Pros: Good intentions, and some strong performances. Cons: Misses its opportunity to harness an interesting subject. The courage of And Many Others’ Becoming Mohammed at the Pleasance Theatre is apparent from its title. Discussion of integration among Muslim communities, the place of Islam in the West and the experiences of Muslims today, is at once omnipresent and absent – a subject frequently mentioned, but seldom brought to life on stage. Becoming Mohammed not only takes an unblinking look at these complexities, but also does ...
Read More »Author Archives: Elke Wiebalck
Scenes from the End, Tristan Bates Theatre – Review
Pros: Héloïse Werner’s hauntingly beautiful, intense and masterful performance. Cons: The abstract nature of the piece means that it is sometimes hard to empathise with the characters and to feel a connection with the emotions portrayed. Grief is a personal experience that we all grapple with in our own way. The loss of a loved one is hard to stomach and often hard to talk about. One feels isolated, empty and confused. In this abstract, almost excruciatingly intimate, one-woman opera at ...
Read More »Rumpy Pumpy, Union Theatre – Review
Pros: A high-energy cast kept up the pace with talent and panache. Cons: The syrupy storyline oversimplified the serious and difficult subject matter. Rumpy Pumpy takes its inspiration from the true story of Jean Johnson and Shirley Landels, two women who campaigned for the legalisation of prostitution in 2006, following outrage over the murder of six sex workers in Ipswich. As part of their research these two formidable women travelled the world in pursuit of the “perfect brothel” in an ...
Read More »Torn, Royal Court Theatre – Review
A powerful, devastating family drama that revels in its complex web of truth, memories and lies.
Read More »Gilgamesh, British Museum – Review
Let your imagination soar with this powerful tale of heroes, whores, wild men and fantastical beasts, related with gusto and panache.
Read More »The Tiger Lillies: Love for Sale, Soho Theatre – Review
A delightfully mad and twisted Molotov cocktail of a cabaret will whisk you away to a dangerous place where darkness reigns and morals are dead.
Read More »A Subject of Scandal and Concern, Finborough Theatre – Review
A timely, thought-provoking play based on a true story of the last man in England to stand trial for blasphemy.
Read More »Jack Rooke: Good Grief, Soho Theatre – Review
An unflinchingly honest show that welcomes you in for a frank and funny chat about loss and grief, accompanied by a laugh and a biscuit.
Read More »Living With the Lights On, Young Vic – Review
A brutally honest, touching and brilliantly delivered exploration of one man’s struggle with mental illness.
Read More »Shifter, Soho Theatre – Review
A mesmerising night of transformation and storytelling that will fire up your wildest imagination.
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