REVIEWS Archives - Page 509 of 548

The Language of Kindness – Shoreditch Town Hall

4Jun

By Jessica BattisonNo Comments

London

The Language of Kindness – Shoreditch Town Hall

“I don’t remember the doctors, I don’t remember the medicine, all I remember is the nurse.” Arriving at Shoreditch Town Hall for the final leg of its three-stop tour, The Language of Kindness is a beautiful celebration of NHS nurses. Based on Christie Watson’s bestselling memoir of her 20 years a nurse, Wayward Productions present the touching true tale, embracing the seamless physicality of Complicité. Directed by Sasha Milavic Davies and James Yeatman, the dance-theatre piece is simply gorgeous. There is a true poignancy throughout as the love letter production explores themes of humour, tragedy, and grief. Showcasing the work of hospital nurses and staff, we witness the emotions nurses both feel and impose as they go about their day-to-day job. The Language of Kindness highlights ...

The Tragedy of Dorian Gray – Brighton Fringe

4Jun

By Kiefer WilliamsNo Comments

South East

The Tragedy of Dorian Gray – Brighton Fringe

Oscar Wilde’s classic tale of moral corruption and destructive selfishness is given a refreshing and highly stylistic make over by writer/director Ross Dinwiddy. Set between the periods of the 1960’s up to the 00’s, Dinwiddy evokes a dark, visceral and almost movie noir feel to this tale of a young man who wants to remain youthful whilst his portrait disintegrates as his corrupt and ego centric personality destroys everyone and everything that lies in his path. Gray finely played here by Maximus Polling, inhibits and dominates the dark world surrounding him and the excellent use of black and white photography really gives the production an almost malevolent feel about it. Dinwiddy’s witty and razor script gives each actor the space to create a rich and dark characteris...

The Not So Ugly Sisters – Leeds Playhouse

4Jun

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Not So Ugly Sisters – Leeds Playhouse

The producers of Wicked have made a fortune retelling a classic story and now Wrongsemble are subverting a much loved children’s tale for younger theatre goers. They have great fun through song, dance, some corny gags and lots of physical comedy challenging what we think we know about Cinderella’s so called ugly sisters. Dolly and Barb are rattling round their hairdressing salon watching their baby sister getting married to Prince Smarming, and they’ve not been invited due to endless tabloid battering portraying them as the panto villains of this royal love story. Sound familiar? The demonising has left them with a phone that only rings for blow dry cancellations, so they take the time to tell their version of the classic story. The energy and inventiveness of this pacey two hande...

4Jun

By Donna M DayNo Comments

South East

Jerk – Brighton Fringe

Mudlarks Theatre’s Jerk, written by Nick Edgeworth, is the story of Ivan the Id (Nick Edgeworth), Ellen the Ego (Harley Truslove) and Simon the Superego (Ryan Harris), and their lives managing the actions of the young man whose brain they control. When they are born, it is just Ivan, on his own, in a want, point, have, world, but as they grow up Ellen appears, followed by Simon, and the messy world of puberty is explored as they grow up. Ivan quickly learns the power of emotional manipulation and how getting the things he wants releases dopamine, which is enjoyable for him, as well as Ellen and Simon. The dopamine is shown to us through flashing coloured lights and all three actors gazing in wonder and contentment. The release of dopamine is Ivan’s main goal, whereas Simon’s main goal i...

4Jun

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

The Money – County Hall

If you only had sixty minutes to make a potentially life-changing decision with a group of strangers you’ve never met before, what do you think could happen? Would you keep your nerves and follow a logical and rational decision-making process or allow yourself to be swayed by the emotion and energy of the room? And what happens when you know you’re being watched? No, these aren’t hypothetical questions asked in a job interview (those are nerve-wracking as it is) but the central dilemma of an interactive theatre piece called ‘The Money’ by Exeter-based production studio Kaleider. This show invites you, the audience, to be in-charge of deciding how to spend a briefcase full of money (amounting to GBP £240 at the start of the night) along with a group of other strangers. Presented at th...

