Actor Wilf Scolding gives an insider look at 19th century boxing drama 'The Sweet Science of Bruising.'
Read More »Author Archives: Bryony Rae Taylor
The Glass Menagerie, Arcola Theatre – Review
I love the metaphor at the heart of The Glass Menagerie. Laura, the daughter of the play, overwhelmed by the expectations of the world, treats her collection of tiny glass animals with such care lest they break. To stage this play, the metaphor must radiate through every facet of its production. Laura’s anxiety threatens the security of her family, should she not find a husband. Her mother Amanda’s desperation to micro-manage her life maintains a familial tension that holds the ...
Read More »Does My Bomb Look Big in This, Soho Theatre – Review
Does My Bomb Look Big in This? was born from actor Nyla Levy’s dissatisfaction with being typecast as a ‘jihadi bride’. It deals with teenager Yasmin’s (played by Levy) slow enticement into, what she thinks, is a hopeful new life for her with ISIS. There’s a meta aspect to the play, as it consciously acknowledges its theatrical form to put forward the story of Yasmin, and her best friend Aisha (Halema Hussain). The two play myriad characters, including their family ...
Read More »Interview: Playwright David Finnigan on ‘Kill Climate Deniers’
'Kill Climate Deniers' playwright David Finnigan chats about the maximalist show and the controversies it's already generated.
Read More »A Love Letter to Overtures Piano Bar
Bryony Taylor heads to Overtures Piano Bar for a night of singing and interview with founder Ray Rackham.
Read More »Sexy Lamp, Omnibus Theatre – Review
A hugely funny and moving one-woman-show, wonderfully staged and my oh my, what a sexy lamp.
Read More »Little Miss Sunshine, Arcola Theatre – Review
It’s tricky to keep preconceptions at bay when you know that the plot and style of a film has been a winning combination. The 2006 film that is the basis of Little Miss Sunshine, which starred Abigail Breslin as the determined young pageant contestant, Olive, was adorned with awards. The epic plight of the Hoover family on their 500-mile journey to get Olive to her pageant in time shaped its legacy: an audacious comedy that portrayed a joyful, and moving, ...
Read More »Interview: Producer Francesca Moody on ‘Angry Alan’
Producer Francesca Moody tells us more about bringing Penelope Skinner's 'Angry Alan' to the Soho Theatre.
Read More »The Cane, Royal Court Theatre – Review
Brilliant. A thoughtful exploration of the political structure that forms our society, supported by extraordinary acting, direction, and a disturbingly animated set.
Read More »Hole, Royal Court Theatre – Review
Pros: The devil is in the detail: a compassionately crafted show. Cons: Issues with the flow of each segment of the show in to the next. A piece of staging advice on the inside of the playtext of Hole reads ‘The word “Big” can mean any number of things. This might mean people who occupy their bodies in space in a way that feels radical or powerful’. If I was really feeling this Wednesday Humpday, I might leave the review ...
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