Friday, December 5

Tag: Leah Harvey

The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs – The Kiln Theatre
London

The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs – The Kiln Theatre

The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs holds counsel for all of us seeking to find our queer foremothers who lived and loved despite the unjust laws of the land that aims to criminalize love. The synergistic partnership between writer Iman Qureshi and director Hannah Hauer-King will be cherished. They have managed to not only centre ‘community building’ on the stage but also brought a nuanced, intersectional perspective to the structural challenges that pose barriers to many from joining and sustaining communities. Supported by an award-winning cast, each of them brings such diversity of perspectives and emotional vulnerability to the portrayal of their roles. Fanta Barrie (Ellie) plays the butch lesbian lover on a journey of self discovery and curiosity, Georgie Henley (Ana) plays the white l...
Small Island – National Theatre Live
London

Small Island – National Theatre Live

Andrea Levy’s Small Island is one of those novels which drags you in and doesn’t let you go and Helen Edmundson’s theatrical adaptation has perfectly captured its spirit. Directed by Rufus Norris, this is a vibrant piece of drama which beautifully tells the story of Hortense, Queenie, Bernard and Gilbert and their lives in 1940s Jamaica and Britain. Opening with a vintage film about the Caribbean, the play has an immersive atmosphere from the start as the actors step out of the film onto the stage. A revolving stage and exits and entrances through the stage floor create a sense of space as the projected scenery beautifully creates the various places the characters inhabit, from the busy streets of Kingston to the bombed out landscape of London’s post-war streets. The first character ...