Thursday, November 7

Tag: Jonnie Riordan

Northanger Abbey – Orange Tree Theatre
London

Northanger Abbey – Orange Tree Theatre

Northanger Abbey? I hardly know ‘er! Zoe Cooper’s transformative adaptation of Austen’s offbeat gothic satire reinvents the much-neglected classic, leaning into its absurd humor, and imbuing it with a novel gravitas. Eschewing the modernizing impulse that so often muddies queer retellings of canonical works, this adaptation remains firmly rooted in the time and place of its origin and weaves a compelling original story out of each of the book’s special strands. This play packs a punch but doesn’t quite hit the spot. Designer Hannah Sibai’s work makes a most pleasing first impression. The cozy in-the-round Orange Tree Theatre is decked out in all hot pink and bedazzled with no less than seven chandeliers. A light aroma of fog pervades the space, hinting at the gothic vibes to come in the...
Blood Harmony – The Lowry
North West

Blood Harmony – The Lowry

Blood Harmony (written by Matthew Bulgo, directed and choreographed by Jonnie Riordan and Jess Williams) is a melange of styles and ideas, brought together to tell a seemingly simple story. Three sisters Chloe (Eve de Leon Allen), Maia (Keshini Misha) and Anna (Philippa Hogg) re-unite after the death of their mother to sift through the detritus of their past and present lives, sorting out regrets, grudges and grief, while charting a course to the future. If that sounds like heavy weather, don’t worry there are plenty of sitcom laughs and laughter at recognisable archetypes along the way. The play feels like the offspring of Friends and Chekov’s Three Sisters, with a reassuringly cosy atmosphere to take the edge off the emotional sharpness of the dialogue. The performances by the three a...