Latest Articles - Page 16 of 666

3Feb

By Kira DanielsNo Comments

London

Gelin – Canal Cafe Theatre

Güle güle gidin. Gelin is as easy going a comedy as they come. Adapted from Ibrahim Şinasi’s Şair Evlenmesi, Estelle Warner’s contemporary spin on a Turkish classic is as comforting as a cup of çay. Both English and Turkish in its writing and its casting, this play is also hybrid in its historicity. Reimagined from the 1860 original, it takes modern London as its setting and English as its primary language yet remains rooted in Turkish tradition even as it extends tendrils into thorny modern subjects such as giving SHEIN-branded gifts or pairing pickles with Nutella. The Canal Café Theatre is charmingly intimate, but this story is a little too thin to fill out a full flavour profile. As afraid to take up space as its reluctantly centralised heroine Aylin (Gunes Soysal), the play ...

3Feb

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

London

American Psycho – Almeida Theatre

Premiering last Friday, American Psycho, Artistic Director Rupert Goold’s hotly anticipated revival, has returned to the Almeida Theatre and has already sold out its run. After witnessing this incredible musical in the flesh, it’s easy to see why. Based on the original 1991 novel of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis, which inspired the 2000 cult film starring Christian Bale, the dark satirical comedy follows Patrick Bateman, a young investment banker working in New York City’s Wall Street, who, dissatisfied with his seemingly perfect life of wealth and flawless appearances, descends into a dark double life as a serial killer. Es Devlin’s set design is simple yet effective, a blacked-out stage with a few set pieces brought in and out via a stage lift and by the ensemble, perhaps refl...

3Feb

By Louise PennNo Comments

London

Loyalties – Questors Theatre

John Galsworthy’s play of society norms and expectations is now over 100 years old, yet Loyalties retains a contemporary relevance. The Questors production is the first to reach the English stage for two decades, with its ensemble including company members both old and new. Charles Winsor (Ant Foran) is a country gentleman, with a house full of guests following race day at Newmarket. When Ferdinand de Levis (Euan Charles), a wealthy Jew, accuses a highly decorated former soldier, Ronald Dancy (Alex Perez), of stealing a sum of money from his room, ranks close and loyalties come into play. In Loyalties it is quickly clear that the question of justice and truth is secondary to the code of ‘esprit de corps’: in essence that those of a similar class and grouping stick together because being...

The Cathode Ray & Electrical Melting Company – Edinburgh Traverse Bar

3Feb

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

The Cathode Ray & Electrical Melting Company – Edinburgh Traverse Bar

First up in the night’s intriguingly titled diversion were the aptly named Electrical Melting Company who proceeded to meld, with great affection, their many late-60’s influences. Being quite the event for Edinburgh musical alumni the trio consisted of ex-Spooks Ron Doo Ron, AKA Scott Fraser (bass & vox) and Peach McNulty, AKA Pod Kennedy (guitars & vox) supported on drums by longtime associate and ex-Ringo Graham Bodenham. Kicking off with a Neil Innes quote, ‘here’s a medley of hit’ their clutch of tunes landed upon almost every Austin Powers reference point; The Beatles Revolver-era ‘Suburban Bourbon Man’, the Traffic/Donovan/Barratt-inspired ‘Mile High Strawberry Pie’, a straight cover of The Airplane’s ‘White Rabbit’ (apologies, ‘straight’ is an insult in this context), some r...

3Feb

By Max EdenNo Comments

North West

Quiz – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Quiz has become one of those modern plays that feels instantly familiar, and yet still thrilling, and James Graham’s sharp, playful script proves a perfect fit for the Altrincham Garrick Playhouse in this brilliantly executed production by the Garrick Ensemble at the Playhouse. Based on the infamous “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” coughing scandal, this production leans fully into the spectacle of television, celebrity and courtroom drama, while never losing sight of the human stories at its core. Tom Broughton delivers a compelling performance as Charles Ingram, capturing both the awkwardness and quiet determination of a man thrust into the harsh glare of public judgement. Melanie Beswick is equally impressive as Diana Ingram, offering a nuanced portrayal that balances vulnerability w...

