Scenesaver Archives - North West End UK

The Tragedy of Dorian Gray – Ukraine Fringe

3Sep

By Donna M DayNo Comments

REVIEWS

The Tragedy of Dorian Gray – Ukraine Fringe

Blue Devil Productions’ The Tragedy of Dorian Gray is an original reinterpretation of Oscar Wilde’s classic novel, which takes the hedonism and debauchery of Gray’s character, amplifies it, and spreads it across a cast of characters who are deliciously unlikeable. Written and directed by Ross Dinwiddy, this unique take on the memorable horror begins in London during the swinging sixties, and unveils a dark world of celebrity, corruption, drugs, alcohol, and scandals. The play opens during an exhibition of the work of artist, Basil Hallward (Christopher Sherwood). The cynical and vulturous Mavis Ruxton (Heather Alexander) and Harry Wotton (Kace Monney) survey the room with wry amusement analysing where the best gossip will come from. Observing the shy and socially anxious Alan Campbell (...

Desfazenda – Bury me out of this place – Ukraine Fringe

28Aug

By Donna M DayNo Comments

REVIEWS

Desfazenda – Bury me out of this place – Ukraine Fringe

O Bonde’s Desfazenda – Bury me out of this place, is a unique play exploring the lives of four people, 40 (Ailton Barros), 23 (Filipe Celestino), 12 (Jhonny Salaberg) and 13 (Marina Esteves), who were taken to a farm as children and enslaved. They are supervised by Zero, a foreman who is the only one who sees the priest who owns the farm. Directed by Roberta Estrela D’Alvia, and written by Lucas Moura, this original drama is both heartbreaking and horrifying, as the characters realise that the world outside the farm might not be exactly what they’ve been told it is. The play was originally performed in São Paulo and is performed in Portuguese with English subtitles. The piece opens with haunting singing and an upside-down view of the sea. We hear a mother and child discussing an animal ...

28Aug

By Donna M DayNo Comments

REVIEWS

Mary & Mietek – Ukraine Fringe

Katla Theatre’s Mary & Mietek is a dramatic, dual timeline love story, written by Maria Laumark in association with director Abi Smith, and inspired by the real-life love letters between wartime sweethearts, Mary, an English bank clerk and Mietek, a Polish soldier she met at a dance. In the play, Mary and Mietek are Ben’s (Louis Cruzat) grandparents, and he has brought their letters to the airport where he recently ex-girlfriend, Alma (Laumark) is waiting for a flight back to her home country of Denmark following the breakdown of their relationship. The play opens with Laumark stood on an empty stage holding a suitcase with Joel Marten in the background performing music he composed specifically for the show. A feeling of poignancy is created with this gentle music from the start and...

13Oct

By David S ClarkeNo Comments

REVIEWS

King Lear – Scenesaver Online

Jo Emery's modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s play starts off with Lear as a CEO of a property development empire who is in the process of stepping down from his leading role and is dividing the business up between his three daughters. Before he does this though, he sets them a challenge to see how they can express their love for him. The two elder daughters give extremely flattering answers in praise of their father, but the youngest daughter, who actually loves him the most, remains silent as she cannot put into words the depth of feeling she has for her father. This greatly angers the king, and he banishes the youngest daughter and divides the business between the two eldest daughters. As the narrative develops, we are introduced to more characters whose individual stories are woven ...

16Aug

By Donna M DayNo Comments

REVIEWS

Lear Alone – Scenesaver

Lear Alone is a new adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear, using only King Lear’s lines in a unique performance set across five short episodes. Directed by Anthony Shrubsall and performed by Edmund Dehn this original show explores themes of ageing in today’s world, the increasingly problematic issue of homelessness, and isolation and its effects on mental health. The show opens with Dehn sitting alone and obviously unhappy on a bench. Birdsong is prominent and Dehn begins to walk around the building whose grounds he is in, surreptitiously peering through the windows before beginning his first monologue, in which Lear is asking his daughters to describe the amount of love that they have for him to enable him to decide how to split the kingdom. Dehn has excellent presence, and it is ea...

22Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

OFFIES 2021

We were delighted to be able to attend this year’s Off West End Awards which were hosted online by Geoffrey Brown, Director of Off West End with a number of special guests in attendance. The awards began with an introduction by Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, welcoming everyone and joining in our hope that theatres can re-open soon. Special guests included Judi Dench, Linda Marlowe, Su Pollard, Michelle Terry, Sharon D Clarke, Samuel West, Sonia Friedman, Brian Blessed, Stephen Fry and Louise Jameson, all sending messages of congratulations and encouragement. Using the fringe streaming platform Scenesaver ( www.scenesaver.co.uk ), we were treated to a reminder of the diversity of shows that have been available to watch this year, in spite of the challenging environment. B...

13Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Turn Your Home Into a Half-Term Theatre

A brilliant way to keep the children entertained (and give parents a welcome break!) is to give them a free trip to the theatre with Scenesaver’s wonderful online selection of shows and print off theatre tickets. There’s a huge choice for all ages. Pick your shows and turn your home into a theatre. The children can get dressed up for the treat, if you’ve some popcorn or ice cream for the interval even better, and at the appointed time, lower the blinds, let them sit down in front of the TV or laptop, turn on Scenesaver, turn off the lights and relax! Scenesaver is a great way to introduce children to the magic of theatre and to encourage them to use their imaginations. There is drama, puppetry, magic, circus and a whole host of different theatrical experiences from just 10 minute...

The Death Of A Hunter – The Finborough Theatre on Scenesaver

9Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

The Death Of A Hunter – The Finborough Theatre on Scenesaver

We know the name Ernest Hemingway from his successful novels, ‘A Farewell To Arms’, ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’, ‘The Sun Also Rises’. We also know that he committed suicide in 1961, but the reasons behind his suicide were vailed in uncertainty. This play written in 1977 by controversial German playwright Rolf Hochhuth, known for his plays ‘The Representative’, ‘The Deputy’ and ‘Soldiers’, attempts to examine the last hours before Hemingway’s death to gain a greater understanding of what was going through his mind in those last hours. The Finborough Theatre has a knack for delving into theatrical pieces that have remained undiscovered or have rarely been performed. The theatre have resurrected other plays written by Hochhuth including ‘Sommer 14 – A Dance of Death’, ‘Sol...

29Jun

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

FEATURES

Scenesaver – Fringe Theatre Online Hub

In these times of no live theatre performance (apart from digital alternatives), Fringe theatre has been badly affected. With no stage for their performances and summer festivals cancelled, they have had to either become creative online or go and find a job in another sector. I was, therefore, very pleased to hear about a wonderful ‘online fringe theatre hub’ which at the click of a button, opens up the world of fringe theatre without leaving your home. Set up in 2019, Caroline Friedman had an idea to help people who would love to attend live theatre performances, but are unable to do so for a multiple of reasons – cost, accessibility, etc. In creating this online off west end and fringe theatre hub, Friedman has widened the audience reach for these artists, who normal...