London Archives - Page 60 of 107

A Dead Body in Taos – Wilton’s Music Hall

28Oct

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

A Dead Body in Taos – Wilton’s Music Hall

Sam is informed that her mother’s dead body has been found in the desolate region of Taos. She handles the news surprisingly well, but grief turns into anguish as she receives a letter from her mother’s pocket: Do not grieve me, I am not here. It transpires that her mother, Kath has been investing in new technology which allows her consciousness to function after death. As Sam discovers her mother’s past and interacts with her bodiless form, she comes to terms with their relationship and unresolved conflict. Eve Ponsonby is electric as Kath as she is resurrected in snapshots of her life. Brewing with rage and propelled by an interminable search for meaning or truth, Kath jumps between different ideologies. Ponsonby expertly captures her stubborn, unbound spirit governed by a deep inner ...

Contemporary Dance 2.0 – Battersea Arts Centre

27Oct

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

Contemporary Dance 2.0 – Battersea Arts Centre

Performed by Shechter II and produced by the Hofesh Shechter Company, Contemporary Dance 2.0 is a performance that bursts with an eclectic range of dance styles and full body movement, showcasing the talents of eight incredible dancers. The audience are launched into the action with a shock opening, the dancers in impressive synchronisation. The routine is split into five different sections, a clever way to keep the audience’s interest and to tell the story. Repetitive movements as an ensemble are in perfect unison and are hugely impactful and exciting. Each dancer is unique in their own way and draw the audience’s attention to them at different stages. This performance is definitely an ensemble piece, but the choreography and spacing gives each member the opportunity to shine. ...

24Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

Musical Con – ExCel Centre

London’s first ever musical convention opened at the ExCel Centre this weekend. Shanay Holmes not only organised the whole event but impressively hosted the main stage for the whole day. Musical Con was truly for the fans with spaces for fans to perform and show off their creativity with their cosplaying skills! The queue entertainment from West End Musical Choir set the tone for the day with a huge sing-a-long of some favourite musicals. The opening show was great with students accompanying the West End guests. Anyone with VIP passes was allowed near the stage which meant that you did not have to stay at the stage to hold a good spot for the day. There were plenty of photo opportunities throughout the venue. From a musical con sign, to the Delorian from Back to the Future. It was al...

24Oct

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

An Improbable Musical – Hackney Empire

An Improbable musical is a fun mixture of drama, music and theatre. The Hackney Empire is a fitting venue with its splendour of old-world charm and stunning productions. In the 120 years since its inception, it has played host to important and admired comedy legends. An Improbable Musical unfolds in front of you with improv magic, live music and puppetry. The team created a full-length play of varied characters with suggestions from the audience, all on the spot! Superb stagecraft, some stereotypical theatrical choices talented actors and musicians made this an enjoyable watch. Improvised theatre brings such joy due to the element of surprise for the audience and the performers on stage, tearing apart the fourth wall. With seasoned players like Lee Simpson and Josie Lawrence, joined ...

22Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

A Single Man – Park Theatre

Tonight, I had the pleasure of experiencing a near perfect night at the theatre. People, place, performances - to steal a well-known phrase, everything was coming up Zoë and I could not have been happier about it. Arriving at the brightly lit, inviting Park Theatre I was warmly greeted by the super-accommodating front of house, acquired a delightful glass of rose and found my seat. The stage is surrounded on three sides, and the front row of the audience’s knees are level with the stage. I’ve personally never been a fan of this set up, it’s always felt a bit too intimate somehow and if any of the action gets too close to you it’s a bit like being sat on the floor in a school assembly staring at teacher’s feet. Luckily, I was sucked into the action and after about 15 minutes any discomfo...

Brown Girls Do It Too: Mama Told Me Not to Come – Soho Theatre

22Oct

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

London

Brown Girls Do It Too: Mama Told Me Not to Come – Soho Theatre

Based on the critically acclaimed BBC Sounds podcast Brown Girls Do it Too, dynamic duo Rubina Pabani and Poppy Jay have brought their charm, wit and openness to the stage in this new show. Winners of Best Podcast of the Year at the British Podcast Awards (2020) and Asian Media Awards, (2021) the podcast explores the chaotic reality of being a British Asian woman and their experiences of sex, identity and family while growing up. Titled 'Brown Girls Do It Too: Mama Told Me Not to Come, the unfiltered show is a hilarious mix of skits, songs , stories and dancing. Set in the early 2000s- style teen bedroom decorated with nostalgic pop culture references from the likes of Bend it Like Beckham, Friends and American Pie with R&B classics playing in the background, the intimate set perfec...

22Oct

By Jennifer LaishleyNo Comments

London

A Gig For Ghosts – Soho Theatre

A Gig for Ghosts at The Soho Theatre is a heart-warming story that tells of the romance between Lilly and Amy. The show is a gig theatre show with one act. There is a lot more story to this show than other shows I’d the same format which helps to bring alive the characters. Although the subject matter is dark the script is also funny. Amy (Hanora Carmen) has a morbid job administering deaths for forgotten people and Lilly (Rori Hawthorn) is temping and new to London. The two characters are complete opposite, Lilly is desperate to fall in love and Amy is more comfortable alone. In the first scene we learn that Lilly is dead and this hangs over us throughout the show. The girls had convincing chemistry together and built believable characters. They were accompanied on stage by Maud (Li...

The Solid Life of Sugar Water – Orange Tree Theatre

21Oct

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

The Solid Life of Sugar Water – Orange Tree Theatre

The solid life of sugar water opens at the Orange Tree Theatre to critical acclaim. The venue is a cosy setting for the play that brings the intimacy of a young couple to stage. They meet greet, to moving in and falling in love. It's a masterpiece on how theatre can dwell with poignancy on often untold stories and transport us to witness human beings with their rawest emotions. The audience enters the dark theatre that has ‘the bed’ centre stage lighted below. Around the room the screens display the dialogues as uttered by the actors on stage. Indiana Lown-Collins commitment to make access cool with the brilliant collaboration of designer Ica Niemez shines through. Actors Katie Erich and Adam Fenton arrive with authenticity, as they bring Alice and Phil to life with their sign, tw...

20Oct

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

Soweto Gospel Choir – Cadogan Hall

Three times Grammy winning Soweto Gospel choir is synonymous with energetic magnetism that has you glued to your seats from the first note. The show packs music, rhythm, history, dance, choreography and the most colourful and fashionable costumes. The show starts with bringing into the spotlight the female drummer, who sets the rhythm, the mood and the pace through the next two hours. Twenty years of being on stage, the choir has travelled worldwide to prestigious locations in North America, Australia and Europe. It continues to raise funds for the Nkosi Haven Vukani Trust. The collections after performances go to buy supplies from food for the children the charities serve, plastic tables and chairs for pre-schools and funerals, kitchen appliances for soup kitchens, and child-fee...

20Oct

By Akshay RahejaNo Comments

London

The Poltergeist – Arcola Theatre

Sasha, once a renowned child artist, is now a stationer and haunted by the artist he could never be. The Poltergeist is a play about art, family and memory. In many ways, the experience of this play felt like a good rock concert. Just as one feels the drops and hits of the distortion of an electric guitar, one is hit by the movement, switch and the strong performance by Joseph Potter who seems to be playing an overwhelming number of roles (instruments) in the play. The heavy movements of the performance resemble the sensibilities of ritual theatre made by the ingredients of the alienation of modern subjects and the rage of a failed artist. “3…2…1…” Sasha expects a response from his partner, and we wait. The performer's intensity and the rhythm of narrating the story are central t...