3Jun

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

London

Amélie The Musical – Criterion Theatre

Based on the hit 2001 French film by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Guillaume Laurant of the same name, Amélie tells the story of a young Parisian waitress living in her own little vibrant world. Following a sell-out tour in 2019, the musical adaptation has finally arrived in the West End. I must confess, I have not yet seen the motion picture although I am familiar with it, but after watching the show, Amélie is certainly at the top of my must watch list. Michael Fentiman’s production certainly creates the imaginative world of the young heroine I was hoping for. From the joyful opening number to Dik Downey’s creative puppetry of Amélie as a child struggling to cope with her distant father (Jez Unwin), the production really delves into the colourful imagination of the quirky lead. Audrey Bri...

2Jun

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Dangerous Liaisons – The Lowry

“Well…at least we know the music” In one of the first performances to be hosted by the Lowry since the latest easing of restrictions, Northern Ballet have bounded onto stage with a revival of Dangerous Liaisons, their stunningly choreographed interpretation of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ novel, set seamlessly to the familiar strings of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, played live by Northern Ballet Sinfonia. With little spoken word to guide us on our way, the overheard audience comment above reflects the biggest challenge in this adaptation – keeping up with this complex tale of two 18th century French aristocrats who goad each other into a web of seductions, leaving a trail of broken hearts in their wake. When the Viscomte de Valmont develops genuine feelings for one of his conquests, the...

1Jun

By Chris HughesNo Comments

South East

Giles – Brighton Fringe

The advertising material for Frédéric Blanchette’s comedy, ‘Giles’, showing as part of Brighton Fringe 2021, poses the question: How well do you know your friends? The online play seeks to explore that conundrum through the lens of a zoom date night. Directed by Marianne Badrichani, it features a cast of three: Chris Campbell as Richard, Edith Vernes as Sophie and Sam Alexander as Giles. Sophie, based in Paris, and her boyfriend Richard, located in London, meet regularly face to face via the internet. Richard has invited his best friend, Giles, to one such rendezvous much to his girlfriend’s dismay. Sophie repeatedly tells Richard that she loathes Giles which he finds incomprehensible. When Giles joins the meeting, detailing his Covid related good deeds, the reason for Sophie’s antipath...

We’ll Dance on the Ash of the Apocalypse – Brighton Fringe

1Jun

By Kiefer WilliamsNo Comments

South East

We’ll Dance on the Ash of the Apocalypse – Brighton Fringe

This one act play written and directed by Melissa-Kelly Franklin is a timely piece constructed around the environment and climate change. It tells the story of a young couple played by Maite Jauregui and Danny Horn who are living through a climate apocalypse and their discovery that the woman is pregnant. They wonder if it’s right to bring their baby into this damaged world. There is an awful lot of soul searching to be had. It’s not a bad play and it really does highlight important issues about our response to the environment but the play is also very earnest, sombre, miserable and at times quite self - conscious. There is no denying Franklin’s passion but it just didn’t work for me. Unfortunately the use of slow- no physical theatre to emphasis the change in the couple’s ...

31May

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

South East

Clean: The Musical – Brighton Fringe

Based on the winner of Brighton Fringe 2019’s Best New Play, Clean: The Musical from Different Theatre explores the lives of a group of women in Brighton’s historic Roundhill area (or Laundry Hill) from the 1880s to today. The story begins in the present with Tasha (Holly Ray) sitting in her old family home which was once a laundry house after many years away living abroad. Tasha looks back on what life may have been like for women in the area throughout history. Throughout the musical, the present-day stories are interwoven with tales from the past, allowing the audience some reflective yet insightful moments. The split-screen editing of the characters shows that these women are connected in their experiences. From mental health and sexuality to women’s rights and grief, Clean ex...