Amy Trigg is a glorious storyteller and Reasons You Should (n’t) Love Me is an exuberant example of how powerful a one-woman show can be. Trigg plays Juno, and a cast of contributing characters, showcasing her range as an actor and her ability to seduce an audience into investing heavily in their stories. Juno has spina bifida, uses a wheelchair, and from the very beginning of the play she engages us with her charm, warmth and ability to laugh at the world and herself. Juno is … [Read more...]
La Clique at Leicester Square Spiegeltent, London | Review
Multi award winning La Clique is back in London after ten years of dazzling audiences around the world to set up home at the Spiegeltent in Leicester Square for a limited winter season. Since its inception at The Edinburgh Fringe in 2004 this extraordinary cabaret show has continued to mix humour and burlesque with circus skills and showmanship. It’s a feast of a spectacle, a truly unique evening of fun, fantasy and jaw dropping athleticism. The atmosphere is brilliantly festive and we’re … [Read more...]
The Girl on the Train at the Churchill Theatre Bromley | Review
Paula Hawkins thriller is a contemporary phenomenon and I was intrigued to see how the story would be adapted for stage, the novel feels so reflective and the film so visual that it was hard to envisage how it could be bought to life. But both the stage adaptation by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel is incredibly tightly constructed, and Antony Banks’ direction keeps the pace fast and the tension taut throughout. The story starts simply enough, Rachel Watson (played to perfection by Samantha … [Read more...]
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens at Drayton Arms Theatre
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, is a 60-minute two-hander, based on J.M.Barrie's own prequel to the better-known adventures of Peter and Wendy, and the far more famous Peter Pan. Betwixt-and-Between productions have adapted this little-known story for what they believe is the very first time on stage. It’s evidently a project they have thrown their hearts into and there’s so much to enjoy about this small glimpse into what sometimes feels like the starter play for Peter Pan. You can see all … [Read more...]
Laura Lexx: Trying at Soho Theatre | Review
I loved this show. From the moment Laura Lexx appears on stage all smiles and welcome, to the final tender but funny moments at the end, it’s a joy to be in her company. At one stage she describes her show as 'a woman in her thirties, talking about feelings', but that’s self-deprecating and doesn’t do her justice. This is a show about childhood and nostalgia, about growing up and trying to live your life in a confusing and overwhelming world. There are brilliant jokes about food … [Read more...]
Review of Ellie Dubois’ No Show at Soho Theatre
This is an extraordinary show, full of joy and passion and so much energy. It’s part theatre, part circus (mainly circus), with a large splash of comedy. It explores what circus performers go through to put on a show that satisfies an audience. It’s funny, smart, gently political and a complete treat! The premise is that it reveals what lies hidden beneath the showmanship of circus performance, but it’s much more than that. It’s about the pursuit of more, from both performer and audience. … [Read more...]
Review: The End of Eddy at the Unicorn Theatre
Based on the book En Finir Avec Eddy Bellegueule by Edouard Louis and adapted for the stage by Pamela Carter, The End of Eddy is a compelling piece of theatre. Inventive, confident, brutal and brilliantly performed by Alex Austin and Kwaku Mills, this is theatre for young people at its best. The play tells the story of Eddy’s childhood in his northern French town. His town is filled with violence, judgments and small-minded views. Eddy is different. Being different is dangerous, and we … [Read more...]