London Archives - Page 26 of 149

26Apr

By Paul AckroydNo Comments

London

Ben and Imo – Orange Tree Theatre

This is a superb production in all respects. It tells the story of the collaboration between two dominant characters in the world of music in the early 1950s. Benjamin Britten (Ben) at that time the foremost living British composer and Imogen Holst (Imo), the daughter of the renowned composer Gustav Holst. The play started life as a radio play in 2013 and then was adapted by Mark Ravenhill for the RSC premiering at the Swan Theatre in March 2024. It has now transferred to the small, intimate theatre in the round at the Orange Tree in Richmond. Britten has been given the task of composing, in only 9 months, a new opera to be performed at the Coronation Gala of Queen Elizabeth the Second in 1952. He has chosen for his subject the rather unpromising tale of th...

21Apr

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

London

Boxed In – The Old Red Lion

Mental health is a topic very close to my heart, so I was intrigued to watch Boxed In. This debut play written, directed and performed by Rebecca Weston Wright follows a young woman, A, who is trapped inside a featureless prison-like room and forced to confront her demons. These demons are given voice in the form of a small wooden box, which acts as the inner monologue of self-loathing that often accompanies and depression. There are moments of genuine and moving insight in Boxed In. Wright offers a thoughtful and vulnerable commentary on the relentless internal battles faced by those struggling with mental health whilst sprinkling in enough observational humour to stop the experience becoming utterly miserable. A’s impression of a boss demanding she perfectly perform an endless series ...

A Practical Guide On How To Save The World When No One F***ing Else Is – Tara Theatre

21Apr

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

A Practical Guide On How To Save The World When No One F***ing Else Is – Tara Theatre

Tara Theatre’s vision to provide rehearsal space and financial support for 18-25-year-olds to script and develop new theatre is commendable. Over a 4-month programme, the young company works with industry professionals to develop their skills and build their professional networks. The culmination of this mentorship has resulted in the play, ‘A Practical Guide on How to Save the World when no one f***ing else is’. The vision of artistic director, Natasha Kathi-Chandra is to ‘uncover the urgent and current realities of those around you’. Over five weeks, the young team directed by Gavin Joseph rehearsed with provocations around the theme of 'Climate change'. Each actor formed characters through devising exercises, and conversation prompts. Between sessions, playwright Nicole Latchana wrote s...

17Apr

By Ralph JeffreysNo Comments

London

Ghosts – Lyric Hammersmith

Ibsen’s Ghosts is a serious challenge for anyone to update and adapt. This production falls unfortunately short of meeting that challenge, despite some bright moments. We follow a rich family of mother, Helena, and her difficult son, Oz, as they prepare for the grand opening of a children’s hospital using the money of Carl, Helena’s recently deceased husband. All this is complicated by the presence of Andersen, a lawyer helping to launch the hospital and an old flame of Helena, and Reggie and Jacob, who have worked for Helena and her family for a long time. Soon, all of the buried skeletons come out of the closet, and there is manipulation, suicide threats, and incest. Sadly, where Ibsen’s original is a masterpiece of writing, Gary Owen’s update is not of the same ilk. His adaptation...

15Apr

By Ralph JeffreysNo Comments

London

Heisenberg – Arcola Theatre

A brilliant production, Heisenberg is a reimagining of Simon Stephen’s excellent play about relationships and their inherent uncertainty. Portrayed for the first time as a relationship between two women, we follow seventy-five-year-old Alex and the much younger Georgie in a story of an unlikely relationship that all begins when Georgie unexpectedly plants a kiss on Alex’s neck in the middle of a train station. The quality of Simon Stephen’s writing is superb. His characterisation is full of knotty complexity and his dialogue is expert at pulling out all of the tensions between Alex and Georgie. For example, Stephens plays with the form of the characters’ conversations to show us who is in control, who is driving, who is comfortable, and who is not. Thus, it is Georgie who does most of t...

