Daisy Campbell marks the ten year anniversary of her father Ken Campbell’s death with her own cleverly crafted monologue. Ken Campbell was a prolific, prodigiously talented theatre maker and with this self-directed one-woman show she does more than simply pay homage to his life and work. It’s a joy to travel alongside her on her journey, and the audience are more than willing to join in her flights of fancy, fantasy and occasional lunacy. She’s a confident, charismatic and engaging … [Read more...]
Review of Sh!t Theatre’s DollyWould | Soho Theatre
Sh!t Theatre are performance artists Louise Mothersole and Rebecca Biscuit and DollyWould is a show overflowing with love and originality. Following up on their award-winning sell-out show Letters to Windsor House, Sh!t Theatre continues to surprise and entertain audiences with the much more silly, but still thought-provoking DollyWould. The gist is that Mothersole and Biscuit love Dolly Parton, they love her so much that they took a trip to Dolly Wood, the Dolly Parton Theme Park in … [Read more...]
Review of NEST by Katy Warner at VAULT Festival 2018
The Vault Festival is quickly becoming an essential part of London’s fringe theatre scene - there’s excitement in both the unusual locations of the plays (The Vaults run under Waterloo Station), and the disparate range of talent on show in these underground spaces. In ‘Cavern’, a damp ambiently lit space where trains rumble overhead we meet Jade and Liam, two troubled young people trying to make sense of themselves and the world. Their flat is littered with empty cans and debris, shopping … [Read more...]
Review of Again by Stephanie Jacob at Trafalgar Studio Two
Again is a warm comedy-drama about family, observing how we’re all somehow trapped by ourselves, our choices and the roles we’re given and seem infuriatingly unable to shake off. It’s filled with humour and beautiful writing, and there’s a clever theatrical structure that elevates it to something more than just a play about family, but it’s the performances that shine in this kind, honest and often tender play. Natasha Little is a compelling choice as Louise, the slightly cautious and … [Read more...]
Review of Bunny by Jack Thorne at The Tristan Bates Theatre
Bunny by Jack Thorne is a mesmerising piece of writing, covering everything from class, racism, sexual politics, violence and the loneliness of adolescence and yet still being both laugh-out-loud funny. It’s one of those perfect monologues that leaves you a little changed. Katie (Catherine Lamb) is a middle class, clarinet-playing Luton school girl with a vengeful streak and an attraction to danger. She doesn’t quite know what she’s running from or why, she just knows that her life feels … [Read more...]
Review of Thirty Christmases at the New Diorama Theatre
Anyone familiar with Jonny & The Baptists will know that Jonny Donahoe (Every Brilliant Thing) and Paddy Gervens (Podshambles) are supremely talented, hilariously subversive and brilliantly entertaining. Together with comedian Rachel Parris (Austentatious, The IT Crowd) they’ve created a Christmas show that’s both funny and moving but also provides a welcome antidote to sentimentality. The story’s simple enough, Jonny and Rachel are brother and sister and following a falling out they’ve … [Read more...]
Review of La Soiree at Aldwych Theatre
La Soiree are in London for their eighth season. Their breathtaking and often incredible circus cabaret show has been travelling around the world. They’ve been to Australia, Denmark and even headlined the circus field at Glastonbury, and now they’re back. This year they’ve pitched up at The Aldwych Theatre, bringing their dazzling show to the West End for a six-week run. The drama starts the moment you arrive at the theatre. The audience has a thrum of anticipation more usually found at a … [Read more...]