Some ‘classic’ plays deserve to collect dust on the bookshelves of libraries. But Cheek By Jowl’s The Knight of the Burning Pestle makes a bold argument for the work’s contemporary relevance, with a production that is both hilarious and biting. Declan Donnellan’s careful directorial hand left my jaw well-exercised with laughter and my brain whirring about the state of the world today. The Knight of the Burning Pestle is the earliest Parody Play, satirising both earnest stagecraft and the … [Read more...]
Jesus Christ Superstar Full Casting Announced for The Barbican
Regent’s Park Theatre have confirmed full casting for their production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar. The production played two sell-out seasons at the Open Air Theatre, winning both the Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival and Evening Standard Award for Best Musical, before transferring to the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2018. It will embark on a North American tour from October. Jesus Christ Superstar is produced by William Village and Timothy Sheader for … [Read more...]
Avalanche: A Love Story at the Barbican Theatre | Review
Maxine Peake’s one-woman show is something of a plodding, steady snow drift, rather than an avalanche. She tells the story of Julia Leigh’s memoir (the play is adapted by Anna Louise-Starks from a book of the same name) tracking the turbulent and traumatic experience of trying for pregnancy at the latter end of fertility. She begins by hooking up with a partner from years ago. He wants children, and suddenly, so does she. It’s not clear what provokes her decision, and though the play develops … [Read more...]