A performance of pure class and brilliance. There is humour, depth, and magic in every scene.
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s rendition of the timeless classic, The Sleeping Beauty, enchants audiences with its captivating portrayal of Princess Aurora’s journey. Directed by Carlos Acosta, the production boasts a level of artistry and finesse that is truly commendable. With coaching support from former Principal, Dame Darcey Bussell, BRB dancers excel, embodying the essence of the story with remarkable skill and grace.
Momoko Hirata shines as Princess Aurora, delivering a flawless performance that effortlessly captures the character’s innocence, charm, and resilience. Her precision and skill shine throughout, making her portrayal a highlight of the production. Opposite her, Max Maslen brings depth and emotion to the role of Prince Florimund, infusing the character with light and joy that resonate with the audience.
The chemistry between Hirata and Maslen culminates in a breathtaking pas de deux that leaves spectators spellbound. The entire company, with their impeccable talent and expressive storytelling, elevates the performance to new heights, weaving together humour, depth, and magic in every scene.
The spectacular sets provide a stunning backdrop for the dancers, transporting the audience into the enchanting world of the ballet. From the grand ballroom to the mystical forest, each setting is brought to life with vibrant energy and attention to detail, enhancing the overall theatrical experience.
As the curtain falls, the audience, featuring people of all ages and backgrounds, is united in their appreciation for this masterful production and in awe of a production of pure class and brilliance. Whether attending with family or experiencing it alone, everyone leaves the theatre enriched by the beauty and excellence of BRB’s The Sleeping Beauty.
Don’t miss the opportunity to witness this unforgettable performance as it tours The Lowry until 9th March and continues to captivate audiences across the UK throughout the year.
A dynamic adaptation of Sam Selvon’s Windrush novel portraying a group of Caribbean migrants and their ferocious struggle to belong in London.
Roy Williams’ familiar eloquence when writing characterful monologues, and his raw commentary on England are evident in his new adaptation of Sam Selvon’s classic novella ‘The Lonely Londoners’. Where the original story felt void of plot at times, this new play skilfully creates a passionate portrayal of Caribbean immigrants arriving in London only to find they have swapped one island for a much colder one. Director Ebenezer Bamgboye orchestrates dynamic and stylised sequences that immediately set the tone and message of the play, and to top it off a strong ensemble deliver ferocious performances with each cast member getting their own stand out moment.
The title, The Lonely Londoners ,perfectly summarises this haunting tale of brotherhood and acceptance in the face of adversities. The plot follows four men emasculated by being unable to provide for themselves or the loved ones they have brought over to England. When the women in their lives seem to thrive in this harsh new land it forces the men to re-evaluate what it takes for them to survive in London and the lengths, they will go to hustle their way to a comfortable life. Frustrated by not getting the treatment they deserved or were promised after fighting wars on behalf of the motherland or answering the call to rebuild her, each man takes up their own vice in the face of his challenges. For non-Caribbean natives the thick lyricism of the Caribbean accents can take a while to get into but once your ears adjust the humour of recurring gags like the mispronunciation of places in London are easily enjoyed and splice the hard-hitting drama.
A small black box theatre is transformed into a cramped London bedsit, the back room of a dancehall, a busy marketplace, and a park full of pigeons all with the use of stylised movement sequences. Although entertaining to watch, at times these sequences felt cluttered amongst the already high energy performances, and they tended to over egg the tone and message of the scenes. The movement sequences were most effective during Aimee Powell’s character Christina’s tender illustration of raising her child on her own. The muscularity and suspension in her movements shows how her child ages during the physical theatre piece. Equally, the last sequence where the leading men lean into one another creates a powerful sequence of trust falls and lifts beautifully showing them breaking down and building each other up, it is moments like these where the choreography by movement director Nevena Stojkov is best used.
Often the anachronistic production elements such as the music and lighting felt jarred and disconnected, although some audience members may find this as a welcomed contemporary twist offering a spectacle to the the simple set of just wooden floors and Brechtian style blue trunks for the cast to sit on whilst not in the main scene.
Gambit Cole is captivating as Moses, a father figure to his friends, he knows the most about survival in London but is haunted by the regrets of his past and what he left behind in Jamaica. Moses’ line “I can’t die here” is spoken both in his present situation in London and a flashback to his past in Jamaica reflecting how he can’t get away from his problems. Galhad, played by Romario Simpson, is relentless in his optimism. Always going back for more when he is knocked down in hope of acceptance, his rousing monologue where he rages against himself, and his own blackness exemplifies the central feeling of living in the mother country and feeling like a motherless child.
