Much of the theatre was covered with artificial snow and trees, amply suitable for a production called On The Piste. I thought the performance space was quite gloriously uncluttered, and once the show got underway it was quickly easy to see why – the entire cast were on skis for a lesson given by Tony (Robbie Smith). This proved to be rather hilarious, mostly because at least two of the other characters were new to skiing. Whether an audience member’s level of expertise with regards to skiing is … [Read more...]
Jack Studio Theatre London Brockley SE4 2DH | Reviews
The Jack Studio is a vibrant and intimate performance space in south east London, with a long history within its community and the London-wide theatre scene.
The theatre is "committed to producing theatre that inspires, challenges and entertains our audience."
The theatre supports new companies, providing a space for them to develop their work, alongside the productions created each year by the Jack’s in-house team.
The Brockley Jack Theatre
410 Brockley Road
London, SE4 2DH
Review of Frankenstein at Brockley Jack Studio Theatre
By now familiar with Arrows & Traps’ particular brand of theatre, I was as usual very impressed by this adaptation of Frankenstein directed by Ross McGregor. This production integrates the story of its very creation by following a young Mary Shelley and her own dramatic life, as well as the threads of Victor Frankenstein’s desire for knowledge the Creature’s exposure to the unforgiving world around him. Creation is the central theme - the responsibility towards one’s progeny, in many senses … [Read more...]
Review of Le Grand Mort at Trafalgar Studio Two
Le Grand Mort has a rather ‘grand’ set, all things considered. As the audience quickly discovers, there’s a fully functioning kitchen on stage. There are people like me who tend to survive on cheap supermarket meal deals, ready meals, takeaways and the occasional self-prepared sandwich. Some other theatregoers whose kitchens serve a more functional purpose than mine were more keenly observant on the exact method in which Michael (Julian Clary) was preparing dinner for two (or supper, if that is … [Read more...]
Review of The State of Things at the Brockley Jack Studio Theatre
The amount of books and musical instruments visible on stage as the audience files in for The State of Things made me think immediately of two blockbuster musicals, Matilda and School of Rock. Many of the characters in this production are engrossed in serious study at some point, as the examination period is looming. This group of Year 11 students are not, technically speaking, in a band but are all in the same music class. Still, cue angst and actor-musicianship. Unlike School of Rock this … [Read more...]
Review of Adam & Eve at the Jack Studio Theatre
I begin by quoting two exit poll verdicts from separate fellow theatregoers, if only because I don’t entirely agree with either of them. One deemed Adam & Eve to be “depressing”; another asserted the storyline was “clever”. The former viewpoint is too reductionist, and doesn’t take into consideration the famous Tennyson quote, “’tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all”. The latter viewpoint is (albeit with the benefit of a car journey’s hindsight) dangerous if taken … [Read more...]
Review of Teaching A Dillo To Cross The Road at Jack Studio Theatre
The set seems very roomy in this production of Teaching A Dillo to Cross The Road, an activity which, mercifully, the audience does not literally witness on stage. But then, the play is set in the American Mid-West, where everything is far roomier than someone who lives and works in London is used to. The pacing of the production borders on glacial on occasion, and only in its dying moments does it finally go into overdrive, though again the audience is witnessing a different pace of … [Read more...]
Review of House of America at the Brockley Jack Studio Theatre
The sins of the previous generation are manifested in the current one, what goes around comes around, and there’s nothing new under the sun. And yet House of America is far from dull and predictable – it is, in a word, a paradox. Tragedy in the form of on-stage deaths has happened in theatre since the Roman Empire, but this production has managed to make it seem so fresh and convincing. Striking a balance between dark comedy, a borderline absurdist narrative and good old-fashioned theatrical … [Read more...]