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Tag Archives: theatre review
Sunset at the Villa Thalia at Dorfman Theatre, National Theatre
Arty, middle class Charlotte (Pippa Nixon) from London and charismatic American – and CIA operative – Harvey (Ben Miles) are frenemies to the highest degree. There’s instant affinity and sometimes even smouldering attraction between them but also deep-seated belief on both sides that one completely misunderstands the other and that the other is absolutely wrong about how the world spins on its geopolitical axis. Continue reading
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Posted in Celebrities, Entertainment, London, Theatre
Tagged Alexi Kaye Campbell, Ben Miles, Celebrities, Dorfman Theatre, Elizabeth McGovern, Entertainment, live performance, London, national theatre, Pippa Nixon, reviews, Sam Crane, SE1, SE1 9PX, south bank, southbank, Sunset at the Villa Thalia, theatre, theatre review, Upper Ground, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Sideways: The Play at St James Theatre
If you loved the movie, to be sure you’ll love the play, adapted for the stage by original Sideways novelist, Rex Pickett and deftly directed David Grindely. Continue reading
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Posted in Drink, Entertainment, Live Performance, London, Theatre, Wine
Tagged Beth Cordingly, books, David Grindely, David Weyman, Drink, Ellie Percy, Entertainment, live performance, London, Palace Street, Peter Mumford, play, reviews, Rex Pickett, Sideways, Sideways: The Play, Simon Harrison, St James Theatre, st james's, SW1, SW1E 5JA, theatre, theatre review, VICTORIA, wine, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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wonder.land at the National Theatre
wonder.land: it’s a tale we all know well, this time reexamined through the prism of our 21st century addiction to the digital doings on our gadgets’ screens and good old fashioned teenage malaise. Continue reading
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Posted in Design, Entertainment, London, Music, Theatre
Tagged alice in wonderland, backstage, behind the scenes, damon albarn, design, Entertainment, Hal Fowler, lewis caroll, literature, live performance, Lois Chimimba, London, moira buffini, music, musical, national theatre, reviews, rufus norris, SE1, SE1 9PX, south bank, southbank, theatre, theatre review, Upper Ground, wonder.land, wonderland, Лондон, لندن, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Theatre Review: Let the Right One In
Soon after its release to DVD, I saw (and loved) the original film version of the Swedish romantic horror story, Let the Right One In. What I enjoyed most about that movie was its moody tone and even moodier lighting. I don’t what it was like to watch in the cinema but it made for ideal at-home viewing. Newly adapted for the stage, LTROI is on now at the recently reopened Apollo Theatre (with refurbished ceiling) for a “strictly limited season” run. How does the stage adaptation compare to the movie and is it worth seeing? Well … Continue reading
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Posted in London, Theatre
Tagged horror, Let the Right One in, live performance, live theatre, London, London blog, LTROI, review, shaftesbury avenue, Swedish romantic horror story, theatre, theatre review, vampire, vampires, W1D 7ES, west end, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Theatre Review: We are Proud to Present … Namibia, Bush Theatre
We are Proud to Present a Presentation about the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, from the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884 – 1915 may be an exhaustingly exhaustive title to say (and even type) but it’s an otherwise invigorating piece of work to see performed. Continue reading
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Posted in Design, London, Theatre
Tagged Ayesha Antoine, Between the Years 1884 – 1915, Bush Theatre, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, fringe theatre, from the German Sudwestafrika, Gbolahan Obisesan, German Sudwestafrika, Herero, Isaac Ssebandeke, Joseph Arkley, Joshua Hill, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Kirsty Oswald, Lisa Marie Hall, live theatre, London, London blog, Namibia, Namibia play, review, shepherd's bush, Southwest Africa, theatre, theatre review, Theatre Review: We are Proud to Present, Uxbridge Road, W12, W12 8LJ, We are Proud to Present, We are Proud to Present a Presentation, We are Proud to Present a Presentation about the Herero of Namibia, west london, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Theatre Review: The Golden Dragon at the Drayton Arms, SW5
Fancy a theatrical and thought provoking Thai/Chinese/Vietnamese takeaway? The Golden Dragon is a “dark modern tale of immigration” set in the kitchen of an East Asian restaurant as well as in the homes and businesses of some of its regular patrons. Just in time for Chinese New Year … German playwright Roland Schimmelpfennig’s one act exacting contemplation of globalisation is on for a (very) short run at South Kensington’s Drayton Arms pub theatre. Continue reading
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Posted in London, Pubs, Theatre
