London Archives - Page 48 of 157

23Oct

By Amelia RoseNo Comments

London

Amaze – Criterion Theatre

Running for a limited time at the Criterion Theatre, Jamie Allan has brought his magic show ‘Amaze’ to London. Running just under 2 hours you get to witness his magical journey, starting all the way back as a child, being dragged to an antique shop by his mum and stumbling upon a heaped stack of magic books, hats and devices. Magic follows through his story, filled with eerie coincidences which can only be explained as fate- he is doing exactly what he should be doing and God, is he good. Allan, through his story reminds the audience that we, too should put more trust in fate, to celebrate who we are and what we love, to really trust the magic in life. Allan is incredibly inspired by his late parents who always shared his dream and would be astounded at where he is today. It is an incredib...

23Oct

By Louise PennNo Comments

London

Kidults the Musical – Bridewell Theatre

Are our schooldays really the best of our lives, or are they a kind of hell? And is ‘kidulthood’, that space between being a child and being an adult, all that easy to navigate? Mark Tunstall, who writes, directs, and stars as a kind of Fagin/circus master type of ‘Narrata’, started developing this project as a book of poems, a set of “cautionary tales for adults”. With the input of Lulu Chen and others, the poems became songs for this musical, which is now receiving its stage premiere at three venues across London. We are considering the age of thirteen, the start of the teenage years, in the group of children depicted. They are all played by adults, with Tunstall’s character as the only actual ‘grown-up’ on stage. Although there is a promise of a cohesive story, the songs really ar...

21Oct

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Bridge Command – Mission: Intrigue

Bridge Command was a fully immersive experience from the moment you step inside. The actors and staff actively encourage you to engage and make the experience your own. Upon arrival at the venue, conveniently located near Vauxhall station, you're asked to suit up in your uniform, preparing for your mission. Next, you're taken through a “teleportation” sequence, which transports you to a new area: the bar. While the teleportation effect is very cool, it involves a lot of flashing lights. If you're sensitive to this type of lighting or have any conditions affected by flashing lights, it's a good idea to inform the staff beforehand, which they also check for before entry. The bar itself is fully decked out in a space-themed design. The bartenders were cheerful and chatty, making it a gr...

18Oct

By Klervi GavetNo Comments

London

1984 – Hackney Town Hall

George Orwell’s 1984 comes alive in this site-specific theatre production under the solid eye of Irish director, Jack Reardon. This immersive experience skilfully blends audience participation with the confined setting of Hackney Town Hall’s council chamber and atrium to underscore the novel’s themes of oppression and loss of individuality. The adaptation adeptly condenses the first half of Orwell’s novel, focusing on world-building and intrigue through an induction led by high-ranking Party officer O’Brien (Dominic Carter). A Big Brother rally, complete with patriotic singing, anti-sex league flyering, and party agents probing, welcomes the audience into the dystopian world where every word and movement are monitored under the ever-present eye of Big Brother. The initial slow burn a...

Come Alive! – Empress Museum, Earl’s Court

17Oct

By Samantha CollettNo Comments

London

Come Alive! – Empress Museum, Earl’s Court

As a fan of ‘The Greatest Showman’ I was excited to see ‘Come Alive!’ Simon Hammerstein’s new creation to the world: circus meets musical theatre. ‘Come Alive!’ literally explodes in a blaze of riotous colour, big vocals and circus acts from the opening beat. It is a gorgeous assault to the senses and not one for those looking for a quiet night out. The acts in the 700-seater Big Top are daring and jaw dropping. With everything from acrobatic performers defying logic with their stunts in the sky, to chewing gum torso bodies twisting and tumbling across the stage to fire eating, tight-rope walking and so much more. This is a celebration of fun and madness. From the outset, the hit songs (‘This Is Me’, ‘Rewrite the Stars’, ‘A Million Dreams’) are in abundance and the soundtrack carr...

