Presented by Genesis Cinema Directed by William Walsh ★★★★ Pros: A chance to witness some early work from up-and-coming playwrights. Cons: Some plays need quite a bit of rewriting. Our Verdict: A fun night out and a chance to mingle with the actors and playwrights. Courtesy of Genesis Cinema I must admit I was a tad nervous at being given this assignment. I have been to numerous new writing evenings and quite a few have been terrible. They are often far too ...
Read More »Monthly Archives: July 2013
Treatment, Drayton Arms Theatre
Written & Directed by Raymond-Kym Suttle ★★★★ Pros: A well developed storyline that touches nerves in everyone’s lives – delivered with passion by the whole cast. Very emotionally engaging. Cons: Some may find the themes cliché and the acting soapy. It could do with a bit more balance in role distribution. Our Verdict: A tremendous collective effort that succeeds in bringing a strong message of paternal love and homophobic prejudice together. A very enjoyable night out at this Old Brompton ...
Read More »The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) (revised), Leicester Square Theatre
William Shakespeare Adapted by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield Directed by Matt Rippy ★★★★★ Pros: Great venue, enthusiastic performances, perfectly timed comedy. These renditions of the Bard’s work will appeal to keen Shakespeare fans and the not so keen alike. Cons: None except that the queue at the bar was a bit long at the interval, but when is it not?Our Verdict: A brilliantly timed, hilarious homage to Shakespeare’s work which appeals to audiences of all ages. Courtesy of Reduced Shakespeare ...
Read More »Skin Tight, Park Theatre
Gary Henderson Directed by Jemma Gross ★★★★ Pros: Stand out performances and well-written dialogue that really hits home. Cons: I would have liked a little more detail on the story of their family, but it’s a really minor quibble considering the packed content of the relatively short play. Our Verdict: A strong production that expertly carries you through highs, lows, laughter and tears. Credit: Andy Colbourne The Park is a newcomer to the London theatre scene: it first opened its ...
Read More »Macbeth, Lion and Unicorn Theatre
William Shakespeare Presented by Wyrd Sisters Theatre ★★★ Pros: Beautifully performed by each and every cast member. Cons: The immense heat came close to ruining the experience. Our Verdict: A fantastic rendition of this Shakespearean classic, but bring a fan! Credit: Ciaran Cunningham I was intrigued to see this unusual version of Shakespeare’s Scottish play from the Wyrd Sisters Theatre Company. Made up of an all-female cast – aside from the three male witches – the Bard’s dark tragedy is ...
Read More »The Ladykillers, Vaudeville Theatre
Adapted by Graham LinehamDirected by Sean Foley★★★★ Pros: The main cast are skilled in delivering slapstick comedy and have excellent comic timing. The set is also very impressive and innovative. Cons: Some people may be put off by the silly humour, which is reminiscent of The Pink Panther and Gambit. Our Verdict: Slightly chaotic but overall an enjoyable performance with some laugh out loud moments. Courtesy of Vaudeville Theatre Following a successful run at the Liverpool Playhouse in 2011 and ...
Read More »Glasshouse, The Battersea Arts Centre
The Honest Crowd★★ Pros: It’s unique and quite funny at times. The performers show excellent composure in the face of adversity. Cons: A little repetitive in the early stages and fairly unpleasant to watch at times. Not for those who don’t like a little audience-participation. Our verdict: An interesting experiment and very well performed. The script, while simple, does its job. Fans of performance art and surrealism may enjoy it. My friends will tell you that I don’t like ...
Read More »The Precariat, Finborough Theatre
Emily Pulham Directed by Chris Dunkley ★★★★ Pros: All of the actors are excellent, and convincing. A very minimal set is cleverly utilised to add conviction to the scenes, and the theatre has a great atmosphere. Cons: Some of the more political rants don’t always sound true to the characters who are speaking them, and feel a little preachy (although the rants are not without purpose). Our Verdict: A wonderful piece – well cast, moving, enjoyable, thought provoking and darkly ...
Read More »In Cahoots, Hen and Chickens
Paul Raymond & Luke ManningDirected by Paul Raymond and Luke Manning★★★ Pros: Fresh, energetic and original. In Cahoots show a lot of promise and works the audience well, especially in such a small venue. Their improvisation is very strong and shows real comedic talent underneath the written material. Cons: The performance wasn’t as slick as it might have been. Whilst this added a certain organic quality to their show, they need to be careful not to let it get out ...
Read More »Can You Hear Seagulls?, Upstairs at the Southern Cross
Witty, charming and destined to get better with age.
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