Tagged David Tushingham, drayton arms, drayton theatre, Elena Liutkute), fringe theatre, german theatre, kensington, Linus Karp, live performance, London, London blog, old brompton road, pub, pub theatre, review, Roland Schimmelpfennig, Schimmelpfennig, south kensington, SW5, SW5 0LJ, the drayton arms, the golden dragon, theatre, theatre blog, theatre review, Tom Brocklehurst, west london, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Theatre Review: Orangutan Productions’ Othello at Riverside Studios
Now on at Riverside Studios, Orangutan Productions’ film noir take on Othello – Shakespeare’s tale of racism, love, jealousy and betrayal (and maybe in a word, paranoia) – engages and beguiles. I hit the press night staging of Othello: The Moor of Venice and found it a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend a ‘school night’ which yielded an evening’s worth of entertainment that I could easily recommend. Continue reading
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Posted in London, Theatre
Tagged Crisp Road, HAMMERSMITH, live performance, London, London blog, london blogger, off west end, Orangutan Productions, Othello, othello: the moor of venice, review, RIVERSIDE STUDIOS, shakespears, Stefan Adegbola, theatre, theatre review, W6, W6 9RL, west london, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Theatre Review: Richard III at Nottingham Playhouse
With only a week left in Nottingham before it moves on to York, here’s my review of the Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company and York Theatre Royal’s joint presentation of Shakespeare’s tragic story of a conniving and paranoid king, Richard III. Continue reading
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Theatre Review: The Barrier at Park Theatre, Finsbury Park
The Barrier explores what happens when cultures clash and the values of people living side-by-side diverge by pitting two sets of neighbours in the Stamford Hill area of contemporary Northeast London against each other. Continue reading
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Posted in London, Theatre
Tagged Clifton Terrace, east london, finsbury park, hackney, London, London blog, N4, N4 3JP, north london, northeast london, one act play, play, review, stamford hill, the barrier, theatre, theatre review, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Theatre Review: When Midnight Strikes, Upstairs at the Gatehouse
If you’ve ever been in a room with more than one Manhattanite, you’ll recognise the tone of this musical and the acerbic banter bounced between its characters. Indeed, I was half surprised for there not to be a sea of yellow cabs swarming the streets of Highgate as I left the Gatehouse pub humming after Friday night’s stellar performance of When Midnight Strikes. Continue reading
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Posted in London, Music, Pubs, Theatre
Tagged Aria Entertainment, Ashley Emerson, charles miller, christopher peake, damian sandys, grant murphy, highgate, inner circle productions, kemey lafond, kevin hammonds, lighting, London, london theatre, Lucyelle Cliffe, matthew ramplin, Miranda Wilford, music, musica, musical review, N6, N6 4BD, Newley Aucutt, North Road, Penny Rock Theatre Productions, play, pub, review, sepehr malek, sound design, the gatehouse, theatre, theatre review, tom boucher, Upstairs at the Gatehouse, When Midnight Strikes
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Review: Sincerely, Mr Toad at Greenwich Theatre
Last night I caught the London premiere of Sincerely, Mr Toad at the Greenwich Theatre. Having toured around the UK with a well received stint at this year’s Fringe, the new musical examines the life of The Wind in the Willows author Kenneth Grahame, his icy relationship with wife Elspeth and the tragic early death of their son Alastair – and how these and other factors shaped Grahame’s imagination and writing. Continue reading
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Posted in Books, London, Music, Theatre
Tagged Adam Venus, author, books, Crooms Hill, david hutchinson, David Wilson, design, Frog and Toad, greenwich, greenwich theatre, kemey lafond, kenneth grahame, London, music, musical, new musical, play, review, Sarah Borges, SE10, SE10 8ES, sincerely mr toad, south london, stage, the wind in the willows, theatre, theatre review
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Theatre Review: A Door Must Be Kept Open – or Shut at The Osborne Studio Gallery
A first time collaboration sees The Osborne Studio Gallery on tony Motcomb Street in Knightsbridge host a new and intimate production of Alfred de Musset’s 168 year old play, A Door Must Be Kept Open – or Shut. Musset’s sharp witted lines delivered bluntly in this aristocratic battle of the sexes are a delight to take in and seem to ring as true today as when this punchy one act play was penned nearly two centuries ago. Continue reading
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Posted in Art, London, Theatre
Tagged A Door Must Be Kept Open – or Shut, Alfred Louis Charles de Musset-Pathay, Alfred Musset, Ana Maria Rincon, Anthony Kurt-Gabel, Art, art gallery, Christopher Staines, french theatre, Katherine Heath, knightsbridge, Laurence Cummings, London, Martin Parr, Motcomb Street, one act play, Osborne Studio Gallery, Peter Meyer, play, SW1, SW1X 8JU, The Osborne Studio Gallery, theatre, theatre review
