London Archives - Page 39 of 149

13Nov

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

Phoenix – Barons Court Theatre

Phoenix is about a journey from constriction and avoidance to inner freedom. Dressed in flowy dungarees, and big, curly blonde hair, Helen is like a children’s storybook character. There is an intention to heal, which is manifest in her radiating warmth, and inviting eyes. She sets the scene with the cosy familiarity of a night in with a friend, drawing us in with intimacy. She confesses to being a Towie addict, and this comedy takes a turn, exploring different ways people numb themselves. The lightness and humour in her stories float above uncomfortable feelings. She squishes these down, dancing away the pain, and distracting herself. She shows us snippets of her life; her relationships, growing up, and her experiences as an actor. These personal moments feel sincere and make th...

Make Good: The Post Office Scandal – Omnibus Theatre

13Nov

By Olivia CoxNo Comments

London

Make Good: The Post Office Scandal – Omnibus Theatre

By now, the whole of the UK is aware of the tragic miscarriage of justice that was the Post Office scandal, where more than 900 sub postmasters were wrongly convicted of theft, fraud, and false accounting, ruining their reputations and livelihoods in the process. This unbelievable story became more widely known after ITV broadcast the TV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office. Now, we have a musical take on the scandal in the form of Pentabus and New Perspectives’ Make Good: The Post Office Scandal, written and composed by Jeanie O’Hare and Jim Fortune. There’s a real community feel to the style of storytelling, which fits the source material nicely. We’re introduced to the show by Ed Gaughan, acting as a narrator and host in an engaging fourth wall-breaking monologue before seamlessl...

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Ambassadors Theatre

9Nov

By Olivia CoxNo Comments

London

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Ambassadors Theatre

The West End has become a shining treasure trove of new musical theatre gems as of late, and a glistening diamond of a show has just been added into the mix: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. After two stints at the Southwark Playhouse in 2019 and 2023, Darren Clark and Jethro Compton’s musical has made its long-awaited West End debut at the Ambassadors Theatre. Adapted from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1922 short story of the same name, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button sets the extraordinary tale of the man who ages in reverse within a small fishing village in Cornwall. From the rebranding of the Ambassadors Theatre bar as ‘The Pickled Crab’ (the pub featured within the show) to the gentle call of seagulls heard before the performance starts, this production feels deeply and authentical...

6Nov

By Olivia CoxNo Comments

London

Tones: A Hip-Hop Opera – Brixton House

To pull off a solo show, a performer needs to possess a deeply commanding presence, superhuman confidence, and a sense of great comfort within the space that puts the audience immediately at ease. To pull off a solo show that is almost entirely rapped? That requires something truly special — and that’s exactly what Gerel Falconer, writer and performer of Tones - A Hip-Hop Opera has in abundance. In this show, Falconer plays the role of Jerome (AKA The Professor), a young Black British man navigating our society where race, class, and culture still play a huge role in our sense of belonging. Feeling not Black enough for the area he grew up in yet too Black for the rest of the world, Jerome is forced to confront the impact that assimilation has had on his identity. With his sole compan...

Murder on the Orient Express – Richmond Theatre

6Nov

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

Murder on the Orient Express – Richmond Theatre

On the famous Orient Express in between Istanbul and Calais, a disparate group of passengers are bound together. First by the train being forced to stop in a snowdrift and then by the discovery of a dead body, murder most foul! Who among them could have wielded the knife? Straight onto the case is the world-renowned Belgian (not French!) detective Hercule Poirot who uses his ‘little grey cells’ to unravel the mystery. Yes, this is Agatha Christie’s most iconic tale, now brought to life on the stage in an adaptation by Ken Ludwig, directed by Lucy Bailey. High praise to set designer Mike Britton for the fantastic train carriage set on display. The neat trick is making the carriages breakaway into different compartments which can be moved in and out of the set to bring us to the differ...

