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Enjoyable and humorous scaled down version with good performances and an excellent sound track.

Exuberant and funny musical based on the Cinderella fairy tale

Flowers, bunting, colourful lights, what’s not to like?

Originally performed in 2000, Bare: a Pop Opera is starting to show its age.  Set in the senior year of a private Catholic school somewhere in North America, it is centred around a relationship between two teenage boys Peter (Daniel Mack Shand) and Jason (Darragh Crowley).  Jason is the self-confident golden boy, whilst Peter is more reserved and cautious.  They have, so far, hidden their relationship from the rest of their year group, most of whom have their own issues ...

Black clad, sparkly and glamorous, Bernie Dieter is the suitably bawdy host to the Little Death Club, inspired by the Kabarett Club of the Weimar republic.  Following the lifting of censorship laws the Weimar club performances were dominated by two main themes, sex and politics.  This updated version is light on the politics, choosing instead to be a celebration of difference and urging everyone to be what they want to be.  You are treated to non-stop cabaret acts; comedy, singing, ...

I volunteered to cover this without knowing anything about it, and when I had a quick look at some blurb claiming that it was yet another Brexit-themed piece I admit my heart sank a little.  Fear not.  Yes, Brexit is talked about, argued over and looming in the background, as it probably has for the majority of the UK population over the last couple of years, but I wouldn’t say it was the focal point.  It is a very amusing ...

Mary’s Babies is inspired by true events.  From the 1940s through to the early 60s, Mary Barton and Bertold Wiesner ran a London-based private fertility clinic.  Medically ground breaking at the time, they assisted in the conception and birth of well over a thousand children, known collectively as the ‘Barton Brood’.  At the time, there was no statutory framework covering such procedures and with the clinic insisted upon absolute secrecy, all records were destroyed.  Regulations were introduced in 1990 whereby ...

Formed in 1993, Yamato has performed shows every year, in 54 countries and carried out nine world tours.  That should give an idea of their universal appeal and high standard of musicianship.  For this show, the ten strong troupe performed a number of pieces, almost non stop, on the theme of passion.  There were small drums, medium sized drums, large drums and couple of ginormous ones. There were wind instruments, other percussion, some singing, some strings, and did I mention ...

Entering the small space to the sound of gunfire we saw all four cast members on stage in poses hinting at their roles to come.  Some of the audience seating was a bit wobbly, but it was a short production and engrossing enough to detract from any discomfort.  Firstly, new teenage mother Leanne (Anna Hallas Smith) is being interviewed about her three day old baby son, Jax.  The interviewer (David Leik) is from DOLCO -Department of Life Choice Options – ...

Exit Productions is an interactive events company specialising in agency and involvement.   Their latest offering at The Vaults – ‘Fight Night’ – focuses on a boxing match and the build up immediately before the fight.  After assembling in the graffiti tunnel the evening’s audience were escorted to the ‘secret’ and rather chilly location nearby.  We were then split into two camps, using our North v South London affiliations. On this occasion the really uneven split meant that some people had ...