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Theatre Review: Dirty Market’s Oxbow Lakes
That was some seriously fucked up shit. And if you know me at all, then you know that by “fucked up shit” I mean you should totally check this out. Fancy a bit of creeped-out absurdity with your surrealist theatre? Oxbow Lakes is for you. Continue reading
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Posted in London, Theatre
Tagged Dirty Market, east london, hoxton, London blog, N1, N1 7ET, oxbow lakes, Parr Street, play, review, surrealist theatre, theatre review, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Theatre Review: Ayndrilla Singharay’s Unsung at The Rosemary Branch Theatre
British-Bengali writer Ayndrilla Singharay’s premiere play Unsung re-imagines Rabindranath Tagore’s short story Punishment in a contemporary London setting. The result is effectual theatre for the audience and an especially impressive first attempt by Singharay. Continue reading
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Posted in Books, London, Pubs, Theatre
Tagged Avita Jay, Ayndrilla Singharay, bengali, british-bengali, east london, fringe theatre review, London, Lucy Allen, N1, N1 3DT, Nadia Nadif, Niall Ray, play, pub, punishment, Rabindranath Tagore, REGENTS CANAL, Rez Kabir, Shepperton Road, the rosemary branch, theatre, theatre pub, theatre review, unsung
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The Picture of Dorian Gray at “Dorian Gray’s Townhouse” in London (OneTravel)
Recently, I caught a performance of the Oscar Wilde classic The Picture of Dorian Gray. An immersive piece of theatre set in an actually lived-in Georgian townhouse, the play served as an excellent opportunity to enjoy a piece of great literature brought to life while getting to snoop around a bit in someone else’s home. If you’re planning to visit London before the end of September, this adaptation could prove a quirky and cultured item to your itinerary. Continue reading
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Posted in Books, London, OneTravel, Theatre, Travel
Tagged books, dorian gray, feix and merlin, feix&merlin, georgian townhouse, greenwich, immersive theatre, immersive theatre review, jason orange, literature, live performance, London, London blog, OneTravel, oscar wilde, play, review, river hawkins, sam orange, samuel orange, south london, take that, the alchemic order, the picture of dorian gray, theatre, theatre review, Travel, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Immersive Theatre Review: The Picture of Dorian Gray at “Dorian Gray’s Townhouse”
Over the weekend, I caught a press night performance of The Alchemic Order’s production of the Oscar Wilde classic The Picture of Dorian Gray. An immersive piece of theatre set in an actually lived-in Georgian townhouse, the play served as an excellent opportunity to enjoy a piece of great literature brought to life while getting to snoop round a bit in someone else’s home. Continue reading
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Posted in Books, London, Theatre
Tagged books, dorian gray, feix and merlin, feix&merlin, georgian townhouse, greenwich, immersive theatre, immersive theatre review, jason orange, literature, live performance, London, London blog, oscar wilde, play, review, river hawkins, sam orange, samuel orange, south london, take that, the alchemic order, the picture of dorian gray, theatre, theatre review, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Go on a Blind Date at the Charing Cross Theatre, London (OneTravel)
Direct from New York for a limited run at London’s Charing Cross Theatre is Blind Date starring Canadian comedienne Rebecca Northan as Mimi, a “lovable minx of a Parisian clown.” Continue reading
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Posted in London, OneTravel, Theatre, Travel
Tagged ad lib, Blind Date, charing cross, Charing Cross Theatre, comedy, craven passage, dating, improv, improvisation, London, mimi, OneTravel, play, rebecca northan, review, theatre review, Travel, WC2, WC2N 6NL, west end, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦
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Theatre Review: Blind Date at the Charing Cross Theatre
I’m more than happy to recommend Blind Date at the Charing Cross Theatre to anyone looked for some light hearted entertainment. I wouldn’t even mind seeing this comedy again, honestly, especially considering that all performances promise to be different with a new (and haplessly unsuspecting) leading man every time. Continue reading
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Posted in London, Theatre
Tagged ad lib, Blind Date, charing cross, Charing Cross Theatre, comedy, craven passage, dating, improv, improvisation, London, mimi, rebecca northan, review, theatre review, WC2, WC2N 6NL, west end
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Theatre Review: Mandrake at the Brockley Jack
