London Archives - Page 58 of 123

3May

By Zoё MeeresNo Comments

London

Blanket Ban – Southwark Playhouse

Performing to a packed Southwark Playhouse audience on Tuesday night, writers and performers Davina Hamilton and Marta Vella open their one act show by extolling the virtues of their home country, Malta. And it sounds idyllic – 300 days of sunshine, beautiful beaches and coastline, jewel blue sea – which features as a recurring theme of beauty and power – delicious food and a friendly community spirit across the country. Ah, and it has – or had up until very recently – a blanket ban on abortion. And so, the premise is set, with Hamilton and Vella breaking down the internal conflict they feel for a country they clearly love, with otherwise open and progressive views, taking such a stern, outdated position on abortion. The piece has been well researched and uses a mix of first-person t...

The Beekeeper of Aleppo – Richmond Theatre

3May

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

The Beekeeper of Aleppo – Richmond Theatre

‘The Beekeeper of Aleppo’, adapted for the stage by Nesrin Alrefaai and Matthew Spangler, is based on Christy Lefteri's bestselling novel. The play follows the story of Nuri, a beekeeper, and his wife Afra as they navigate a dangerous journey from war-torn Syria to the UK. The couple's experiences are shaped by the trauma they faced during the war, and the challenges they encounter as refugees seeking safety and a new home. As Nuri and Afra struggle through Turkey and Greece, leaving behind the shattered remains of their lives, audiences bear witness to their resilience and strength and see the power of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Lefteri's novel is a powerful story that offers a glimpse into the harsh realities faced by refugees, and the play adaptation seeks to bring th...

2May

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

Glory Ride – Charing Cross Theatre

“Good is something you do, not what you talk about”. A new musical based on the true story of a heroic conspiracy to rescue children from fascist Italy by bicycle, Glory Ride a tale of passion, friendship, grief and pride. The plot centres around the beloved Italian athlete Gino Bartali (Josh St. Clair), an Italian household name, who cycled across European countries delivering edited identity cards to fugitives to save their lives. Written by Victoria and Todd Buchholz and directed by Olivier-winner Kelly Devine, this production has been developed through workshops in New York and Los Angeles and a staged concert at The Other Palace in London last year. The set is dimly lit and has a sombre feel to it, setting the scene for Italy in 1935, depicting the tone of the musical a...

Eurovision (Your Decision) – Above The Stag

2May

By Alice RoseNo Comments

London

Eurovision (Your Decision) – Above The Stag

In the upcoming, major event that is Eurovision we are transported back to the classics throughout the years. Four actors take us through a parody musical journey all the way back to the 70's, to covid finding all the most wonderful obscurities through the way. Set in a cabaret style theatre, the audience are encouraged to band together, make new friends and sing-along in the true Eurovision style. This fast-paced piece parodies every element, from the voice-over to the presenters. Incredibly well-timed comedy and chemistry between the cast as they jostle on and off stage clownishly. Even if you don't know the older tunes, everything is so easily available for the audience to get involved and show support. Interactive, of sorts as we decide the winner of the whole show during the int...

2May

By Alice RoseNo Comments

London

The Retreat – Finborough Theatre

Jason Sherman's The Retreat follows the dreams of Rachel (Jill Winternitz), a Hebrew school teacher whose passion for writing was re-enlightened from a dare to try one more time. After being accepted on a writer's retreat led by an independent film production studio, David (Max Rinehart) falls in love with her script about a false Messiah but upon her arrival falls in love with her too. David's business partner Jeff (Michael Feldsher) is wrapped up in the current obsession of slashers knowing it'll help expand their business but David can't get behind work he doesn't feel passionate about and walks away from Jeff to help produce Rachel's script. In an effort to bring David back, Jeff meddles with Rachel's script to see if she is a wannabe writer or a true writer at heart. Rachel becomes vi...

30Apr

By Gonzalo SentanaNo Comments

London

Richard III – Rose Theatre

What is the right way to do Shakespeare? Is there a right way? Is there only one way? How are his characters seen today, and what do they mean for today's audiences? Adjoah Andoh takes a bold swing at one of Shakespeare's most hateful villains, and strikes the audience with wit. This staging of Richard III, coproduced by Rose Theatre and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatre, toys with the idea that the non-able bodied title character is being judged by his appearance more than his actions. All the historical explanations notwithstanding, it is interesting to think about discrimination and marginalization based on physical appearance. It's just… well… according to the text, Richard did order the murder of two children who were in his way, amongst several other people. The question ...

The Marriage of Figaro – Royal Opera House

28Apr

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

London

The Marriage of Figaro – Royal Opera House

Mozart’s classic four-act comic opera, an adaptation with Da Ponte of Beaumarchais’ banned 1778 play about warring masters and servants, is delightfully brought to life in director David McVicar’s own revival of his 2006 production, again conducted by Antonio Pappano, of this satirical and deeply human drama. As the day of Figaro (Riccardo Fassi) and Susanna’s (Giulia Semenzato) wedding arrives, it becomes clear that their master, Count Almaviva (Davide Luciano), is keen to exercise his ‘droit du seigneur’ – his right to bed a servant girl on her wedding night – and they conspire with the forsaken Countess (Federica Lombardi) to outwit her husband and teach him a lesson in fidelity. Plans however are thrown awry when Bartolo (Henry Waddington), seeking revenge against Figaro for thwarti...

Love Talk – New Wimbledon Theatre Studio

28Apr

By Gonzalo SentanaNo Comments

London

Love Talk – New Wimbledon Theatre Studio

How would it feel to see a very toxic relationship described as love? How would it look like to see the representation of a separation letter gone wrong? In this production of Love Talk, written and directed by Emma Gueye, the audience is presented with the characters of Lauren, played by Megan Cooper, Adam, played by Will Charlton, and Ethan, by Chris Austin. The set and costume design are minimal and have little to no interest in the performance, but that will come back later. When the audience enters the theatre, there seems to be a party going on, with between 6 to 10 people having fun, talking, and laughing on stage. This is a very promising start that is, however, deceptive. The rest of the play will be surprisingly static, not only from a corporeal point of view, but from the ...

27Apr

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

F**king Men – Waterloo East

F**king Men by Joe Dipietro is based on Schnitzler’s La Ronde, written in 1897 and first performed in 1920. It provoked an almighty scandal that escalated into anti-Semitic attacks on Schnitzler and a court case where he was accused (but acquitted) of obscenity. The primary text is laughably tame and early productions left the sexual encounters to the audience’s imagination, but the playwright was still labelled a ‘Jewish pornographer’. La Ronde dared to suggest that sexual desire cuts through class barriers and unwise copulation is a universal human frailty. This is no longer news in 2023 and perhaps Dipietro was chasing the original’s provocative vibes when naming this adaption and filling the stage with rampant, often naked, gay men. Either way, the gambit proved a box office smash. ...

26Apr

By Paul AckroydNo Comments

London

Jules and Jim – Jermyn Street Theatre

Henri-Pierre Roche's classic 1952 novel, which was made into a renowned 1962 film directed by François Truffault, has been adapted for the stage by Timberlake Wertenbaker and presented at the Jermyn Street Theatre. It tells the story over 25 years from 1907 of two young men, one German, one French, who meet and form a firm and long-lasting friendship based upon their love of writing. Their friendship is disturbed when they come across the enigmatic Kath, whose smile they liken to the statue of a Greek goddess they had been infatuated with when they came across it on holiday. Kath has a dramatic impact on the lives of them, but never destroys the firmness of their friendship. It is a play about the centrality of love and friendship to life. Wertenbaker's script is...