London Archives - Page 59 of 107

<strong>Peter Pan’s Labyrinth – The Vaults</strong>

9Nov

By Zoё MeeresNo Comments

London

Peter Pan’s Labyrinth – The Vaults

I always think of The Vaults (situated somewhere beneath the rail lines at Waterloo) as a cool if not entirely comfortable venue. A series of tunnels, bright graffiti, neon lighting - it's edgy for sure and a hive for exciting new theatre in an unusual space. So, the set up for Peter Pan's Labyrinth surprised me, although pleasantly so. Set up cabaret style with its own bar and themed cocktails, the effect is welcoming and cosy and were it not for the lack of phone signal I could easily have forgotten where I was. While Peter Pan's Labyrinth doesn't necessarily embrace its natural setting, the production itself is edgy and fun and definitely fits The Vaults' loud, non-conformist vibe. The plot is, simply, daft - Peter Pan needs to get back to Neverland to stop Tinkerbell's wedding, ...

<strong>Strictly Ballroom The Musical – New Wimbledon Theatre</strong>

9Nov

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

Strictly Ballroom The Musical – New Wimbledon Theatre

Adapted by Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce from the 1992 film, Strictly Ballroom is the story of the rebellious Australian dancer, Scott Hastings (Kevin Clifton), who shocks the dance community and his parents by choosing to dance with newbie Fran (Maisie Smith) in the prestigious Pan Pacific Dance Final. The opening sequence is full of colour and energy, the bright sparkly costumes shining amongst Richard G Jones’ lighting design. The wings are curved, peeling back like an onion, with bright lights in each one, adding glamour and depicting a fitting dance stage. The ensemble cast are dynamic and precise, becoming the spirit and momentum of the show. The leads, Strictly Come Dancing’s Kevin Clifton and Eastenders star, Maisie Smith, had excellent chemistry which carried the show. Despi...

<strong>Antigone: A Russian play essaying Authoritarianism – Cockpit Theatre</strong>

7Nov

By Akshay RahejaNo Comments

London

Antigone: A Russian play essaying Authoritarianism – Cockpit Theatre

Antigone: Sophocles' Greek tragedy is adapted-rewritten by Evgeniya Palekhova into a compelling two-hander anti-authoritarian debate between the transgressive niece, Antigone and the dictator Creon. The war has ended. Antigone learns that both her brothers are dead. Forced onto opposite sides, they have killed each other in battle. When dictator Creon takes control of the torn and hostile state, he buries one and proclaims the other as a traitor, leaving him to rot in the streets of Thebes. Antigone chooses to bury her brother despite the danger it entails. The director, Ovlyakuli Khodzhakuli is very sensitive to the use of the material in the play. Each property is either destroyed or broken by the end of the play. The continuous smoke and flashing lights appropriately create a post-wa...

<strong>My Neighbour Totoro – Barbican Theatre</strong>

5Nov

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

My Neighbour Totoro – Barbican Theatre

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) latest collaboration with Joe Hisaishi (Composer), Tom Morton-Smith (Adaptor), and Phelim McDermott (Director) who is best known for his work on the Philip Glass operas Akhnaten and Satyagraha, certainly has all the ingredients for that perfect production! The team have adapted one of the world’s most famous animated movies by animator master, Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, to create something that is not only entirely fit for the stage, but in doing so have created an act of pure theatrical brilliance. Every minute of the production was magical and at times astonishingly beautiful. For those who are unfamiliar with the 1980’s movie, ‘My Neighbour Totoro’ is set in 1950’s Japan, and features two young sisters, Satsuki (Ami Okumura Jon...

Avocado Presents: Improv – Barons Court Theatre

4Nov

By Jennifer LaishleyNo Comments

London

Avocado Presents: Improv – Barons Court Theatre

Avocado presents improv started and ended with Hazma Mohsin and Jake Migicovsky eating guacamole and chips. Through the show Jake and Hazma experimented with various different characters. Every time the story ended they rearranged the chairs and started a new story with different characters. Avocado Presents: Improve is a fun way to shake up your Thursday night trip to the pub. At the end of the show the actors also invited the audience to come and hang out with them! Jake and Hazma did have some funny moments and demonstrated that they had good chemistry on stage together. This show has allot of potential and room for further growth. With some more work this show could be hysterical. It would be good to see Jake and Hazma ask the audience for some prompts rather than doing a ...

