London Archives - Page 31 of 107

27Aug

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

Turandot – Arcola Theatre

From the 19th of July, the Grimeborn Opera Festival returns for the sixteenth year, featuring twelve operas from across the globe. This professional production of Puccini's final opera, set in China and rooted in Central and East Asian literature, has an entire cast from the Asian diaspora. This reimagining explores the toxicity of online obsession in the face of human tragedy, as Calaf is lured into a virtual, addictive world by the imperious digital fantasy princess Turandot. Turnadot is often remembered for the famous rendition of "Nessun Dorma." by Luciano Pavarotti. When one thinks of operas, one imagines massive sets with casts of 70 plus in the chorus and an entire live orchestra. But this recreation creates a unique alchemy with intentional gaze, elegant costume and light projec...

27Aug

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Candy – Park Theatre

Candy is the story of a bloke who falls in love with the drag alter ego of one of his school mates. Knowing the premise, I expected a knockabout comedy with a few torch songs and a dazzling turn from a wig-wearing man in stilettos. Drag Race meets La Cage Au Folles. It’s not that. At all. Essentially, it’s a skilfully performed monologue from Michael Waller as Will, who reflects on his life and this unlikely assault on his heart. It’s a testament to Waller’s performance that he manages to paint a vivid, emotional picture which is often quite moving, but more importantly, utterly believable. Waller is so committed to the performance that the audience can’t help but feel his pain and empathise with his predicament. Many drag performers would love to catch the eye of their straight mate...

Doctor Dolittle – St Paul’s Church Covent Garden

27Aug

By Michelle KnightNo Comments

London

Doctor Dolittle – St Paul’s Church Covent Garden

The mythical tales of Doctor Dolittle has been watched on screen and stage for many years. Written by Hugh Lofting, over 100yrs ago and depicting talking animals who communicate with humans, Doctor Dolittle realises over time that he is able to understand them and therefore changes from being a medical doctor to an animal doctor and dedicates his life to the welfare of all animals. The production company (The Tethered Wits) performed a short animated play based on the story of Doctor Dolittle and his relationship with the animals as part of their Theatre in the Garden tour. This story includes a plot where the animals help him uncover an injustice and solve a dispute between a brother and sister of the neighbouring manor. This is a simple but enchanting story wh...

Nick Everritt: The Quiet Man – Aces & Eights

26Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Nick Everritt: The Quiet Man – Aces & Eights

Time for some comedy down at Aces & Eights, and from Nick Everritt who calls himself, The Quiet Man. Not an ideal trait in a comedian I hear you say, but Everitt has his quiet man routine down to a fine art. This is routine with a defined structure, and at the outset, we are introduced to this shy man persona, with a couple of impersonations, and jokes, which are ‘joke-splained’. Getting the crowd involved is a big part of Everritt’s act, which is reliant upon being able to pull in a reasonable size audience, or the audience may feel that they are too large a part of the routine. Luckily, our small audience is willing to participate, and offers up the repartee that a comedian depends upon. Everritt’s Quiet Man persona is purposefully creepy, a weird, sociall...

26Aug

By Robert BartleyNo Comments

London

Next To Normal – Donmar Warehouse

Cult favourite ‘Next To Normal’ has taken 15 years to reach our shores, and while it’s relatively unknown over here, it arrives on the back of a wave of adoration from its devoted fanbase, not to mention the critical acclaim (Tony Awards a Pulitzer, no less). The show comes from the mind of composer Tom Kitts, who along with Brian Yorkey (book and lyrics), tells a story of a family dealing with a crippling mental health problem which has governed their lives for the best part of 2 decades. News of the show’s UK premiere was met with massive excitement, with its limited run selling incredibly well. But was it worth the wait? Wife and mother Diane Goodman (Caissie Levy) is struggling with bi-ploar disorder, and the toll it's taking on her family, daughter Natalie (Eleanor Wort...

26Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

The Two Horsemen – Aces & Eights

Whenever I am ‘fringing’ (yes, let’s make it a verb), I like to go along to see some improv. The quick-witted repartee, the verbal jousting is exciting, and watching The Two Horsemen saddle up, mount, and strap on their jousts, I know that we are in for a helluva ride. Liam Brennan and Tom Jacob-Ewles are the two riders that make up The Two Horsemen, and these two fablers tour, playing the medieval tavern circuit, with the aim of making it big in showbiz weaving fantasy tales assisted by suggestions from the audience. Below is a selection of the happenings that went on:- The intro came from Bubonic Bobby who oozes infection from every pore, and then duo begin with a suggestion of a fable about The Ugly Duckling who is secretly Macbeth, Brennan relished the role of the ugl...

23Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Body 115 – The Hope Theatre

In an extremely warm theatre, I watched poet and writer Jan Noble, create imagery with verse, a necromancer of inventive poetic speech, searingly powerful, and infinitely watchable. Body 115 is a homage to Dante’s Divine Comedy, delving into the underworld with its decay and death. Jan Noble’s one-man show sees Body 115, who is one of the long unidentified victims of the King’s Cross fire in 1987, the 31st victim, who lies in the earth, has memories of fire, and an horrific death. Following the dramatic nature of The Divine Comedy, body 115 becomes Virgil, who guided Dante, and represents human reason. For those unaware of Dante’s Divine Comedy, it is a poem written by Dante Alighieri, during the 14th century, which is divided into three parts, the Inferno, Purgatorio,...

Remember The Before – Hen & Chickens Theatre

23Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Remember The Before – Hen & Chickens Theatre

An unnamed couple try to pick over their relationship memories, but why do their memories differ? An intriguing peek into this couple’s relationship history, who have been given numbers and not names (one is played by Sarah Pearcey and two by Jed McLoughlin). Written by Jed McLoughlin and directed by Pippa Dykes, the story arc gives plenty in terms of intrigue. Jed’s character (One) buzzes, as his extrovert nature wins over his partner when they first meet, he is funny, lovable, and larger than life, whereas Sarah (Two) is more reserved, but loves his outgoing nature. The couple clearly care about each other, but it is unclear whether they have a future together, as their shared experiences don’t appear to have evolved into shared memories. It asks the ...

Absurdocles: An Improvised Greek Tragedy – Camden Comedy Club

20Aug

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

Absurdocles: An Improvised Greek Tragedy – Camden Comedy Club

Hilarious, impromptu and very Greek! Absurdocles has a group of improvisers weave a unique tale for one night only! Expect a Greek chorus, many fun characters, classic tongas and countless chortles. Without wasting too much time, the troupe picks on suggestions from the audience like names, their dream profession as a child and their favourite thing and strides forward to set up the premise of the story they paint for us over the next hour. In the show that night, we watched Lora, Anis, Miriam, Chris, and Nadir in white Greek togas camouflaging their modern wear. Time flies when you are having fun! The hour passed by sooner than we expected! Team Absurdacles have you gaping at how quickly they can pull out these characters, word associations and deeper relationships. The stage at the...

20Aug

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

Wife Material – Camden People’s Theatre

Sophia and Heleana Blackwell are a married stand-up comedy and poetry duo. Two lesbians tell us about the trials, tribulations and satisfactions of marriage. There is poetry, improvised songs and duets. Sophia and Heleana share a vibrant chemistry of opposites attracting. They intersperse one another’s stories recollecting how they met, got married and tug of disagreements solely about duvet covers. The show, first performed at the RVT, returns to the Camden Fringe and is the love story we yearn for and deserve. In the onslaught of heteronormativity slapped at us across all media, the piece holds the quiet comfort of a warm cup of coffee with a friend. Sophia is a performance poet with three published poetry collections and one novel. For two years, she hosted the LGBT+ radio sho...