My Brother’s a Genius – Sheffield Playhouse

30Jan

By Natalia PrucnalNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

My Brother’s a Genius – Sheffield Playhouse

‘My Brother’s a Genius’ is a comedic but equally incredibly moving and heartfelt play and deeply raw spoken word performance. It’s splendidly written by Debris Stevenson and expertly crafted and directed by Eleanor Manners, with rhythmic music composed by Jammz. A co-production between Sheffield Theatres, The National Youth Theatre and Theatre Centre brings a bewitching ‘indigo’ tone to the Sheffield Playhouse. We follow the story of twins Daisy (Jess Senanayake) and Luke (Tyrese Walters) from childhood to adult life as they navigate neurodivergence, the class system and familial relationships. We watch how their friendship flies, falls and drowns throughout. They experience the world through different lenses: Daisy is named an “idiot” and goes to Circus School, while Luke is labell...

30Jan

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Ballad Lines – Southwark Playhouse

It's hard not to be inspired and astounded at the confidence, devotion and commitment that Finn Anderson and Tania Azevedo have shown in getting Ballad Lines onto the stage. It's been about a decade in the making, with Anderson delivering the music and lyrics while collaborating with Azevedo on the book. From workshops in Chicago and tentative stagings at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (2018), this show has evolved and finally landed, due to a lot of hard work and determination. Ballad Lines was first produced by KT Producing and Macrobert Arts Centre as A Mother's Song and was originally commissioned by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and American Music Theatre Project. It should also be noted that Azevedo and Anderson aren't a pair of chancers who've winged it and landed on their f...

30Jan

By Klervi GavetNo Comments

London

The Tempest – Globe Theatre

"I know this play very well. I don't recognise this version..." So says Antonia at the end of this production — and that line pretty much sums up my experience too. This new production of The Tempest, produced by Shakespeare's Globe and directed by Tim Crouch, takes a deliberately experimental, Brechtian-leaning approach to Shakespeare's text. Performed in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, the play is fragmented: lines are redistributed across characters, some spoken from within the audience, others added in contemporary English. The intention is clear and well articulated — to question power: who gets to speak these words, who gets to be on stage, what shifts when authority or identity change, and how theatre constructs illusion. On paper, it's an intellectually strong idea. The Tempe...

30Jan

By Anna SmithNo Comments

North West

Girls Night – Heswall Hall

Girls Night by Louise Roche and directed by Helen Roberts is a night of laughter, music and emotions. Five friends meet up for a night at a karaoke night club to celebrate the present, they reminisce about the past and secrets are revealed. Sharon (Becky Harton) died young and acts as the ghostly narrator with angel wings filling in the details about her four closet friends and their lives. Twenty years after her death her four friends gather at the karaoke night club to celebrate the engagement of Sharon's daughter Candy-Rose. Sharon speaks directly to the audience about how she has watched over her friends and gets the audience involved in singing along. Anita (Tia Gill) was picked on at school because of her depressive episodes, but her friends never discussed this ...

29Jan

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Rapunzel – The Montgomery Theatre

A hair-raising riotously risqué ride of a panto that leaves the audience ‘blown’ away. With more hair references and possible related character names than a Vidal Sassoon advert, Handsworth and Hallam Theatre Co give the Sheffield audience plenty of style with its close shaves and outlandishly wild coiffure of a delivery. With a community cast of 45 (including a couple of nits), led by a team of 9 senior ‘stylists’ and a band of six ‘colourists’ under the kaleidoscope Musical direction of Steve Trotter, HHTC embellish the literary locks of Tom Whalley’s creative pantomime script - Rapunzel with flair, panache and artistry. From the nine slick stylists…Will Fairy Dandruff gain her wings? Will King Bouffant ever find his beloved daughter Rapunzel? Will Prince Ryder ever decide which...