Rose Theatre Archives - Page 2 of 2

9Jul

By Gonzalo SentanaNo Comments

London

Miss Brexit – Rose Theatre

Discussing controversial topics is one of the prerogatives of theatre. Immigration and European identity, or lack thereof, is as controversial as it gets in these post Brexit years. Enter Miss Brexit. In this devised new piece, under the direction of Alejandro Postigo and Amaia Mugica, we find an unnamed presenter, played by George Berry, and 5 contestants: Maria Alba, played by Alba Villaitodo, Maria Isabel, by Isabel Mulas, Maria Marie, by Maxence Marmy, Maria Shivone, by Shivone Dominguez Blascikova, and Maria Ricardo, by Ricardo Ferreira. As simple as the indicates, the audience is promptly informed about the show they are about to witness: Miss Brexit is a contest where one of the five contestants will be awarded the right to remain in the UK. The premise is straightforward, and...

30Apr

By Gonzalo SentanaNo Comments

London

Richard III – Rose Theatre

What is the right way to do Shakespeare? Is there a right way? Is there only one way? How are his characters seen today, and what do they mean for today's audiences? Adjoah Andoh takes a bold swing at one of Shakespeare's most hateful villains, and strikes the audience with wit. This staging of Richard III, coproduced by Rose Theatre and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatre, toys with the idea that the non-able bodied title character is being judged by his appearance more than his actions. All the historical explanations notwithstanding, it is interesting to think about discrimination and marginalization based on physical appearance. It's just… well… according to the text, Richard did order the murder of two children who were in his way, amongst several other people. The question ...

<strong>The Importance of Being Earnest – The Rose Theatre</strong>

4Nov

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

The Importance of Being Earnest – The Rose Theatre

The hilariously classic Oscar Wilde tale, The Importance of Being Earnest, is reimagined in a fresh and contemporary new production at The Rose Theatre in Kingston. The vision for this modernised version of the play is to draw attention to the lives of the often-forgotten black Victorians who were an integral part of society in the 19th century. Oscar Wilde believed that rules are made to be broken and boundaries are designed to be pushed, this current production encapsulating all kinds of exploration including a gender fluid approach to some characters and drag queen Vinegar Strokes playing Lady Bracknell. The story is one of two friends in high society, John ‘Jack’ Worthing, and Algernon ‘Algie’ Moncrieff who each create alter-egos coincidentally named Ernest to escape their tiresome ...

The Caucasian Chalk Circle – The Rose Theatre, Kingston

7Oct

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

The Caucasian Chalk Circle – The Rose Theatre, Kingston

The first major London production of Bertolt Brecht’s for 25 years, The Caucasian Chalk Circle tells the story of a young woman, Grusha (Carrie Hope Fletcher), who risks everything to save the Governor and his wife’s abandoned child, Michael (Daniel Aiden Matembe), in the midst of a bloody revolution. Years later, the child’s mother (Joanna Kirkland) demands custody of Michael and Grusha is faced before the corrupt Judge Azdak (Jonathan Slinger) who is in control of Michael’s fate. As the audience file in, they are met with the set of an industrial warehouse, forming the base of a refugee camp. Bunk beds are present on stage which become clever, prominent and multi usage props throughout the show. The actors are on stage before the show commences, intriguing the audience. Beginning i...

5Mar

By Alice RoseNo Comments

London

Persuasion – Rose Theatre

A fresh perspective on Jane Austen’s adaptation, Persuasion with WAP, Frank Ocean and a foam party. This production follows Anne and her desperate sisters on their conquest for love but as their 30s approach, they worry about compatibility and finding a match that will ensure a long and easy life. However, as with classical romance there is always one who suffers in the quest for true connection, Anne (Sasha Frost) and her desperate love for Captain Wentworth (Fred Fergus) are knocked together like conkers as they try to rekindle a love they once had. We are very much in an age of reflection and in result, seeing the return of a lot of classical texts. It’s refreshing more so to be seeing new interpretations and a wittier perspective on the structures we enforced upon ourselves. It spea...

The Seven Pomegranate Seeds – Rose Theatre

11Nov

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

The Seven Pomegranate Seeds – Rose Theatre

Fifteen years after it was commissioned and performed as a staged reading, Colin Teevan’s contemporary amalgamation of mythical stories receives a stunning production at the Rose Theatre in Kingston. Directed and designed by Melly Still, the text brings to life the legends of female characters from Euripedes’ plays, namely Persephone, Hypsipyle, Medea, Alcestis, Phaedra, Creusa and Demeter, and situates them in the present-day UK. Each story touches upon different themes – rage, fear, vanity, obsession and more – and are tied together with a larger thread of motherhood, grief and loss. The show is backed by formidable performances by Niamh Cusack and Shannon Hayes who rely on rhythmic vocal delivery and effortless movement quality to bring out the best in Teevan’s text. Hayes’ embodimen...

9Nov

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

Educating Rita – Rose Theatre, Kingston

Willy Russell’s Educating Rita is a story about a girl from Liverpool who enrols in an open university course with a nihilistic and hedonistic tutor. Rita (Jessica Johnson) who came from a restrictive learning background wants to learn critical thinking and to change herself and her life through learning. She tries to find common ground and a genuine connection with her tutor as she emulates his identity of a Scholar and intellectual. She tries to find purpose, an appreciation for life and to change her culture, lifestyle and identity to something greater. Rita moves her apartment, changes her company to university students, changes her job and identity to lead a more enriching and authentic life. While encouraging her tutor (Stephen Tompkinson) to find a love for life through pursuing his...