Review by Shaidi Ramsurrun

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 the different definitions did really make me think about how lucky I was to be in a safe and loving environment that I could call home and could return to whenever I wanted and chose to. This may not be an option for some of the migrant voices that I hear.

As this was a musical, the music didn’t disappoint either. Lovely voices and beautiful moves (some elegant and some energetic) to accompany the music and the narrative.

Phase two was about relationships – I’ll stop right there and not disclose any more otherwise I’ll end up talking you through the whole play.

I’ve never really sat and thought deeply about migrants or refugees and their experiences before. This play opened up my mind to that and lots more. There are local and national issues that impact migrants, extreme dangers that migrants experience in their journey to freedom, government policies that put their lives at risk. When you stop and think about it, it is quite disturbing.

On the flip side, there are various success stories. For example, the businessman, the doctor, the teacher, who not only have made a life for themselves in the country they live in but also positively contribute to society and community. So are these individuals really free, have they found a new home or do they dream to go back home one day? All these questions are provoking.

So what is it to be British, where do we all come from, are we all children of migrants and is this something to be embraced and celebrated.

This is one of the most thought-provoking productions I have recently watched. But isn’t that the point of theatre?

Review by Shaidi Ramsurrun

Chickenshed presents an artistic response to the urgent and pressing questions of global migration, and investigates the concepts of national and personal identity.

We find ourselves in a world where the building of walls – both in reality and figuratively – places ever more barriers between people who have more in common than it might at first appear. This powerful new musical and dance production will offer new perspectives on the forces driving both individual and mass migration, as well as telling the story of families directly affected. Thrillingly told with the urgency of youthful voices, this promises to be an unforgettable piece, very much in the style of What’s On Stage 2019 Offie award-winning Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow.

Cast list
Cara McInanny
Ben Bland
Bethany Hamlin
Will Laurence
Michael Bossisse
Belinda McGuirk
Darian Kerr
Nathaniel Leigertwood
Sarah Jones
Gemilla Shamruk

Creative Team
Director – Lou Stein
Creative Directors – Michael Bossisse, Pete Dowse, Ashley Driver, Bethany
Hamlin, Georgie Jacobs, Loren Jacobs, Sarah Jones, Will Lawrence,
Nathaniel Leigertwood, Belinda McGuirk, Cara McInanny, Jonathan Morton,
Robin Shillinglaw, Dina Williams
Movement Director- Dina Williams
Music composition and MD – Dave Carey
Vocal Direction – Fiona Carey
Production Manager – Zeeta Jacobs
Design Sebastian Gonzalez
Technical Manager/Lighting Design – Andrew Caddies
Costume Design/Supervisor – Emma Gale
Multimedia and Sound Design – Phil Haines
Project Manager – Fiona Carey

Waiting for the Ship to Sail
Rayne Theatre
https://www.chickenshed.org.uk/

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 Connolly) seated in her chair, accompanied by her various modern gadgets, including Alexa. She remembered the past and with that, the story began. The costumes were suitably fitting for a Christmassy production. There were glitzy tops, colourful bright yellow tights worn by Snow White and a stepmother who wore her designer silvery sparkling glamourous dress.

The stage set was well designed and complemented the costumes. It could have easily been for a West End production. The lighting and backdrop brought another dimension to the set.

Chickenshed is an inclusive theatre, that provides a safe platform for all abilities to perform and participate in shows – Cara McNanny has a lovely strong singing voice, which easily compensated for any weaker ones. Ashley Driver played the mirror and he did it with such charisma that I watched in awe – Sarah Connolly who played the stepmother played it very well. One could almost feel and see the wickedness in every bone of hers. She did look very mean and horrible! There was a cast of over 200 members, so it is not possible to describe them all, but what I can say is that they brought diversity and excitement to the stage.

A brilliant production, that brought a traditional story to life with a twist. A show not to be missed.

Review by Shaidi Ramsurran

Roll up, roll up for a magical new musical version of a familiar tale – a mammoth production guaranteed to fill the festive period with heart-warming cheer.

Set in a colourful 1960s world where traditional roles are changing fast, what better place for a modern Snow White to ‘find’ herself – in all senses of the word?