2024 Fireworks Festival – Alexandra Palace

5Nov

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

2024 Fireworks Festival – Alexandra Palace

The 2024 Fireworks Festival at Alexandra Palace Park made a vibrant return, treating visitors to a dazzling display and a full evening of entertainment. Spanning the expansive grounds, the event featured activities and attractions spread across various areas, creating an atmosphere that was lively yet well-organized. From the outset, entering the park was a smooth experience. The event staff were attentive, efficiently managing the flow of guests and ensuring a welcoming and easy entry. Depending on your entrance, you were immediately immersed in the bustling energy of the festival. Inside the park, the variety of food trucks and bars added to the festive feel, offering an array of delicious options, including both meat and vegetarian choices. The bars were well-stocked, and the wint...

Pop Off, Michelangelo! – The Other Palace

5Nov

By Olivia CoxNo Comments

London

Pop Off, Michelangelo! – The Other Palace

If you asked me to describe my dream show, I’d probably tell you it would be a musical, with stupidly clever comedy, and plenty of niche pop culture references. Luckily for me, The Other Palace is serving up a shining example of this with Dylan MarcAurele’s Pop Off, Michelangelo!, directed by Joe McNeice. An unashamedly untrue retelling of how Renaissance artists Michelangelo (Max Eade) and Leonardo Da Vinci (Aidan MacColl) became frenemies, this show introduces us to the pair as young pals who soon realise they have something in common: they’re both gay, but can’t live as their truest selves out of fear of punishment by the church. Figuring out their simplest route to divine forgiveness is to win over someone who has a direct line to the big man himself, the friends head to art scho...

Slave: A Question of Freedom – Riverside Studios

2Nov

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Slave: A Question of Freedom – Riverside Studios

Slave: A Question of Freedom is a powerful performance that transports the audience to the Nuba Mountains, where we are introduced to Mende Nazer in her childhood. We see Mende with her family, singing, dancing, playing, attending school, and enjoying the wonders of life. This remarkable true story soon shifts gears, confronting us with the brutal reality and horrors inflicted by humankind. We witness the devastation as Mende’s village is raided, families are killed, and children are taken—forced into lives they never wanted or deserved. The play delves into the ongoing existence of modern slavery, vividly portraying the tragic reality that such horrors are still a part of our world. The scenes make references to incidents including sexual violence, murder, female circumcision and many ...

31Oct

By Savitha VenugopalNo Comments

London

Guards at the Taj – Orange Tree Theatre

For centuries, Taj Mahal has held the fascination of the world as a monument of love, an architectural masterpiece that not only is breathtakingly beautiful, but also spoke of the power held by Shahjahan, the Mughal emperor who commissioned it. But great beauty comes at great price. Legend goes that after Taj Mahal was built, Shahjahan ordered that all the artisans who worked on it have their hands chopped off so that they never replicate it ever again (there is no historical evidence to this having happened). Guards at the Taj, written by Rajiv Joseph and directed by Adam Karim, explores the human and emotional cost of creating something magnificent. Two soldiers, Babur and Humayun – namesakes of Shahjahan’s ancestors, as it happens – guard the Taj as it nears completion. Babur is p...

Anirban Dasgupta: Polite Provocation – Soho Theatre

31Oct

By Savitha VenugopalNo Comments

London

Anirban Dasgupta: Polite Provocation – Soho Theatre

At the very outset Anirban Dasgupta promises that by the end of the hour, the audience will know a lot more about India than they already do. He stays true to his word, educating the room on the current state of politics of the country, Mahatma Gandhi, the freedom struggle, and the growth of standup comedy and the challenges it faces. While he does eventually segue on to other topics, the best parts of Dasgupta’s set are for the politically aware. It also seems to be what he most enjoys. He brings up some uncomfortable truths about the political and social atmosphere in India with much hilarity. The evening’s show, he says, is “like the Indian media – sold out.” But can he tell these jokes with the same ease back in his home city? Probably not, given what he goes on to tell us ab...