REVIEWS Archives - Page 399 of 427

27Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

West End Musical Drive-In – Show 2

The West End Musical Drive-In series took place over the late summer 2020, from the team that brought us West End Musical Brunch, to bring some live music from the West End theatre stars to the fans in times where the theatres were closed, and social distancing was a must. They took place in a large open space in outer London where a large stage was set up and the ‘seating area’ was marked out, some spaces where people who do not drive can bring a chair and see the show or you could drive in and watch from your car in your allocated space. Luckily for the people who were unable to see the Drive-In series or who want to relive the experience, it was recorded and can now be bought to stream in your own home. The second in the series involve numerous current and past cast members from the ...

26Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Perfect Stranger by ZU-UK

It’s been a little over a year since many around the world went into a lockdown, isolated from the communities around them and distanced from the social lifestyles that inform a big part of their identities. How does one then ‘connect’ in this new, strange world – how might we find a way to bring back, no, rather keep alive the intimacy and exchange that makes us human? ZU-UK’s new project Perfect Stranger aims to investigate this very question through a unique, participatory experience that challenges and delights you like never before. To put it rather simply, the project is a series of playful provocations and collaborative tasks that you, the audience, exchanges with an anonymous partner over 5 days. This partner can be living halfway across the world – you don’t know their name, th...

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – Southwark Playhouse Stream

26Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – Southwark Playhouse Stream

After the exciting rise of new British musical theatre came to a dreary halt last March it feels immensely hopeful to finally catch a new offering, in the form of Ben Morales Frost and Richard Hough’s “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”, as our industry slowly comes back to life. Due to have had its premiere at the Southwark Playhouse (an innovative home for new musicals) earlier this year, the production now finds itself shifted online in the form of a three-week stream. Taking inspiration from J. W. Goethe’s 18th century poem, which went on to inspire Dukas’s orchestral piece, a section in Disney’s Fantasia and its subsequent 2010 live action adaptation, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” in its new musical form sheds most of these skins until it is mostly unrecognisable aside from its magical danci...

Grimm Tales for Fragile Times and Broken People – Creation Theatre

25Feb

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REVIEWS

Grimm Tales for Fragile Times and Broken People – Creation Theatre

In these dark and twisted times, Creation Theatre present dark and twisted tales, online via zoom. Using the Brothers Grimm fairy tales as their inspiration, the five-strong cast seamlessly present a digital performance that both encapsulates the creativity of real world theatre and the wonder of online. Creation Theatre have selected some of the most gruesome fairy tales including The Juniper Tree, The Moon and Godfather Death. There’s an advisory to watch this production in the darkest of rooms (I did), and it’s important to follow this to get into the mood. This is not your average sit-back-and-watch-along show, it does require concentration to follow the different actors and the different storylines. The costumes and make up, along with the settings and backdrops, are bespo...

25Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Hotline – Tron Theatre

If you could dial a phone number to connect with a stranger across the world, what would you expect to hear? Undoubtedly an interesting conversation would ensue. Good, now imagine that world being the moon. Perhaps some boring static or some alien speak – but definitely something that tells you a little more about the blue marble you call home. HOTLINE is a new interactive audio play on the phone devised by Produced Moon, Meghan Tyler and Nima Séne, produced in association with Platform, Glasgow and supported by the Scottish Government’s Performing Arts Venue Relief Fund. Audiences dial a phone number to experience a lunar labyrinth of cosmic confessions, transgalactic tales and some workplaces woes at the world’s premier space organization. The show uses the structure of a choose your ...

25Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

Typical – Soho Theatre On Demand

Having premiered at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2019 to sold out audiences, then transferring to Soho Theatre, ‘Typical’ has now taken on a hybrid digital form to begin an online season from the 24th February, on Soho Theatre’s On Demand platform. Created by Nouveau Riche and Soho Theatre and written by Ryan Calais Cameron whose previous work includes Rhapsody, Retrograde and Queens of Sheba co-written with Jessica Hagan; Typical is based on a true story and tells of the life of Christopher Alder played by Richard Blackwood. The play is set in the late 1990’s, and a selection of 90’s music, VHS tapes and Whigfield, help to transport us back to that era. Alder is in his mid-thirties, an ex-paratrooper, and a British Nigerian. We learn that he is divorced with two child...

22Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Improv News Hour – The Nursery Theatre

The Nursery Theatre is a mainstay within the world of improvisation, and they have continued to perform and support their fellow performers during these very trying times. It was an absolute pleasure to be asked to come along to their ‘Improv News Hour’ to see that the craft of ‘improv’ is alive and kicking albeit it in a digital environment. Tonight, we were treated to a news show from the Nursery news team. We met Muffins Miami and Gravy Cambridge the co-anchor’s, Tikki Manila the interviewer, Cherry Cumberland the roving field reporter and Figgy Amsterdam the sports reporter. The weather report was provided by Daal Von Doncaster. After turning up at the news station wearing no trousers, Gravy Cambridge and team introduced the news item – ‘Scientists have discover...

22Feb

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REVIEWS

Outside – Minty Fresh Productions

A disturbing and traumatic exploration of child abuse and neglect. In this harrowing one-woman show Gabrielle MacPherson plays Willa, a traumatised young woman, who hasn’t left her home for 30 years, as her controlling and dysfunctional parents have kept her safe from the ‘bad’ outside. True to a theatre production this monologue takes place on a small messy stage with few changes in camera angle. A tannoy speaker and Dictaphone make regular interruptions and there is a projection of some of the activity on the wall. The stage has two locked doors and is strewn with papers, books and boxes. Willa flits around her personal history as though stuck in her childhood searching for “evidence”. We learn she has an unfaithful father who is a publisher and collector of old books. There are...

21Feb

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REVIEWS

West End Musical Drive In – Live Stream

Why settle for one musical when you can watch the iconic hits from all our favourites? In the Summer of 2020, the incredible team at ‘West End Musical Brunch’ brought us ‘West End Musical Drive In’ and stunned audiences from their vehicles in the two-hour performance. Now in 2021 we are brought the recorded experience of all five concerts in the comfort of our own homes. Hosted by Shanay Holmes (co-founder of ‘West End Musical Brunch’) act one of the first concert presents us with a lineup of moving, heartfelt songs such as ‘On My Own’ from ‘Les Misérables’ performed by former Éponine Shan Ako and ‘Burn’ from ‘Hamilton’ performed by Maiya Quansah Breed. Shortly after we were introduced to the headline act Layton Williams who is known for a number of roles such as Billy Elliot in ‘Billy ...

Barnes’ People: A True Born Englishman – Perfectly Normal Productions

21Feb

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REVIEWS

Barnes’ People: A True Born Englishman – Perfectly Normal Productions

This is another piece written by Peter Barnes in the series of monologues going under the title of Barnes People. Again the “action” takes place in the form of an interview on an empty stage with the lead character, Leslie Bray, who has been a footman working at Buckingham Palace for thirty years and has in that time risen from humble beginnings as third door opener to the heady heights of first door opener! A lifetime of keeping secrets, putting up with poor pay for the social prestige and privilege of working in the Royal Household and knowing that the role involves upholding the dignity of the Crown at all times. We are given numerous insights into what goes on behind the scenes, the characters which are introduced from both upstairs and downstairs, what is needed to make a success o...