REVIEWS Archives - Page 350 of 402

Under The Floorboards – Edinburgh Fringe Festival

17Aug

By Kiefer WilliamsNo Comments

Scotland

Under The Floorboards – Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Simon Shaw’s unsettling one man horror show based on the infamous serial killer Ed Gein is one very intense ride. Gein (Shaw), who was mother dominated for most of his life, was the influence for Alfred Hitchcock’s classic movie Psycho and also inspiration for many horror films since then. As you would probably expect, this show is not for the faint hearted and Shaw pulls out all the stops in his powerful performance. During the course of the show Shaw’s character moves through many transitions and the attention to detail in Shaw’s well-judged performance is excellent throughout. This is totally gruesome stuff and quite unrelenting. If you are a horror fan (which I am) you’ll be morbidly fascinated by his “conversations” with his persistently screaming and angry mother as we begi...

17Aug

By Donna M DayNo Comments

London

Tree Confessions – Camden Fringe

Tree Confessions, written by Jenny Lyn Bader, and directed by E B Mee, is a unique audio play told entirely from the point of view of a tree. Performed by Kathleen Chalfant, this is a site-specific piece which should be listened to while sitting beneath a tree. The piece begins with a buzzing and humming sound, reminiscent of bees. The story is told by a single tree, who is embarrassed to be caught humming to itself, but takes the opportunity to tell the story of a scientist who discovered that trees communicate, with each other at least. Presumably inspired by the story of Suzanne Simard, the persistent scientist is never actually specifically identified, but the trees, admiring her determination to prove her theory right, and being keen to seize the chance to help humans save the p...

16Aug

By Donna M DayNo Comments

REVIEWS

Lear Alone – Scenesaver

Lear Alone is a new adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear, using only King Lear’s lines in a unique performance set across five short episodes. Directed by Anthony Shrubsall and performed by Edmund Dehn this original show explores themes of ageing in today’s world, the increasingly problematic issue of homelessness, and isolation and its effects on mental health. The show opens with Dehn sitting alone and obviously unhappy on a bench. Birdsong is prominent and Dehn begins to walk around the building whose grounds he is in, surreptitiously peering through the windows before beginning his first monologue, in which Lear is asking his daughters to describe the amount of love that they have for him to enable him to decide how to split the kingdom. Dehn has excellent presence, and it is ea...

Changing Sheets – The Playground Theatre

16Aug

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

Changing Sheets – The Playground Theatre

Changing Sheets is a new two-hander romantic comedy about the complexities of modern relationships written by Harry Butler. Developed at The Playground Theatre and directed by its artistic director Anthony Biggs, the story takes us through a series of encounters between Patti (Máiréad Tyers) and Robert (Harry Butler) who meet over a series of Tinder dates. The script touches upon the loneliness, confusion and self-doubt that comes with hookups, where partners have mismatched expectations and boundaries. Through awkward run-ins, friendly banter and unassuming pillow talk, Patti and Robert navigate their feelings for each other. Interestingly, the design of the show calls for an empty stage with minimal movements and no props. The romantic action and intimacy referenced in the text are never...

The Emoji Project – The Hen & Chickens Theatre

16Aug

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

The Emoji Project – The Hen & Chickens Theatre

If there’s one thing that has dominated digital communications for the last 10 years, it has to be the little animated icons and hieroglyphs that have now carved out an entire subculture of their own. It’s hard to deny the overwhelming presence and impact of emojis (or emoticons) on our day to day lives, filling the important emotional cues that would otherwise be missing from our typed conversations. Their rapid growth and ever-evolving nature as a digital language are at the heart of The Emoji Project, an anthology of new writing staged by Distracted Rat, a writing company whose work intersects radio, film and theatre. Consisting of pocket-sized pieces and scenes that span the absurd and the political, the show has been assembled by a team of creatives ranging from 11 to 75 years of a...

Corona Cutie: A Digital Quest for Love – Edinburgh Fringe

14Aug

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

Scotland

Corona Cutie: A Digital Quest for Love – Edinburgh Fringe

Part of this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, Corona Cutie tells the story of Claire who longs to be part of a fictional reality she cannot have and believes her problems can be solved by love. Claire is a hopeless romantic living in New York City who dreams of finding someone during the COVID-19 pandemic and decides to try online dating. Written and composed by Lucy Gellar, the songs are funny, catchy and entertaining. Annika Hoseth delivers a relatable yet sweet performance as the slightly awkward Claire as she attempts virtual dating whilst on a journey of self-discovery. Hoseth portrayal of the aimlessness and frustration of online dating during the pandemic through Claire is certainly relatable especially in “Whatever I Say” which delves into the pressure of creating the perfect bio. Ri...

14Aug

By Kiefer WilliamsNo Comments

Scotland

My Left Nut – Edinburgh Fringe

Based on a true story, this is a beautifully constructed and life affirming coming of age monologue set in Northern Ireland. Michael (performed and co-written by Michael Patrick) gives a magnetic and warm performance as a teenager who discovers that he has an enlarged left testicle. Having lost his father, he finds it difficult to explain his condition to his mother and even more so with his school mates. Michael’s story, even with its underlying health scare scenario, is both charming and significant. It’s basically a story about masculinity and the on-going battle to face up to personal trauma whilst still manoeuvring through those tricky and often awkward teenage years. Production shots by Peter Murray Director and co-writer Oisin Kearney gets a great physical performance fr...

14Aug

By Harriet AndrewsNo Comments

North West

Chess – Empire Theatre

Chess is a musical with so much to talk about, a fantastic score, with beautifully textured orchestral and vocal writing. It has some of the most difficult roles and arias in all of musical theatre, and a concept full of incredible depth. The Chess world championships act as only the top layer of this dynamic narrative, with the Cold War, East/West relations, and hierarchy in society acting as the underpinning concepts. The narrative of ‘Chess’ is often convoluted, difficult to understand and a bit dull, but this production should be noted for providing lots of clarity on this, and the narrative drove forward right throughout. The first thing to say about this performance is that the vocal performances of the principal cast were sublime - truly of tip top professional quality. The th...

2:22 A Ghost Story – Noel Coward Theatre

13Aug

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

2:22 A Ghost Story – Noel Coward Theatre

If there was one thing that nearly all of us have experienced together (apart from living through a global pandemic of course), it'll have to be hearing strange noises at night (and jumping to absurd conclusions almost immediately!). In Danny Robins’ new play ‘2:22 A Ghost Story’, we witness a group of friends investigate the source of strange noises that can be heard in their house at 2:22 am every night, trying to ascertain if it’s just an elaborate hoax conjured by chance or a genuine occurrence that seemingly defies reason and logic. Directed by Matthew Dunster, this is one show that keeps you on the edge of your seat with its spellbinding production and design elements, as well as strong performances by the ensemble. The story concerns the lives of Jenny (Lily Allen) and Sam (Hadle...

The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Manchester Cathedral

12Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Manchester Cathedral

Gargoyles watch gargoyles as Manchester Cathedral becomes Notre Dame. Who needs scenery when you can stage a musical about a gothic cathedral in a gothic-style cathedral that was built over 600 years ago? National Youth Music Theatre, all members aged 23 or under, have done just that this week for their production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Manchester Cathedral. So many little touches were added throughout the evening to blend the building and the show together, like George Dennett as Frollo using a censer to spread incense across the auditorium as the last entrants were taking their seats. And the chorus of gargoyles (the Hunchback’s imaginary friends) singing under the cathedral’s own magnificent gargoyles (be sure to look up if you see the show as those sitting ...