17Oct

By Sadie PearsonNo Comments

London

Toto Kerblammo! – Unicorn Theatre

Isolation in community, courage in adversity, the bravery it takes to feel – to love. Toto Kerblammo! is a tale from a furry friend which is deeply, tenderly human. Effy, played by Peyvand Sadeghian, is struck with tragedy. Sent to live with her aunt and uncle as her mother recovers from a nervous breakdown, in a flat block which doesn’t allow dogs. Little do her aunt and uncle know, however, that the ‘no-pets-allowed’ rules haven’t been followed. Using 3D binaural audio technology, the audience wear headphones to experience Effy’s world. Felipe Pacheco as Effy’s beloved dog Toto not only takes the stage but narrates Effy’s story through the headset directly into your ears, ASMR-like at times, demanding that to appreciate it all you must “really listen”. Audio performances from Ma...

Land of the Free – Southwark Playhouse, Borough

16Oct

By Paul AckroydNo Comments

London

Land of the Free – Southwark Playhouse, Borough

That Abraham Lincoln was assassinated while attending a theatrical performance is fairly common knowledge. Much less is generally known about his assassin: John Wilkes Booth. Booth's life is the subject of Simple8's production at the Southwark Playhouse. Booth came from a theatrical family and was himself an actor. It was his familiarity at the Ford theatre in Washington which gave him easy access to the President's private box on the fateful night of April 15 1865. His motivation was unclear, but probably arose from anger at the defeat of the Confederacy during the Civil War, and Lincoln's subsequent decision on the abolition of slavery. These provide the background to the play. The play is highly theatrical. This is appropriate given Booth's theatrical background ...

What we talk about when we talk about Anne Frank – Marylebone Theatre

16Oct

By Savitha VenugopalNo Comments

London

What we talk about when we talk about Anne Frank – Marylebone Theatre

Two Jewish couples: one secular, the other orthodox. The first, Phil and Debbie, live in their lavish house in Florida along with their son Trevor (who, by the way, is a Pastafarian and worships the Flying Spaghetti Monster). The second, Shoshana and Yerucham, live in Israel, have a large family, and seem to live by every rule in the book. When such contrasting characters meet, there are bound to be sparks. The play is based on a 2011 short story by Nathan Englander, which he adapted for the stage incorporating the most recent developments in the Middle East. In the hands of director Patrick Marber, it grows into a magnificent creature crackling with electricity. Each character is deeply layered, and the tones are brought out beautifully through the course of the play. Debbie,...

Q the Music: The James Bond Concert Spectacular – Indigo at the 02

15Oct

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Q the Music: The James Bond Concert Spectacular – Indigo at the 02

Q The Music: The James Bond Concert Spectacular truly lives up to its name as a remarkable tribute to the iconic music of the James Bond film series. Set against the backdrop of a live orchestra, the orchestra expertly guides the audience through the memorable soundtracks that have defined so many of these legendary Hollywood blockbusters. The orchestra itself is outstanding, effortlessly transitioning from the slow, dramatic pieces that build tension to the faster, more action-packed scores that accompany Bond’s most thrilling moments. Their versatility shone through, capturing the mood of each scene with precision. With such an extensive catalogue to choose from, it was impressive how well the orchestra covered a wide array of fan favourites. As they mentioned during the show, if your...

The Lehman Trilogy – Gillian Lynne Theatre

11Oct

By Samantha CollettNo Comments

London

The Lehman Trilogy – Gillian Lynne Theatre

Many people only know of the Lehman Brothers name on account of their failure. The Great Financial Crash of 2008 sent economic shockwaves through the world. Why then, one may ask, would anyone want to watch a three hour play about banking? The answer: it is possibly the most epic outstanding production you will ever see, and it is about so much more than banking. The stage is a rotating glass box. The backdrop is a digital screen. There are three actors. One pianist. Several cardboard boxes. On paper it shouldn’t work, but it is the magnificence of every key element and the outstanding direction by Sam Mendes which elevates this production to something you rarely witness in the West End. The story starts with Henry Lehman (Leighton Pugh), a Jew, making his way across the sea from Bav...