12Apr

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

Supersonic Man – Southwark Playhouse

Southwark Playhouse Borough hosted the world premiere of ‘Supersonic Man’ this week, a new musical written and directed by Chris Burgess, which sets out to blend science fiction spectacle with emotional resonance and love within the LGBTQI+ community. It is inspired by the remarkable real-life journey of Peter Scott-Morgan, as seen in Channel 4’s ‘Peter – The Human Cyborg’, and follows Adam, a Brighton-based influencer, who faces a devastating diagnosis and chooses to defy it, not by surrendering, but by exploring an experimental path, exploring transhumanism to reclaim control and live a full life. The production offers up a bold premise, full of potential for both drama and imagination, but unfortunately, it doesn’t quite live up to the ambition of its concept and remains somewhat und...

London 50-Hour Improvathon 2025 – The Pleasance Theatre

12Apr

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

London 50-Hour Improvathon 2025 – The Pleasance Theatre

Improvisation - a theatre skill that is underrated, under paid, and underrepresented, but at the Pleasance Theatre from the 4th-6th April, the London Improvathon showed the audience, why the Improvathon, is in its 15th year. This fifty hour, or three thousand minute event, pushes the boundaries of what is physically and mentally possible for a group of improvisers (and some audience members), who create a story in a loose framework, with many deviations, but with a strong emphasis on character development, to give this event a soap-like feel. The inspiration for this event comes from the Canadian company Die-Nasty who originated the Soap-A-Thon and in 2005, the then director of Die-Nasty Dana Anderson worked with Ken Campbell the British theatre impresario to bring the Soap-A-Thon...

11Apr

By Klervi GavetNo Comments

London

Shanghai Dolls – Kiln Theatre

“Shanghai Dolls” at Kiln Theatre traverses nearly 60 years of Chinese history in a brisk 80 minute run, centering on the intertwined fates of two legendary women. United by a passion for theatre yet divided by political beliefs, personal values, and the sweep of history, one transforms into Mao Zedong’s wife while the other rises to become China’s first female theatre director. Directed by Katie Posner, the production tackles vast historical events but occasionally buckles under its own weight. There’s a palpable sense of rushing to cover too much ground at once, with the dense narrative sometimes feeling overloaded—especially for Western audiences less familiar with the period. A clever nod to Ibsen’s A Doll’s House frames the struggle of these women, suggesting that the search for mea...

11Apr

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Midnight Cowboy – Southwark Playhouse

Midnight Cowboy stars Paul Jacob French as Joe Buck, a young and naïve cowboy escaping his small-town roots for the bustling, unforgiving streets of New York City. French delivers a perfect American cowboy accent and brings depth and vulnerability to his role, proving his impressive acting range. Upon arriving in the Big Apple, Joe crosses paths with Rico “Ratso” Rizzo, played by Max Bowden - a streetwise, scrappy hustler barely surviving on the fringes of society. Bowden’s portrayal is gritty and raw, capturing the desperation and charm of a man who’s constantly scheming just to make it to the next day. Together, Joe and Ratso embark on a heartbreaking journey through the underworld of sex work, chasing dreams of wealth, happiness, and an escape to a better life in sunny Florida...

11Apr

By Alice RoseNo Comments

London

Speed – Bush Theatre

An entrepreneur, a nurse and a delivery driver arrive for their speeding awareness course. Each of them at fault for getting too heated in the moment. To save their license, must complete their specialised course with Abz (Nikesh Patel). Abz is running a new course which combines the speed awareness with self awareness- what is making you so angry that you feel the need to act on it? Each of our guests find moments of self discovery and shame as we dig deeper to understand their moments of crisis but they start to realise something unusual might be at play. Abz’s twitching, quick to rage tendencies and judgemental opinions showcase a deeper reasoning for why they’re here today. Faiza (Shazia Nicholls) our entrepreneur brings an absolutely hilarious performance straight off the bat, prou...