Everything Theatre Reviews, interviews and news for theatre lovers, London and beyond

Two works engaged with the personal yet universal issues of gender and identity, with strong sound design and excellent performances.

Pros: An atmospheric venue Cons: Overly long and complicated I wanted to love this show. An immersive, feminist interpretation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, set in a 15th century Tudor House and former squat in Hackney? Sounds awesome. Unfortunately, Tea Break Theatre have set themselves a challenging brief, and don’t manage to live up to the enticing premise. The venue, Sutton House on Homerton High Street, is fascinating. Original Tudor oak panels share wall space with anarchist murals painted by activists who ...

Pros: Lovely gentle comedy Cons: Very much a children’s show – possibly overly simplistic for accompanying adults. Friendship and treasuring the little things are the themes of this charming silent comedy for children ages 3-6. Andy Manley is a warm and clownish figure, asleep on his desk as the audience take their seats. Silliness ensues when he wakes and finds his chair taped to his bottom. Manley says he thought it would be fun to make a show featuring sticky ...

Pros: Playful and inventive acrobatics from award winning circus company Cons: Transitions between set pieces were sometimes meandering, and spoken text got lost in the large tent space. Award-winning circus company Barely Methodical Troupe’s latest show has a cool, other-worldly feel about it. Four performers, dressed in blue, manipulate what looks like a long tension-band (also blue), as the soundtrack of drips and static reinforces the dreamy, unstable atmosphere. The tension-band was fascinating to watch – catching acrobats like spiders ...

Pros: Jaw-dropping acrobatics Cons: Turgid music and relentless po-faces sapped the energy I went to see My Land on a word-of-mouth recommendation, and I’m really glad I did. The seven performers of Hungarian company Recirquel were awe inspiring. In the opening solo a figure clad in rags floated languidly into a one-armed handstand, then tilted over to one side, his sacrum swinging like a slow-motion pendulum. The skills were consistently breath-taking: an audacious duet by acrobat twins created a beautiful ...

Pros: Inventive and inclusive dance theatre. A moving and necessary exploration of domestic violence. Cons: While the piece’s educational mission can’t be faulted, it could have explored the psychology of the subject matter more creatively. ‘Welcome to the party!’ Music is blaring, and drinks are being poured. ‘Help yourself to popcorn, marshmallows, what can I get you my love?’ Beverly is having a party, but it won’t all be fun and games. A collaborative, participatory piece, Smack That (a conversation) ...

Dance artist Amy Bell tells us about her work, inspiration and the Place's upcoming Splayed! Festival.

Contemporary dance at its best – exhilarating to watch, entertaining and thought-provoking.

Pros: Funny, witty, and beautifully performed Cons: A couple of sections felt too long Perhaps it’s a cliché, but they do say the English love to talk about the weather. However, they’re not so keen on discussing sexual matters, so Amy Bell’s pairing of these themes in The Forecast might seem a little unusual at first. It works beautifully. Over the course of an hour she navigated issues around gender, identity and sexuality the way one might travel though high ...

Well performed and beautifully designed, but it was style over substance with no new insights into this familiar play.