Jean Chan Archives - North West End UK

Twelfth Night or What You Will – Shakespeare’s Globe

26Aug

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

Twelfth Night or What You Will – Shakespeare’s Globe

In the fictional Illyria, most of the inhabitants are enjoying a crazy summer festival, getting drunk, dancing and singing while adored in masks and oversized head-dresses. But not all the Illyrians are so joyful. Olivia, in mourning after the death of her brother; Duke Orsino, desperately in love with Olivia; and the steward Malvolio, who is also in love with Olivia, are too melancholy to take part in the revelries. Into this mix comes shipwrecked Viola, thrown into a world she must quickly come to understand, while still grief-stricken over the loss of her twin brother, Sebastian, who she believes has perished at sea. She disguises herself as Cesario and becomes steward to Duke Orsino only to then fall head over heels in love with the duke. When Orsino sends Cesario to woo Olivia o...

Shanghai Dolls – Kiln Theatre

“Shanghai Dolls” at Kiln Theatre traverses nearly 60 years of Chinese history in a brisk 80 minute run, centering on the intertwined fates of two legendary women. United by a passion for theatre yet divided by political beliefs, personal values, and the sweep of history, one transforms into Mao Zedong’s wife while the other rises to become China’s first female theatre director. Directed by Katie Posner, the production tackles vast historical events but occasionally buckles under its own weight. There’s a palpable sense of rushing to cover too much ground at once, with the dense narrative sometimes feeling overloaded—especially for Western audiences less familiar with the period. A clever nod to Ibsen’s A Doll’s House frames the struggle of these women, suggesting that the search for mea...

Red Riding Hood – Theatre Royal, Stratford East

Theatre Royal Stratford East returns with its 6th rendition of ‘Red Riding Hood’ as its winter pantomime in its 130+ years of operation. Reimagining a classical children’s tale for contemporary audiences, young and old, is never an easy task. However, the team led by Robert Shaw Cameron’s direction and Carl Miller’s writing succeeds in doing precisely that – this adaptation brings climate change, self-expression and many more important themes to the fore without letting go of the story’s inherently magical and whimsical charm that’s enthralled audiences around the world. With stellar performances by its cast, complemented by an eclectic musical arrangement by Robert Hyman who returns for his 23rd year at Stratford East, as well as a vibrant design by Jean Chan, this performance simply take...