Friday, December 5

Tag: Bunny Christie

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Bridge Theatre
London

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Bridge Theatre

If A Midsummer Night’s Dream should leave you feeling as though you’ve wandered through a strange, enchanted world, unsure what was real and what was play, then this immersive production succeeds beautifully. Bold, funny, sometimes outrageous, but always intelligent, it brings Shakespeare’s classic comedy to life with an energy that is both thoroughly modern and deeply respectful of the text’s spirit. Bunny Christie’s design is a triumph, a playful yet atmospheric space in which the audience moves freely as the world of the play shifts around them. The staging, with its moving platforms and layered set-pieces, constantly reshapes your perspective. I was fortunate to experience it from within the pits, which brought an exhilarating intimacy to the action. That said, if you...
Animal Farm – Liverpool Playhouse
North West

Animal Farm – Liverpool Playhouse

In a feat of technical brilliance and creativity, this show makes the impossible possible through exceptional puppetry and characterisation. A contemporary re-imagining of George Orwell’s classic text, this adaptation does not disappoint. Charting the rise of a fictional revolution and its aftermath, the plot of Animal Farm is just as relevant now as it was when first published, if not more so. Adults and children over 11 years are best-placed to engage with this experience. This is not a tale for the feint-hearted. We begin with a bloodied farmer carrying carcasses across the stage, going about his daily business on Manor Farm. It quickly becomes apparent he’s not a pleasant character. The animals are scared when he’s around, treated as work units and considered expendable when they...
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Leeds Grand Theatre
Yorkshire & Humber

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Leeds Grand Theatre

Christopher is 15 years old, and someone killed his neighbour’s dog in the middle of the night. He is determined to find out who is to blame. However, Christopher’s life just isn’t that simple, and this play is an exploration of relationship, trust, personal growth and courage, told often through Christopher’s own words. As one of the relatively few people who haven’t read Mark Haddon’s book of the same name, I have been wanting to watch The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for a long time and it is a powerful production that was definitely worth waiting for. Adapted by Simon Stephens and originally produced by the National Theatre in 2012, this exceptional play shines a light on neurodiversity in a way that I have never seen before. The ingenious use of technology throu...