<strong>A Butcher of Distinction – Barons Court Theatre</strong>

4Nov

By Jennifer LaishleyNo Comments

London

A Butcher of Distinction – Barons Court Theatre

Who would enjoy a butcher of distinction? Well, I can firmly say that this show is not for vegetarians. The show contains references to animal cruelty, death, sexual assault, suicide and blood (as thankfully we are warned before entering). This play by Rob Hays is chaotically dark and by touching on so many striking dark themes this play is not able to deal with any of these issues with any depth or meaning. The result is a play that successfully shocks its audience at every turn. Connor McCrory plays the bossy twin Hartley whilst his brother Hugo (Joseph Ryan-Hughes) timidly struggles to stand up to him. Hartley and Hugo however are terrified by Teddy (Ethan Reid) the debt collector who comes to collect their late fathers’ debts. Pretty early on it’s clear that Hartley isn’t sta...

<strong>The Importance of Being Earnest – The Rose Theatre</strong>

4Nov

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

The Importance of Being Earnest – The Rose Theatre

The hilariously classic Oscar Wilde tale, The Importance of Being Earnest, is reimagined in a fresh and contemporary new production at The Rose Theatre in Kingston. The vision for this modernised version of the play is to draw attention to the lives of the often-forgotten black Victorians who were an integral part of society in the 19th century. Oscar Wilde believed that rules are made to be broken and boundaries are designed to be pushed, this current production encapsulating all kinds of exploration including a gender fluid approach to some characters and drag queen Vinegar Strokes playing Lady Bracknell. The story is one of two friends in high society, John ‘Jack’ Worthing, and Algernon ‘Algie’ Moncrieff who each create alter-egos coincidentally named Ernest to escape their tiresome ...

<strong>The Drought – Old Red Lion Theatre</strong>

3Nov

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

The Drought – Old Red Lion Theatre

Nina Ates's The Drought is showing at the Old Red Lion theatre. The 600-year-old pub hosts the 40-year-old intimate theatre setting. The theatre is renowned for its off-west end theatre staging challenging and ambitious work that transfers to the west end and off-broadway. The drought is arresting in its use of light, sound and acting. Marooned in an imaginary time and place where the sea has vanished, the three men battle lack of sleep, food and desperation. The set has drapes of a sail of a boat. The wind's relentless sound on the wood sends a cold tickle down one's spine. The play unfolds bit by bit the circumstances of this lone Captain and Stewart, who seem to be grasping at the last straws of survival. The outsider, the whaler, arrives asking for refuge. He breaks the ritual...

Jasmin Vardimon Company: ALiCE – Sadlers Wells

31Oct

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

Jasmin Vardimon Company: ALiCE – Sadlers Wells

Jasmin Vardimon Company's modern retelling of 'Alice' is arresting, illuminating and inspiring. As you settle into the auditorium, there is a clock turning, and you notice the countdown to the start of the performance. Then it dawns on you to observe closely that it's a group of super flexible dancers telling the time with their bodies. With this stopping of time, as we wait for the time the show begins, we are grasped by the captivating 3rd Movement of Vivaldi's Summer. A rendition that evokes goosebumps. That is Jasmin Vardimon's choreography for you, beauty in the details, on-point music, arresting images and thought-provoking choreography. 'Allice in Wonderland, a classic, has been an inspiration for so many movies, theatre, sketches and dance ballets. This production literall...

28Oct

By Zoё MeeresNo Comments

London

Daddy Issues – Seven Dials Playhouse

I really, really wanted to love Daddy Issues. I envisaged finding it funny, but challenging, and thought provoking; it sounded right up my street and at 75 minutes with no interval, it felt like a perfect Thursday evening activity to accompany a late dinner with a friend. And don’t get me wrong, there was much that I did enjoy. The height of this was Bebe Cave’s performance as Imi, our protagonist, who held the audience spellbound for the whole of this one-woman show. She is, frankly, flawless – with her portrayal taking us on an emotional journey that borders on exhausting. Friendly and full of self-deprecating humour one minute and genuinely unsettling the next, Cave is bubbling over with talent and is undoubtably the best thing about this production. Also deserving of a mention is...