London Archives - Page 52 of 94

Professor Brian Cox presents Horizons: A 21st Century Space Odyssey – The 02, London

1Sep

By Ely KingNo Comments

London

Professor Brian Cox presents Horizons: A 21st Century Space Odyssey – The 02, London

As someone who has always been fascinated by space, but never had the brain capacity or time to learn more, I jumped at the chance to be able to see Prof. Brian Cox live. This show may be seen as a glorified lecture to some, and Cox even referred to it as such, but this was so much more. With a huge HD LED screen at his disposal, the scientist used it to display some of the most fascinatingly beautiful images I will ever see. From real images taken from telescopes to simulations and artist renditions to live equations, this screen was used for it all. The highlights for me were when he displayed real life imagery taken by the James Webb Space Telescope and The Hubble Space Telescope, we even had the delights of seeing a ‘selfie’ from a Mars Rover! For two and a half hours the ...

1Sep

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

Not F**kin’ Sorry – Soho Theatre

Presented by Not Your Circus Dog Collective and Access All Areas, the frank and honest cabaret ‘Not F**kin’ Sorry’ dives headfirst and unapologetically into the topic of disability discrimination in a highly provocative, hilarious, and seductive way. Not Your Circus Dog is a collective of learning disabled and neurodivergent performers who all, in their own right take command of the performance space to share their own story and those of others, and with serious content warnings, knock down all barriers on the sexuality, lifestyle, and fantasy of disabled people. The 60 minutes performance is impactful from start to finish. It is a curated piece that balances between the points of audience laughter and dancing, and points where they are stunned into silence and grim sadness. It’s a ...

Ride: A New Musical – Charing Cross Theatre

1Sep

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

Ride: A New Musical – Charing Cross Theatre

In 1894, Annie Londonderry set off on a solo circumnavigation of the world by bike. That her name and this radical accomplishment is almost entirely unknown is as big a mystery as is the real story of her travels. She was born in Latvia, emigrated to the US as a child and suffered the loss of her parents, leaving her at just 16 to care for her younger siblings. She married in an attempt to achieve financial stability and had three children. But it seems it was the death of her younger brother that was the seminal moment that propelled her towards her pioneering ride around the world. There's talk of a wager, adventures with the myriad people she meets along the way, relationships developed and abandoned. On her triumphant return to the US in 1895, following an initial wave of media ...

Descendants: Ghost Written – Museum of Comedy

27Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Descendants: Ghost Written – Museum of Comedy

As a fan of improvised comedy, I was keen to go along to see The Descendants, who are a part of Hoopla Impro’s house team, who on this occasion are offering a long form improvised show, with suggestions being taken at the beginning only. This style of improvisation allows the performers to make the decisions as to the direction the story will take, but they use the initial suggestions given by the audience. Tonight, the team asked for a place that the play should be, the weather, and a name of a character. The audience suggestions were a maternity ward, snow and Gill Jacobi, let’s see what The Descendants can make of that little lot! Tina and Colin are having a baby, and Tina is already in labour in the maternity hospital being supported by Donovan, a work colleague who ...

Elizabeth Fry: The Angel of Prisons – Canning Town Library

27Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Elizabeth Fry: The Angel of Prisons – Canning Town Library

Created and written by James Kenworth, this production is the latest instalment of The Newham Plays. These are locally focussed plays, site-specific and digging into Newham’s history. This collaboration between writer James Kenworth and director Martin Charlton, draws upon the talent from the local schools of Newham, and youth theatre groups, under the guidance of a director and professional actors. Staged at the Canning Town Library, this celebration of the life of Elizabeth Fry, who fought for the improvement of conditions in prisons, especially for women. Fry and her husband lived locally in West Ham and she helped the local gypsy community by giving them food, clothing, and medicine. Elizabeth Fry or Betsy as she was known, is played by three different pe...

David Hoyle: Ten Commandments – Soho Theatre

27Aug

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

David Hoyle: Ten Commandments – Soho Theatre

Humanity is paying a price for not listening to David Hoyle. In the heady ‘90s, when Hoyle performed as the Divine David, he would howl at the crowds, ‘Don’t go to the gym, go to the library’. The message, delivered with smeared mascara, spit and rage was driven by a righteous fear that society’s obsession with external appearance would destroy intellectual evolution and spiritual growth. That sage decree was delivered long before Twitter thirst traps, armies of Instagram charlatans and the quiet destruction of public libraries. Hoyle was a queer canary down the mine. Today, young children are increasingly cursed with eating disorders, Botox is bigger than de Beauvoir and since 2010, at least 773 libraries have closed. Even if we wished to heed Hoyle’s advice, it’s too l...

26Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Janet – Etcetera Theatre

I have to say that I was not sure what to expect when reading the summary of the show, as it does sound absurd to make a character from a piece of bread dough. I am pleased to say, that the unique skills of performer, Helen Ainsworth and director, John Mowat left me in no doubt that this unusual approach to puppetry is very entertaining. The story begins with Ainsworth wearing her chef’s uniform and hat, incorporating a mask, as she begins to bring the characters alive. Beryl is a packet of French bread flour, Keith is a rusty lidded water jug, and Lady Jane Grey is a posh sounding teapot from Sheffield. The show begins with Beryl and Keith consummating their relationship, by mixing together their flour and water to create Janet, their beloved offspring, the French br...

25Aug

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

Patience – Wilton’s Music Hall

Gilbert and Sullivan's biting mockery of the aesthetic movement, the fickleness of love and infatuation and the worshipping of celebrities has never been better or more wittily presented than in Charles Court Opera's current production. Played gloriously tongue-in-cheek, this show is a joy from start to finish. Patience is an over-the-top satire with contemporary relevance to today's shallow celebrity culture and the ephemeral nature of fleeting trends. Patience, a young barmaid, is unschooled in the ways of love and is confused to see that three women of varying maturity who profess to be in love with the poet, Bunthorne, are desperately unhappy because of it and have taken to drink. They already have three upstanding military men, including one who is a Duke, as suitors but fin...

Treason The Musical In Concert – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

23Aug

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

Treason The Musical In Concert – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Set in 1605, where “being Catholic is treason”, Treason tells the tale of the famous gunpowder plot which would have been the bloodiest event in British history. In a world completely divided between Protestants and Catholics, everything is at stake as the decision must be made whether to hide in the shadows or fight what you believe in. The story follows the plotters, Robert Catesby (Simon-Anthony Roden) and Thomas Percy (Bradley Jaden) and the famous Guy Fawkes (Sebastian Harwood), although he was not a lead. Thomas Percy’s wife, Martha (Carrie Hope Fletcher) is an essential part to the plot, knowing more than anyone what was at risk. The show opens with the Narrator (Debris Stevenson) who introduces the plot and sets the scene in Britain in 1605. The story unfolds in a rap style,...

20Aug

By Ezzy LaBelleNo Comments

London

Domitius – Camden Fringe Online

Revamping Roman history for a modern audience, Domitius bursts with energy and electrifying rock musical scores. Expect the unexpected from Domitius Production Collective LLP! Making its Camden Fringe debut, the musical is available to watch online and follows the vain Roman Emperor Nero (also known as Domitius) and his ambitions to seek life as a poet and performer. However, thrust into power prematurely the audience, and history, bears witness to his descent into despotism instead. Featuring a roll call of names from Rome’s historic hall of fame - Seneca, Octavia, Agrippa, Poppaea and Nero – Domitius offers accuracy in events and finds a lively, original way to portray the period of 1st Century Rome. The internal conflict of Nero is one which cuts across time and cultures and into...