Camden Fringe Archives - North West End UK

26Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Pop Goes The Dollar – The Hope Theatre

As an ex-Investment Manager, this show was a must see for me, as I recall the stressful situations bought on by a stock market crash, and the difficult conversations that I had with clients, when trying to explain why their portfolio valuations had fallen. Set in the run up to the 2008 financial crash, the chair of the Federal Reserve Timohy Geithner (Ayan Philip) is growing increasingly worried that in a bid to grasp short-term profits, investment companies are forgetting to manage risk, and the sub-prime market may collapse. Soon the Federal Reserve hear that the bubble is indeed bursting, and BNP Paribas are closing three of their sub-prime mortgage funds due to an illiquid market, Bear Stearns a major investment bank collapses and is bought by JP Morgan with the Fede...

23Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Lavender – The Courtyard Theatre

We meet Edie (Maisy Fuggle) as she consults a psychiatrist in an effort to come to terms with the loss of a loved one. We are then taken on a journey of Edie’s life with Harvey (Patryk Wachowiak), who she meets in a coffee shop when she is venting to the barista about her coffee, which is definitely not made with coconut milk as requested. Harvey is intrigued by this fiery girl that he met in the coffee shop, and they begin dating. Harvey is a book shop assistant, and Edie works in an estate agency in a job that she complains about constantly. The couple grow closer together, meeting each other’s parents and eventually decide to move in together. The couple have their whole life ahead of them, making plans to go on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday to Australia, a...

Who Else Did Sam Hill Kill? – The Courtyard Theatre

22Aug

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Who Else Did Sam Hill Kill? – The Courtyard Theatre

Who is Sam Hill? He is the guy that everyone puts upon, feeds his Aunt’s cat, covers other work-mate’s shifts at work without being asked if he minds – he is single, and he is invisible! How easy would it be to blame a murder on him when he never raises his voice in protest, a perfect scapegoat! This farce dreamed up by Christian McKeon, is a mad-cap hour of fast paced theatre, which is fun, silly, and cleverly conceived. The plot has Sam Hill (Raphael Kris) working at Costello’s, when his Aunt Sal (Bylli Gomez) requires him to visit her flat to feed her cat, but when Sam arrives Sal is dead, allegedly by a self-imposed shot to the head, but how easy is it to shoot yourself from behind? As further people in Sam’s life are killed, all eyes turn to Sam, b...

Please don’t fall in love with me (it’s really not sexy when that happens) – Hen & Chickens Theatre

22Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

London

Please don’t fall in love with me (it’s really not sexy when that happens) – Hen & Chickens Theatre

Brought to the Camden Fringe by Pinklepause Productions, Please don’t fall in love with me (it’s really not sexy when that happens) is an entertaining comedy that dives into the world of 2007 London’s most famous knicker shop: Knickers Forever. We follow the AGENT, played by the show’s writer Mollie Blue, as she takes us on a roller-coaster of creepy customers, charming clientele, and the constant craziness that comes with her chosen territory. Blue is charming in the role, the perfect host for a show which aims to be ‘silly, shocking, and ever so sexy’. At times, I found her performance a tad over-blown, but this, it turned out, was entirely intentional. We’ll get to that later. Poppy-Anne Taplin plays the AGENT’S hapless but lovable colleague BIMBO. Despite not being given much em...

Scenes with Black Folk – Camden People Theatre

20Aug

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Scenes with Black Folk – Camden People Theatre

Scenes with Black Folk sets out with a bold and important premise: to ask, what are the rules of being Black? Who decides, and who enforces them? And what happens when those questions are asked aloud? On paper, it promises to be thought-provoking and powerful, a piece that could explore the complexities, contradictions, and lived realities of Black identity across time. Unfortunately, the production falls short of that promise. While it gestures toward weighty themes, it lacks the substance and cohesion needed to make them resonate. Instead of offering sharp insight or meaningful reflection, the play leans heavily on clever-sounding wordplay and poetic fragments that ultimately feel hollow. Symbolism is suggested but rarely lands with clarity or impact, leaving the audience with mor...