Adapting Machiavelli’s Mandrake (from ancient Florentine no less) for the English stage came across as effortless second nature for Howard Coyler. However, a brief chat with the playwright after I caught last night’s performance of the play suggested that Coyler actually did need to put some midnight oil along with plenty of head scratching into his London revival of this classic piece of Italian Renaissance entertainment. Continue reading
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Posted in London, Theatre
Tagged alex mitchell, andy mcleod, annie lees-jones, brockley, Brockley Jack, comedy, design, fringe theatre, howard colyer, italian renaissance, Jack Studio Theatre, jade gooch, jean apps, jo clisby, john mcinnes, kemey lafond, lewisham, London, Machiavelli, machiavellian, Mandrake, neil mckeown, piers hunt, rachel illingworth, review, ruth e mortimer, scott le crass, SE4, SE4 2DH, south london, theatre, theatre preview, theatre review, tom boucher, will parrot
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New West End Play Brings Hemingway Novel to the London Stage (OneTravel)
As you might expect, Helfrect couldn’t cram every page – or even many characters – onto the stage for her adaptation. Still, Fiesta stays true to the spirit of Hemingway’s first novel. In particular, the language is economic and punchy, resulting in a compelling and enjoyable play that shouldn’t leave many ardent Hemingway fans hankering for more. Set design (Rachel Noel) is equally restrained yet effective with key elements of the story honed to accentuate the dialogue and decisions of the characters. Continue reading
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Posted in Books, London, OneTravel, Theatre, Travel
Tagged bullfighting, ernest hemingway, fiesta, fiesta (the sun also rises), Gideon Turner, hemingway, jack holden, jake barnes, jazz, josie taylor, jye frasca, lady brett ashley, London, novel, OneTravel, play, rachel noel, review, the sun also rises, theatre, theatre review, trafalgar studio 2, trafalgar studios, trio farouche, west end
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Journey’s End at Greenwich Theatre (London on the Inside)
Above ground events result in deep consequences down in the dug-out. The scurrying and decisive actions below seem desperately futile, and all the more heroic, when viewed from outside the set’s frame. Continue reading
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Posted in London, London on the Inside, Theatre
Tagged Adam Fletcher, anti-war, David Alywyn, david hutchinson, first world war, greenwich, greenwich theatre, journey's end, kemey lafond, Liam Smith, London, london on the inside, play, play review, R. C. Sherriff, RC Sherriff, review, SE10, SE10 8ES, sell a door, Sell A Door Theatre Company, Steven George, theatre, theatre review, world war one, WW1
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Review: Journey’s End at Greenwich Theatre
Following sell out performances of Spring Awakening, Lord of the Flies and The History Boys, multi award winning Sell A Door Theatre Company have brought RC Sherriff’s anti-war classic, Journey’s End, back to the stage for a nine day run at Greenwich Theatre. First produced in 1928 with Laurence Olivier as the lead, the play tells a story of bravery and brotherhood among a group of officers on the front line during the First World War. Continue reading
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Posted in London, Theatre
Tagged Adam Fletcher, anti-war, David Alywyn, david hutchinson, first world war, greenwich, greenwich theatre, journey's end, kemey lafond, Liam Smith, London, play, play review, R. C. Sherriff, RC Sherriff, review, SE10, SE10 8ES, sell a door, Sell A Door Theatre Company, Steven George, theatre, theatre review, world war one, WW1
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Hemingway on the Stage: Fiesta (The Sun Also Rises) at Trafalfar Studio 2
Fiesta (The Sun Also Rises) is a distilled and spare adaptation of the Ernest Hemingway novel, The Sun Also Rises. Adapted and directed by Alex Helfrect, the play is set in 1920s Paris and Pamplona and follows stoic – and often drunk – American journalist and bullfighting aficionado Jake Barnes as he examines the wounds and memories from his time served during WW1. Continue reading
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Posted in Books, Design, London, Theatre
Tagged bullfighting, ernest hemingway, fiesta, fiesta (the sun also rises), Gideon Turner, hemingway, jack holden, jake barnes, jazz, josie taylor, jye frasca, lady brett ashley, London, novel, play, rachel noel, review, the sun also rises, theatre, theatre review, trafalgar studio 2, trafalgar studios, trio farouche, west end
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Theatre Review: Follow the Rabbit
Yeah, maybe I’m getting too big for my britches and posting more pics of myself than most folks would care to see. But this time I doing it because, believe it or not, I was the star of the show … Continue reading
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Posted in Design, London, Theatre
Tagged Amelia Bennet, babel studios, drunk tank productions, follow the rabbit, immersive theatre, kemey lafond, Keri Danielle Chesser, lewis carroll, literature, review, Rosanna Mallinson, SE1, SE1 0AS, set design, sound design, southwark, southwark bridge road, theatre giant, theatre review, white queen
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