Saturday, January 11

London

The Garden of Words – Park Theatre
16Aug By Paul AckroydNo Comments
London

The Garden of Words – Park Theatre

This an unusual production to be performed in the United Kingdom being a stage adaptation of the Japanese Anime film of the same name by Makoto Shinkai. It tells the story of seven people, all seeking happiness in relationships but having to confront the realities of life in an urban environment which makes such connections difficult.  True to its animation origins it adopts a symbolic rather than realistic staging.  It is performed on a largely bare stage with a raised platform at the back and only a few white blocks which the cast efficiently moved around provide the necessary set for the various scenes. At the back of the playing area of was a skeletal tree and a projection surface onto which beautiful images of Japan were played, including from time to time quotations in b...
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Chronically Hilarious – Museum of Comedy
15Aug By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments
London

Chronically Hilarious – Museum of Comedy

Chronically Hilarious platforms disabled Comedians who pack a punch. It is often declared that any comedian worth their salt must be in Edinburgh, but no one ever talks about how inaccessible the city and the festival's structure are. So, buckle your seat belts for Six unsalty comedy comedians making a delightful evening about bits about being disabled with other disabled folks on stage and in the audience. Special mention for the BSL interpretation by Peter Abraham with the expert signing. 1 in 5 of the UK population is disabled, and 80% of these people have a hidden disability. That's over 10 million UK people with an invisible disability. Historically conversations are riddled with shame, disbelief and unasked advice. The collection of comedians who are so funny and also have auti...
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Singh’ing in the Rain – Camden Fringe
15Aug By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments
London

Singh’ing in the Rain – Camden Fringe

Mandeep Singh’s Singh’ing in the Rain is an effortless and fresh take on comedy. He breezes through bits of observation from tiny instances we have all faced but not dwelled on, perhaps. Mandeep's comedy timing is brilliant. He plays such a diverse set of funny and relatable characters. His judicious use of props and music, expertly supported by his tech Fiona adds to the comedic charm. From enjoying chips on stage that pack a punch to dojo eagle dragons who will listen to anyone troubling you and help you punch away your misery, Mandeep has the audience in splits. Remember thumb wars as a kid to pass the time waiting on the train? You can relive this memory on stage with a bit of competitive character, which will make you laugh till your stomach hurts. Remember that squishy banana you ...
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Dad, Playboy, & Me…. Not Your Average Slideshow – The Water Rats
14Aug By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments
London

Dad, Playboy, & Me…. Not Your Average Slideshow – The Water Rats

'Cathartic, creative and healing'. AG Nortan's Dad, Playboy, & Me... Not Your Average Slideshow has travelled all the way from the USA to share her story, first at the Brighton Fringe, then the Camden Fringe in London and then at Edinburgh Fringe. AG Nortan calls herself a Londoner at heart and deeply enjoys weaving this story of her father, her grandfather, and their mentors as she uncovers many boxes of unprocessed film in her parent's basement during the pandemic. The performance shares the painstaking process she went through to digitalise the photographs. Amanda is aware that what she uncovers is from another space/time continuum. She is trying to put her lived experience as a queer, feminist woman trying to humanise and understand an absent dad who passed away when she was ...
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A Caravan Named Desire – Camden People’s Theatre
12Aug By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments
London

A Caravan Named Desire – Camden People’s Theatre

Split Infinitive presents the play 'A Caravan Named Desire'. The experimental piece is performed by married couple Alexander and Helen Millington. The play starts on the premise to curiously unpack the living experience of a sex worker but meanders into the personal journey of the writer/character's sexual exploration. 'A caravan named Desire' is the John Beecher Memorial Award winner for original, challenging work with high production value at the Buxton Fringe Festival.  For time immemorial, men have lied and deceived women to share their stories and services. The play's premise's inherent deceit sits uncomfortably and is invisible in the room. Though the play's premise is attractive, the tension, curiosity and apprehension around sexual exploration falls flat in the latter h...
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Quiz Night – Vaginus Hemmingway’s Cabaret Rathole
12Aug By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments
London