An unbelievably huge cast of all ages, a stunning original score and with an upbeat message of how anyone can get to choose the ending of their own story – well, why would you go anywhere else?

Cast and creatives:
Cast
Snow White : Cara McInanny
Father: Jonny Morton
Stepmother Jane de Villiers: Sarah Connolly
Jason – Security Guard: Nathaniel Leigertwood
Bobby the Buster: Will Laurence
Downer : Sarah Jones
Mirror: Ashley Driver

Creatives
Director: Lou Stein
Assistant Director: Belinda McGuirk
Choreography: Belinda McGuirk, Dina Williams
Music: Dave Carey
Vocal Delivery: Fiona Carey
Production Manager: Zeeta Jacobs
Wardrobe: Emma Gale

Chickenshed Theatre, Chase Side, Southgate, London N14 4PE
Wednesday 27 November 2019 – Saturday 11 January 2020
https://www.chickenshed.org.uk/

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 next to you, in front of you, behind you, above you on the balconies and of course on the stage in the middle. Can you imagine watching 200 young energised people performing a tapestry of stories, all around you… such confusion and great fun!

What made this production special was rather than have a band hidden away playing, there were young performers playing music, with varying abilities. They would perform in different spaces within the theatre. Every so often you could see the audience searching the auditorium to locate the person singing, sometimes we located the singer sometimes we didn’t.

So this production was an interesting one. It had great music, Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’ comes to mind and I remember some great rapping that got us bopping on our chairs while the young performers tapped on the floor. There were some very interesting dance moves too.

So that was the fun side but this production had a very important purpose and message. We saw lots of anguish, confusion and struggles in conforming to expectations. Some may find Feel the Love a bit overwhelming as it does leave one questioning themselves about love. There were lots of perspectives of love provided along with some of the challenges that they came with.

As this play was really not my cup of tea, my appreciation for it may be a bit lessened compared to others. A great play that has lots of food for thought and lots of material for analysis and debate. Be warned that this production is not a light-hearted one.

Review by Shaidi Ramsurrun

Chickenshed Young Company welcome you to a re-imagining of the world of love, loss, hope and heartbreak. Across two weeks in July our 250-strong Youth Theatre will take you on a journey that endeavours to answer the questions; What are we all seeking? And what is it that connects us as human beings.

The show will feature a series of important perspectives from our young people, including themes of dating, family, friendship, puberty, LGBT identity, image, choice, romantic highs and lows, and what it feels like to be displaced – living between the cracks of this world.

Duration: 2 hours with interval
Age recommendation: 12+
Tuesday 2 July – Friday 12 July 2019
https://www.chickenshed.org.uk/

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 into a musical. Tyler the tigon was a unique big cat and there was an important story to tell – ‘know that you are unique in your own special way and learn to love the skin you’re in‘.

Toddlers and young children are encouraged to explore the stage and be part of the play. The set is on the same level as the floored seating, which helps break down the barrier between the stage and the audience. As the children get more and more comfortable, the more they engage with the cast, dance with the cast to the songs and music, wander around and explore the stage as the play is being performed and generally they are allowed to be in a theatre without any of the normal restrictions. The cast are not phased by the extra challenge of children wandering amongst them and are still able to deliver the show.

When this musical had finished, the audience were invited to explore the set, and look at how shadow dancing is created and even have a go, have a turn on the drums, ask cast members questions and of course, take pictures with the cast.

Even though there were some confusing bits and maybe, just maybe the play was a bit too complicated for the age group, the children certainly had lots of fun, learned some tunes and a bit of sign language and more importantly they took away with them the key message of the play ‘to love your skin’.

An excellent way to encourage the next generation to appreciate differences and diversity. Well done Chickenshed.

Review by Shaidi Ramsurrun

Tyler the tigon was terribly rare. A big cat like him isn’t found everywhere. Unique from his ears to his tail to his tum, his dad was a tiger, a lion his mum…

The Tales from the Shed team proudly present a brand new show about appreciating your differences, and learning to love the skin you’re in.

Based on the book by Keilly Swift.
The Tigon and the Liger is written by Keilly Swift, illustrated by Cosei Kawa and published by Lantana.

13th April, 2019 18th April, 2019
https://www.chickenshed.org.uk