London Archives - Page 43 of 115

9Jul

By Gonzalo SentanaNo Comments

London

Miss Brexit – Rose Theatre

Discussing controversial topics is one of the prerogatives of theatre. Immigration and European identity, or lack thereof, is as controversial as it gets in these post Brexit years. Enter Miss Brexit. In this devised new piece, under the direction of Alejandro Postigo and Amaia Mugica, we find an unnamed presenter, played by George Berry, and 5 contestants: Maria Alba, played by Alba Villaitodo, Maria Isabel, by Isabel Mulas, Maria Marie, by Maxence Marmy, Maria Shivone, by Shivone Dominguez Blascikova, and Maria Ricardo, by Ricardo Ferreira. As simple as the indicates, the audience is promptly informed about the show they are about to witness: Miss Brexit is a contest where one of the five contestants will be awarded the right to remain in the UK. The premise is straightforward, and...

8Jul

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

Olive Jar – Grand Junction

Olive Jar is an important community project that brings to the forefront stories of reminiscence, connection and yearning from Iraq - Assyrian, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Algeria, Palestine, and Iraq. In typical hospitality of communities, the audience is welcomed with warm tea. The play is set in the Grand Junction inside St Mary Magdalene's church, a fine example of Grade 1 Gothic Revival architecture. As the last rays of the setting sun light the altar, the stage lights up with a wide array of lights. The stage is covered with vibrant colours of the Middle Eastern and South African flags. One is captivated from the first moment as the actors take the stage. This was the first time some of the actresses and actors ever performed on stage! The play is fascinating because by watching...

6Jul

By Alice RoseNo Comments

London

Beneatha’s Place – Young Vic

Artistic Director of the Young Vic, Kwame Kwei-Armah writes and directs a new piece, 'Beneatha's Place', following a young black American woman, Beneatha (Cherrelle Skeete), who marries her professor Joseph Asagai (Zackary Momoh) and moves to Nigeria with him to start their new life together. The first act follows their first day moving into a white neighborhood; visitors from Joseph's childhood bring warnings of growing political pressures that put him at risk. Beneatha, overwhelmed by this new life and unaware of the politics, must catch up on how to tackle racism differently here than how she would in America. The second act brings us further into the future, with Beneatha now a Dean of an Ivy League university, bringing her employees back to this home in Nigeria to discuss the new prop...

5Jul

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

Agatha – Theatre503

Agatha and Ben are newly engaged and about to have his parents around for dinner to share their happy news. Agatha seems distracted and when Ben finds a sonogram picture, their different needs from their relationship come into combat. Told through a series of flashbacks, from their first night together we follow the couple through the years, young love, moving in together, settling into the quiet moments and to the marriage proposal. There is a complication that Ben wants children, Agatha does not and despite the years together and the time jumps to show them together, it isn’t something either of them ever brought up. It seems odd that so far into a relationship, living together for years, talking of marriage and of future plans but neither have mentioned their strongly held beli...

5Jul

By Michelle KnightNo Comments

London

Crazy for You – Gillian Lynne Theatre

Crazy for You is a traditional musical from the Gershwin's catalogue of brilliance, a production revitalized by Joey Parnes, Sally Horchow, and Michael Harrison. It had a run of sell-out performances at the Chichester Festival Theatre and is directed by Olivier award-winning director Susan Stroman. Charlie Stemp star of Half a Sixpence and Mary Poppins as (Bobby Childs) and Wicked star Carly Anderson as (Polly Baker) head up a stellar cast showcasing joyous melodies including the familiar Gershwin classic songs, I Got Rhythm and They Can't Take That Away from Me. The performers acted and danced their way through a 2-hour 20-minute score and brought to life the ‘Folies Bergere’ style and glamour, a delightful spectacle of costumes, color, and synchronicity which filled the stage and a...

3Jul

By Gonzalo SentanaNo Comments

London

La Copla – King’s Head Theatre

What is Copla? How can we understand such a unique expression of Spanish identity? Welcome to La copla, where you will learn about passion and music in a very amusing way. In this very interesting cross over between theatre and documentary, full of music, video and songs, we see Alejandro Postigo, also author of the text, going through his connection with Copla songs and his Spanish heritage. Directed by Sergio Maggiolo, and with Jazmine Mitts as Assistant Director, the play is a fresh mix of acting, singing and projections of examples of the Copla music, as well as some other material which the performer connects through his unique perspective to the idea of Copla. The Video Design, by Ricardo Ferreira, is very detailed, and does not overwhelm the audience or steal the thunder from the...

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Opera Holland Park

30Jun

By Gonzalo SentanaNo Comments

London

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Opera Holland Park

Warm weather, love and magic are everywhere in the summer. And we can share a piece of that magic in this entertaining comedy, plus the beautiful music that will come with it. Figure, the historical performance ensemble, brings to life this classic written by Willian Shakespeare and with the music of Felix Mendelssohn. Directed by Sam Rayner, and Musical Direction of Frederick Waxman, this famous story is set on the stage in the Opera Holland Park. The play follows the story of the four lovers, played by Johan Munir as Demetrius, Eleanor Sutton as Helena, Emmanuel Olusanya as Lysander, and Hannah Rose Caton, and the ensemble of actors with Jay Mailer as Bottom, Gail Sixsmith as Quince, Jordan Laviniere as Flute, Susie Coutts as Snout, William Eden as Snug, and Joyce Henderson as Starvel...

30Jun

By Zoё MeeresNo Comments

London

One Way Mirror – The Pleasance

One Way Mirror bills itself as a new interactive story about the art of people watching. It is based on the true experience of writer and performer, theatre maker Jonathan Oldfield, one half of PillowTalk Theatre, and the time he spent living in a property with a one way mirror facing out onto the street. From this vantage point, Oldfield can observe people going about their business, a voyeur of sorts who can see you even though you can’t see him. And the show is largely as billed - it does indeed focus on Oldfield’s experience of people watching and it is interactive in as much as it relies on a degree of audience participation. It’s risky but respectfully and gently done - no one is forced onto the stage to pretend to be a cat or a chicken and the excellent willing participants were giv...

30Jun

By Marita MatarNo Comments

London

Duck – Arcola Theatre

The UK premiere of Duck is written by Maatin, directed by Imy Wyatt Corner, and performed by Omar Bynon. Ismail (Omar Bynon) whose name can’t even be pronounced by his schoolmates and teachers is a vibrant Indian teenager whose love for cricket knows no bounds. The story unfolds in the days leading up to the tragic July 7 terrorist attack that occurred in London in 2005. This devastating event led to the endorsement of Islamophobia and the unfair stigmatisation of individuals with brown skin, beards, or thick hair. Amidst this backdrop, the narrative of “Duck” presents a mundane account that immerses readers in the life of a 15-year-old Indian boy. Throughout his passionate journey in the world of cricket, he encounters subtle instances of racism and discrimination based on his name, sk...

30Jun

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

London

A Strange Loop – Barbican

Nominated for 11 Tony Awards including Best New Musical, A Strange Loop, Michael R. Jackson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, has just landed at the Barbican for a strictly limited season. The meta musical tells the story of Usher, a young, gay, and Black writer, desperate to escape his life as a theatre usher, so decides to write a musical about a young, gay, Black writer whose writing a musical about a young, gay, Black writer...and so on. We see Usher struggle with his identity, sexuality, and desires while trying to navigate the harsh modern world and the circles within circles of his life. Directed by Stephen Brackett, Usher is joined by the hilarious six-person ensemble who personify his inner thoughts and feelings from self-loathing to sexual ambivalence. Kyle Ramar Freeman who l...