Quiz Night – Vaginus Hemmingway’s Cabaret Rathole

'Quiz Night at Vaginus Hemmingway's cabaret rathole' by Lara Cosmetatos is a personal essay with a creative imagination and talented acting and singing. The solo piece contains multiple realities and endearing characters crafted and delivered with aplomb. Fruit of her labour of the past six years, one can't help but admire the many diverse stories she weaves, with characters who have some resemblances to those around us but are totally unique and quirky in how they express and exist. The most enchanting part of the show was Lara's voice and original songs. She sings like a nightingale, switching tones, delivering with precision and commanding stage presence. The songs also have so much depth, rhyme and poetic imagery, tying significant knots in the plot. The show is about a sweet...
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Charlie Jackson: Bath (WIP) – The Rose and Crown Pub
11Aug By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments
London

Charlie Jackson: Bath (WIP) – The Rose and Crown Pub

Charlie Jackson's hour-long deliberation of taking a bath brings together clowning, improv with earnest curiosity. The Victorian pastime without any remnants of prudishness. As you enter the basement of the Rose and crown Pub, you are greeted with Victorian images of women enjoying the bath in paper mâché frames, countless rubber ducks, and several bath-associated knick-knacks. Charlie loses no time connecting with each of the audience members with his determined and warm demeanour. The joy and enthusiasm on Charlie's face as he takes you through his elaborate mind map of different aspects of setting up his bath. He goes old school with a flip sheet and sketches. Hearing his experiences, you also remember the joy you had splashing water in the tub as a child. You wonder if he will s...
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The Bareback Kings – The Hope Theatre
11Aug By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments
London

The Bareback Kings – The Hope Theatre

Hilarious, energetic and satirical comedy all rolled up in one. The Bareback Kings together since 2017 made up of Lynsey Bonnell, Rebecca Schuster, Juliet Morrish and Francesca Reid.  Masters of their game from on point contour makeup to editing and ‘mansplaining’ they guarantee an evening of guffaws and chortles. The drag-king comedy group effortlessly saunters through improvisation, cabaret and sketch. The show begins with the Drag kings breaking out into a synchronized choreography with lip syncing to match that would make Nsync blush. The beats of the show explore themes of connection between audience members. Through the show there is a strong critique of the social assumptions, reinforcement of consent, and topical discussions about the threat of Barbie on the modern man....
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Paved with Gold and Ashes – Old Red Lion Theatre
11Aug By Khushboo ShahNo Comments
London

Paved with Gold and Ashes – Old Red Lion Theatre

Julia Thurston’s Paved with Gold and Ashes effectively captures the “American” gold-dusted dreams and hopes of five of the many immigrant garment workers employed at The Triangle Shirt Waist Factory. Based on a true story, the play heart-warmingly encapsulates their journeys, working conditions, relationships with each other and the factory in a crisp hour, all leading to the tragic fire claiming the lives of 146 garment workers in 1911. Their interactions- shuffling between each other and the audience are cleverly and cohesively crafted using movement, song and visceral storytelling with directorial support from Maria Cristina Petitti, Warren Rusher, and Stephen Smith.  An intimate black box with static warm golden lights, wooden chairs and white fabric create a stri...
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Dead Souls – Etcetera Theatre
8Aug By Riana HowarthNo Comments
London

Dead Souls – Etcetera Theatre

The Eno River Players bring Mikhail Bulgakov’s (author of The Master and Margarita) Dead Souls to life, with a swirling sense of adventure. The cast of three tumble through the plot in a stylistically haphazard way, presenting the 19th century Russian story. Chichikov, the protagonist, embarks on a “get rich quick” scheme, scouring the land for “dead souls”, collecting the rights to dead people. On his journey, he meets a host of strange characters that lead him from one place to another. The set is full of random props, domineered by a central painting of the Russian leader, changing with the time. The bustle as they set up between scenes was rhythmic and characterised and gave the bohemian feel of a travelling troupe, but I think using slightly fewer props would have made the spac...
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