Not to be Missed
On a weekly basis, Gemma lists some of London’s must watch plays.
Kate Tempest's Wasted
His Greatness – Daniel MacIvor – May 19th
Daniel MacIvor’s latest play is a taut, funny, irony-tinged drama inspired by the fate of the great gay playwright and poet Tennessee Williams who met the most prosaic of deaths choking on the cap of an eye-drops bottle in a hotel room at the age of 71. Directed by Che Walker, strong, engaging performances keep us interested through-out.
Wasted – Kate Tempest – May 19th
Poet and lyricist Kate Tempest is at The Roundhouse, Camden, with her debut play Wasted. It’s lyrical, dynamic, beautifully humourous and truthful. This is playwriting one floor up. Superb acting from Cary Crankson. Watch this space for an interview with Kate Tempest and NFTU soon.
Shiverman – James Sheldon – May 26th
“Before the first morning, in the time of the Shiverman, when the ground trembled and fire tumbled down the mountainside, the music began.”
Misterman by Enda Walsh – May 28th
A brilliant piece of work from acclaimed playwright Enda Walsh, in his first collaboration with Cillian Murphy since the highly acclaimed DiscoPigs 15 years ago. Set within a vast two story warehouse, we witness the character of Thomas McGill slowly unhinge amongst the claustrophobic town of Irishfree. Cillian Murphy’s electrifying performance alone is worth the trip to the National for this magnificent piece of theatre.
Review: Nicola Young
Past shows recommended.
Carmen - OperaUpClose – May 12th
Oedipussy - Spymonkey – April 21st
If you want a proper belly laugh watching grown men wearing strange nappy affairs, and a woman who appears naked at one stage, apart from a cat’s head, you can’t do better than Oedipussy at the Lyric. The story of the man who killed his father, married his mother and gouged his eyes out, has never been more silly. Hail the Spymonkey group.
Review: Penny Smith
A Walk On Part - April 14th
The acerbic diaries of former Labour minister Chris Mullin are animated in this fast and deep play running the length of the New Labour government. Mullin’s cutting personal insight into politics is brought to life by a sharp company led by John Hodgkinson and is as revealing as it is entertaining.
Review: Adam Smith
Bingo by Edward Bond – March 31st
Roll up and see William Shakespeare as you’ve never seen him before. Played by Patrick Stewart in this gripping revival of Bond’s 1973 play, Shakespeare still has his words and his characteristic little earring. But now he’s old, fed up and ready to strike a deal over land rights.
Review: Adam Smith
Can We Talk About This? by Lloyd Newson – March 28th
This is an absolutely unmissable production that reconfigures the form of verbatim theatre, as well as physical theatre. Can We Talk About This? targets and expresses the double standards that surround contemporary cultures’ notions of freedom of speech, multiculturalism and Islam.
Review: Lia Serrano
Reasons to be Cheerful - April 1st
Ian Dury and The Blockhead’s greatest hits are staged in a high energy coming of age tale. This production is by world renowned disabled theatre company Graeae. All but two members of the cast have a visible disability. It’s a positively executed and fun production with a nostalgic accuracy for the era.
Review: Kim
In Basildon by David Eldrige – March 24th
Excellent writing with a lot of laughs. This beautifully acted play is perhaps 20 minutes too long – if David Eldridge had omitted the last little act, it would have been perfect. A tale of family feuds and how money can poison the strongest of bonds.
Review: Penny Smith
The Pitchfork Disney by Philip Ridley – March 17th
Siblings Presley and Haley have long quit the world, and are alone with their past in a flat that ‘reeks’ of chocolate. Darkly fantastical story telling from the king of IN YOUR FACE THEATRE. This is the play’s first revival in 21 years.
Review: Gemma Rogers
The Death Of Klinghoffer composer John Adams – March 19th
Hypnotic and not as shocking as I expected it to be – that’s the John Adams’ opera at the ENO. The central performances are excellent with the marvellous Alan Opie as Klinghoffer- the only man to die at the hands of the hijackers of the Achille Lauro cruise ship in 1985. The music is minimalist and at times thrillingly moving. Even though it’s sung in English there are subtitles so you always know exactly what is going on.
Review: Gemma Rogers
The Paper Cinema’s Odyssey - Feb 25th
Homer’s cornerstone of literature is vividly told with beautiful illustration and masterful puppetry. A silent film is created before your eyes, set to a captivating live score from exceptional musicians.
At Swim Two Boys by Jaimie O’Neill – Feb 25th
If you sit in the front row, you will get wet. Dublin, 1916, during the run up to the Easter Uprising, two young men meet; one teaches the other to swim. Taken from the novel of the same name, told through dance by the always innovative Earth Fall, this tender, funny and moving piece is well worth the schlep out to Hammersmith.
Review: Luke Healey
The Bee by Hideki Noda and Colin Teevan – Feb 11
In The Bee, even horrific events are normalised. In another time, are the events that we consider normal actually horrific? That’s the startling question this play makes you ask of yourself.
Review: Adam Smith
Neighbourhood watch by Alan Ayckbourne – Feb 11
Ayckbourne has donned both his writing and directorial caps once more with his sizzling new play, which simmers and fizzes while casting a slightly more cynical tone than usual. Uproariously funny at times. This brilliant ensemble cast are not to be missed.
Review: Oliver Kaderbhai
Our New girl by Nancy Harris – Feb 18
A forensic examination of motherhood, privilege, ambition and love. Beautifully acted both deeply moving and outrageously funny and had the audience baying for blood at times.
Review: Gracie Grumphie
No more shall we part by Tom Holloway – Feb 18
In many ways, this play is a lesson in how not to go about suicide. Diagnosed with cancer and desperate to take her failing health into her own hands, Pam begins to alienate her husband who is not ready to let her go.
Review: Gemma Rogers
