EverAfter, A mixed up fairy tale at the Chickenshed Theatre, is a great Christmas show. As the title suggests, this is a concoction of stories. The obvious stories and characters popped their heads up. So yes, there was a wicked witch, there was a golden thread, there was a house made of yummy sweets to die for and there were sleeping potions. Some of the characters from various popular stories that made their presence included Rumplestiltskin, and Hansel and Gretel. If you put these … [Read more...]
Chickenshed Theatre | Waiting for the Ship to Sail | Review
As I walked into the auditorium whilst being handed an immigration card, and being surrounded by dialogues from migrants and refugees from all around the world, I was now in a migrant’s world. It wasn’t a subtle start. I was thrown into the experience right from the very beginning. The first phase is about ‘Home’. I listened very carefully to the different voices that defined home. Home is such a comforting place, full of love, relations, bonds, communities…. it is what we know. Listening to … [Read more...]
Dick Whittington at Theatre Royal Stratford East | Review
Stratford East presents its Christmas Pantomime, Dick Whittington. This is a story where Dick (Sèverine Howell-Meri) goes on his quest to London - from Romford - in search of his dreams. Dick is a very chirpy lad, who is accompanied by Nathaniel (Harry Jardine), a cat that wants to be a dog. There is an ice-cream parlour and castles. If that is confusing, well there is also King Rat (Tom Giles)... but I mustn’t say much more as I’ll give the story away. Shhhh. As usual, Stratford East has … [Read more...]
Review of Chickenshed’s Snow White
Chickenshed presents Snow White, the most swinging Christmas show around. This is not the traditional Snow White story as we know it or expect it to be, remember there is no ‘seven dwarfs’ in the title. If you are taking young children, it may be worth just having a quiet word with them, to explain this is a slightly different version of Snow White - although there is a red juicy apple, a mirror on the wall and a stepmother. The show started with Stepmother Jane de Villiers (Sarah … [Read more...]
Feel the Love at Chickenshed Theatre | Review
Chickenshed Young Company presents Feel the Love. This was not the usual type of theatre where everyone sat in rows, one behind the other. It was an immersive production, with groups of seats strategically arranged around the auditorium. When I walked in and took my seat, it did feel as though I was in a jazz bar with music playing all around me. A very nice setting. So the play began and the action was everywhere. When I say everywhere I really do mean everywhere, the performance space was … [Read more...]
The Tigon and the Liger at Chickenshed | Review
The Tigon and the Liger is an interesting production. It begins like a workshop, where toddlers and very young children walk around amongst the cast participating in various activities, in an extremely relaxed environment. This is a great way to get young children involved and engaged and interested in theatre. To be honest, I was a bit confused, as I wasn’t quite sure whether the workshop was going to be transformed into a play with a story. I wasn’t disappointed, this does turn … [Read more...]
Streatham Space Project – The Jungle Book
The Jungle Book at Streatham Space Project is the story of Mowgli, a little boy who was raised by wolves in the jungle and faced the fearsome man-eating tiger, Shere Khan. This story was told by a small cast of only four. Shere Khan played by Jordan Laidley, Mowgli played by Kayleigh Barnes, Bagheera played by Jonathon Hands and Baloo played by Hannah Harris. They worked well as a team. On top of their main roles, they played extra characters like a hissing snake and monkeys. Their energised … [Read more...]