrounded by married and single friends, ex- and current girlfriends, Bobby witnesses the swirl of emotions, the joy and the heartbreak of being in relationships of all types. As the drink, weed and emotions flow, Bobby's married friends set him up with dates and try to persuade him that he needs to be married. But Bobby isn't wholly wedded to the idea of commitment, and it seems his married friends are ...

Let the Right One In – Underbelly Boulevard

12May

By Charles PipeNo Comments

London

Let the Right One In – Underbelly Boulevard

Let the Right One In, by Jack Thorne, adapted from the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist, is a bold blend of two genres: vampire horror meets coming-of-age romance. Set in a bleak Swedish suburb in winter, the plot follows the blossoming relationship between awkward, bullied teen Oskar and un-aging vampire Eli. The narrative is both touching and gripping, and the script is full of fascinating moral shades of grey, while richly exploring themes around puberty and masculinity. This production features a large ensemble cast of twenty, including eighteen NYT REP members. Every member of the ensemble does an excellent job, and the physical group scenes feel dynamic and polished. At the core of the play is the sweet and somewhat concerning teen romance that develops between Oskar (Nicky D...

12May

By Savitha VenugopalNo Comments

London

The Anti “Yogi” – Soho Theatre

There is yoga, and then there is yoga. One is the kind that has been repackaged for a Western audience and the other is the kind that is deeply rooted in an ancient culture. The Anti “Yogi” – which comes with the tag line “Liberation, not lululemon” – is a rebellion against the former. Written and performed by Mayuri Bhandari, this production is directed by Shyamala Moorty & D’Lo. Mayuri starts off with the warning that the show will contain triggering words like manifestation and mindfulness. Triggering not for the audience, but for her. She delves into the multi-billion-dollar yoga industry in the US, where yoga has been commodified and stripped of its essence, leaving only a misunderstood and repackaged husk. She laments the topsy-turviness of it all, and how something she gre...

12May

By Paul AckroydNo Comments

London

The Wasp – Southwark Playhouse Borough

Two school acquaintances meet in the courtyard of a pub, having not seen each other for several years. Their lives have diverged: Heather, is married, childless and prosperously middle-class; Carla is pregnant with her fifth child and definitely working class. They seem to have little in common, and indeed, as their conversation develops, it is clear that they were not exactly friends at school. So why has Heather suggested this meeting? As they circle each other warily we learn more about their backgrounds, and then Heather offers Carla a very large sum of money to undertake an outrageous task for her. Carla is initially resistant, but she needs the money and it is clear that Heather, although not having been in direct contact, has learnt a lot about Carla's family situation a...

The Fastest Clock In The Universe – New Wimbledon Theatre

12May

By Michelle KnightNo Comments

London

The Fastest Clock In The Universe – New Wimbledon Theatre

“In a flat in East London the party preparations are under way, each detail meticulously planned, including the birthday cake and surely nothing can wrong”. “After all there is the specially chosen guest of honour and a very sharp knife”. Ridley’s play is dark, funny and extraordinarily captivating. The Fastest Clock in the Universe written by Philip Ridley in 1992 “became an early example of ‘in your face’ creative theatre” with a design to shock and unsettle audiences rather than comfort them. The story centres around a cast of five people, with interwoven nuanced lines and evolving deep meaning of life experiences, aging and opportunistic revenge. The plot centres on Cougar Glass played by Frederick Russell a man celebrating his 19th birthday ‘again, a man plagued by father time a...

Alastair Clark: On The Record at Flashback Records

3May

By Olivia CoxNo Comments

London

Alastair Clark: On The Record at Flashback Records

After working in a record shop in Liverpool for a number of years, Alastair Clark quit to pursue his dream of being a full-time comedian. With many Edinburgh Fringe stints under his belt, he’s now bringing his show On The Record to independent record shops across the country. In London, the venue is Flashback Records — a lovely establishment in the beating, chaotic heart of Shoreditch. The shop’s basement is a quirky and cosy space (especially cosy on what was a particularly warm day) and armed with a can of Jubel I felt as though I was in a music aficionado’s living room. Clark perfectly matched the intimacy of the setting with his energy; both warm yet self-deprecating, he’s an incredibly engaging performer who immediately made me feel at ease. On The Record primarily sees Clar...

An Adequate Abridgement of Boarding School Life as a Homo – Riverside Studios

3May

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

An Adequate Abridgement of Boarding School Life as a Homo – Riverside Studios

Gay men who managed to survive the UK during the ‘80s and ‘90s would likely remember the 1984 historical drama Another Country. Written by Julian Mitchell, and directed by Marek Kanievska, the film launched Rupert Everett and Colin Firth’s careers. It stormed Cannes, got nominated for a raft of BAFTAs and caused quite a scandal on its release. Beautiful public school boys, a masturbation scandal, floppy hair, same-sex snogs and posh fury at the establishment are just some of the film’s takeaways. In the homophobic mania of the AIDS crisis and a few years before Section 28, Another Country shocked the nation. It’s laughably tame by today’s standards, but people stormed out of cinemas in disgust. Tabloids frothed and dribbled. Almost nobody noticed it was based on the early life of the spy a...

Grace Pervades – Theatre Royal Haymarket

2May

By Charles PipeNo Comments

London

Grace Pervades – Theatre Royal Haymarket

Grace Pervades – written by David Hare and starring Ralph Fiennes and Miranda Raison – tells the story of Victorian theatre giants Henry Irving (Fiennes) and Ellen Terry (Raison), as well as Terry’s two children Edith Craig (Ruby Ashbourne Serkis) and Edward Gordon Craig (Jordan Metcalfe), who each made their own contributions to theatre. Often both moving and funny, this play is a pleasant love letter to these important figures in the history of British theatre. The entire cast performs to a very high standard. Ralph Fiennes plays Henry Irving with nuance and finesse. The script characterises Irving as overly earnest and sincere, which – ironically – Fiennes is able to play to great humorous effect. Fiennes achieves a skilful balance between the shy and awkward elements of Irving’s per...

2May

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Tender – Soho Theatre

Tender, written by Dave Harris and performed at Soho Theatre, centres on the struggling Dancing Bears strip club. Once thriving, the venue is now losing its appeal, with a rival club night down the street drawing sell-out crowds. Faced with declining audiences and relevance, Dancing Bears must reinvent itself to survive, setting the stage for a lively and unexpectedly thoughtful production. From the outset, the show leans into its immersive concept. Audience members are handed dollar bills and paddles to signal participation, effectively transforming us into patrons of the club. This interactive element is one of the production’s greatest strengths, creating an electric atmosphere and blurring the line between spectator and performer. The crowd quickly buys into the experience, and the ...