The Lion & Unicorn Theatre Archives

Uncle Monty’s Antique Shop – The Lion & Unicorn Theatre

15Oct

By Prateek SonnyNo Comments

London

Uncle Monty’s Antique Shop – The Lion & Unicorn Theatre

Spooky season is here, and it has brought with it a spine-tingling play. Uncle Monty’s Antique Shop is an anthology of psychological shorts written and directed by Alexander Wright and Nina Atesh. The production unfolds through the items in an antique shop, each introduced alongside its grim history. As we enter the space, Monty (Nicholas Benjamin) sits at his desk, unbothered and sipping his tea. A sense of unease is established almost immediately. When a tourist (Nina Atesh) accidentally wanders into the shop, she discovers that nothing is for sale. Monty’s unhinged, at times amusing, demeanour emerges as he enthusiastically presents his collection of disturbing objects. The first story, ‘The Photographer’, centres on a ruthless political leader (Ryan Williams), his photographe...

God Save Us – The Lion & Unicorn Theatre

French spies, educated women and badly filed paperwork make for chaotic comedy in this new show set in 1066. Only nine months since King Harold had an arrow through his eye, and the French are changing laws and imposing their language and customs on their newly conquered country. Clergymen Theodore (George MacGowan) and Nicholas (Xavier Atkins) have enough problems keeping the villagers in line, and when their French superior arrives and helps himself to a farm at the same time as a woman arrives from Yorkshire claiming the farm is hers, Theodore has his work cut out keeping everyone distracted while he tries to fix the mess. Rabble-rouser, Joan (Julie Joubert), is asked to write a morality play and Yorkshire woman Asa (Lily Blunsom) is given the lead part to keep both of them busy....

The Departure – The Lion & Unicorn Theatre

In The Departure we encounter Lily, an emerging scientist returning from her mother’s funeral, who discovers Ross, a stranger staying in her flat seemingly without reason. We later discover that Ross knows Lily’s roommate Jules, who had offered him the flat, but a mix-up over the dates means the two strangers unexpectedly find themselves sharing the space. Ross is waiting for his new passport to arrive at the flat, before taking a flight to move to Australia for a job. Trapped together for the evening, they gradually begin to talk, revealing more about themselves and the grief they are hiding within. Ross has learned to deal with pain through avoidance. He puts his problems into his pocket watch, compartmentalising them so that he can keep moving. Lily has become deeply anxious after ye...