All plays have a theme. Some have more than one and in the case of Suzan-Lori Parks’ play White Noise which has recently opened at the Bridge Theatre there are multiple layered themes all vying for attention. The play centres around four friends: Ralph (James Corrigan), Misha (Faith Omole), Leo (Ken Nwosu) and Dawn (Helena Wilson). They met at college and became inseparable. In fact, they became couples, Ralph and Dawn & Leo and Misha. Nowadays, they are still friends, still couples – … [Read more...]
The World Goes ‘Round at Above The Stag | Review
Life can be hard. Let’s be honest, the last 18 months or so have been particularly tough, and, despite what certain politicians may say, the future is not looking all that rosy either. So I give thanks for live theatre which gives me a chance to sit back, relax and forget all my and the world’s troubles for a couple of hours. I mention this as it is one of the themes of Vivienne De Vil’s new show The World Goes 'Round which I was lucky enough to catch in the cabaret lounge of the Above the Stag … [Read more...]
Jeff Wayne’s The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience
Riddle me this. What do you get if you mix a terrifying 19th-century novel, with a ground-breaking 1970s album and the latest in 21st-century theatre technology? You get Jeff Wayne's The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience which, after a year or so of cancelled performances, I finally managed to visit. The experience starts as you walk through the door, check-in and get your coloured wristband, and enter 'The Spirit of Man', a steampunk-themed bar and restaurant dominated by a huge … [Read more...]
Daddy Issues at The Etcetera Theatre | Review
August means one thing in the theatrical world. It's Fringe time. No, I’m not talking about Edinburgh but Camden. Every year local theatres in the Camden area put on a great festival of work, and I manage to get along to the Etcetera Theatre to see one of these shows. The play was Daddy Issues and was written and performed by Anna Krauze. Natalia is a struggling artist trying to make it big in London. Her art is personal, very graphic and not necessarily to everyone’s taste. Her pictures … [Read more...]
Nick Payne’s Constellations at the Vaudeville Theatre | Review
The idea that one’s future is predetermined is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's nice to know that whatever I do (whether good or bad) isn’t my fault, but on the other, what’s the point of my existence if the choices I make in life do not matter? This conundrum is the essence of Nick Payne’s play Constellations at the Vaudeville Theatre. Unusually for me, I’m going to start with a word about the staging of the show before dipping into the plot. The reason for this is that the … [Read more...]