Dragging your Heels – Camden People’s Theatre

20Aug

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Dragging your Heels – Camden People’s Theatre

Dragging Your Heels, part of Camden Fringe, is a charming little play about a recently divorced builder, Ben, who dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian. By the end of the show, he manages to face his stage fright by embracing a whole new persona by stepping into drag as a way to perform with confidence. The central message is thoughtful: drag can be many things: a character, a persona, an art form, even a political statement. Here, it becomes a means for someone to follow their dreams and step onto a stage. It’s a touching idea, and the play pays tribute to the transformative power of drag in a warm and accessible way. The production itself is minimal, with a cast of three who keep the story moving through jokes and small musical numbers. There were moments of genuine laughter, ...

17Aug

By Eleanor HallNo Comments

London

On the Nose – Courtyard Theatre

‘On the Nose’ is a feel-good flounce between the friendships of two working clowns, Buddy and Dorothy. Directed by Izzy Ponsford, the clown world presented in the play tested our sense of belonging - not without generous helpings of metatheatrical references! With some fruitful audience interactions and echoes of familiar gags, these birthday clowns sprinkled silly all over. That is, until the friendship of this co-working duo is threatened by Buddy’s sudden desire to become an actor. There was an implicit interrogation of queer actors’ exclusion from particular acting roles by the ‘high brows’ of theatre. The career-changing plight gave way to Buddy not being ‘straight enough’ to be an effective understudy for a catapult. Similarly, the strain on the pair’s friendship allowed fo...

12Aug

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

Wonderscape – Etcetera Theatre

Wonderscape is part of the annual Camden Fringe Festival which presents an eclectic array of performances at 40 venues around Camden. Running throughout August, the Festival showcases new talent in theatre, dance and music. Roxanne Barron is making her debut as writer and director of this piece about creativity, ambition and the destructive influence of the pursuit of fame and fortune. Finley (Conrad O'Callaghan), brilliant but manically spiralling inventor is sharing a home with Emma (El. X Speciali) and Jake (Jack Torres). Emma and Jake do not appreciate the chaos Finley brings to their lives, with his inventions strewn all over the place as he rushes around spewing ideas and thoughts like dust mites. He believes his genius will enable him to make a world-shattering inventio...

Medea the Musical – Upstairs at The Gatehouse

31Jul

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Medea the Musical – Upstairs at The Gatehouse

If the Camden Fringe summons visions of damp carpets and edgy comics managing onstage meltdowns, ‘cause it’s easier than getting therapy on the NHS, then The Musical Medea added another dimension entirely. Upstairs at the Gatehouse is an award-winning Off West End theatre in leafy Highgate Village. The hilly avenues feel painfully civilised after the grunge and crackpipe vibes of Camden. It’s a refurbished 1895 auditorium, which sits above the Gatehouse pub and has the distinction of being London’s ‘top’ theatre (at 446ft above sea level). Historically, the venue has been a music hall, cinema, Masonic lodge, and a jazz and folk music club that once hosted Paul Simon. The ‘60s spirit of that iconic singer/songwriter greeted the audience of The Musical Medea as they wandered into the...

29Jul

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

London

People – Etcetera Theatre

Anna Manuelli’s People explores existential questions about the nature, purpose and meaning of life through an intriguing device; the use of doppelgängers. Manuelli plays four characters from different timelines, far removed from one another, who nonetheless share the same face. She uses this premise to demonstrate that the answers a person seeks, and indeed the questions they ask, can vary hugely depending on their context. Is it retribution and revenge that gives life meaning? Is it power? Is it happiness? The design of People is minimal, with limited use of lighting, sound and blocking. Thus, the show relies on Manuelli’s performance to keep the audience engaged. Luckily, her turn as the four characters is inspired, embodying each individual with unique physicality’s and expressi...