From hunting pigeons in the cold to reminiscing on the life that could have been had you made different choices, this play has a lot to offer, and It will be interesting to see how it is developed for bigger stages. Although the harsh realities of London force the characters to survive as the ugliest versions of themselves, ultimately, they come to the realisation that they are lonely but not alone.
Improv all at once simple and highly complex, magical and yet mundane
As a big fan of improv (or impro depending who you speak to), I am happy to see the world of improvisation (often reserved for nights above a pub) making its way into theatres like The Arcola. In The Improvised Play, two actors explore a single 70 minute narrative. The focus is on creating and exploring (in this case two) fleshed out characters. The night I went, the show was truly hilarious, but there was also room for moments of real poignancy and connection.
The set up is elegantly simple: a sparse stage adorned with costumes and scattered props, signalling endless narrative possibilities. The improvisers asked the audience to suggest the location, decade and title of the piece, and then performed a 70 minute play entirely made up on the spot.
It seemed likely that the actors had the option to multi-role if the mood took them, but the show I watched was solely the story of Arnold, and Felula (a 70 something man and a 20 something woman) whose unlikely bond forged at the Colosseum in 1970s Rome led to a business venture crafting bags from increasingly unconventional materials.
Those familiar with game-based team improv TV shows like ‘Whose Line is it Anyway’ may be surprised by this style of 2-hander long form narrative based improv. The Improvised Play does not follow the structure of heavily formatted popular live team shows like Austentatious, or Showstoppers. Instead it feels like improv stripped bare. Simply put, two actors meet on stage and make up a story together, and they are so good at it, they make it look easy (which of course we must all know it is not).
Lola-Rose Maxwell (Starstruck, The Now Show, They Seem Nice) and Charlie Kemp (White Gold, Man Down, Austentatious) are such assured performers we are at once at ease. They took their time setting up who their characters were, and truly listened to each other. The whole show was made up on the spot but the pair employed such extraordinary listening skills that there was very little overlapping of dialogue, and no mistaking the others intent. If you didn’t know you might be forgiven for thinking it was all scripted. The improvisers also managed to constantly call back to things mentioned in earlier scenes which was immensely satisfying for us as an audience. Even when bizarre revelations appeared to briefly throw things off course, the pair managed to make them feel real within the world they created.
I will admit, it is always hard to describe good improv as it is at once simple and highly complex, magical and yet mundane. So, don’t take my word for it, go and enjoy it for yourself.
52 monologues, 2 performers, and a uniquely brilliant show.
My initial reaction to this show is to give it 1 star for blatantly lying to me. This show does not contain 52 monologues! What this show does contain however, is tremendous comedy mixed with disturbing visuals and dialogue and incredible bravery. I shall forgive the lack of 52 monologues but only because this production is quite frankly astounding and one of the most unique and affecting pieces of theatre I have ever seen.
52 Monologues for Young Transexuals stars Laurie Ward and Charli Cowgill performing both their own words and the words of the trans women they interviewed as part of this show. This production was a smash hit at the Edinburgh Fringe and it is now making its London debut at the Soho Theatre, and it is certainly a memorable debut.
As you walk into this show, you are asked, very politely, whether you would spit into a small plastic cup. This is immediately rather unsettling and the cup on spit sits ominously under a stool at the back of the stage until it is used in the first of many incredibly shocking and disturbing moments. I shall not spoil how it is used, but it is the most effective and impactful tone shift I have ever seen in theatre.
It is important to say, this show is also very funny. After feeling slightly uneasy after being asked to spit into a plastic cup, I was put at ease incredibly quickly by the clever writing and sheer force of charisma of Laurie and Charli. The performances are slick and smoothly choreographed when they need to be, and messy and free flowing when they need to be. All in all incredibly impressive and captivating to watch.
A special mention does need to go to Ed De’Ath, the technical designer and operator. As Charli and Laurie are talking, the names of the people whose words they are speaking appear on the 2 TVs set behind them. Sometimes their own names, sometimes the names of others. The speed at which they switch between different names is impressive and I dread to think how much practice and preparation this must have taken to get all of the timings bang on. The other technical aspects of the show, including the music and lighting, was very well done and helped to create the party fun atmosphere at the beginning, and really helped to sell the shift into the more dark and disturbing moments.
I want to recommend this show to everyone, but I also can say with some certainty this show is not for everyone. It is disturbing and shocking and I do recommend, if you have any concerns, to check the extensive content warnings prior to seeing this show. 52 Monologue for Young Transexuals is playing at the Soho Theatre until the 16th March.
Still revolutionary after almost a decade of performances
Throughout history there are pieces of theatre that defined a genre, whether the classic Pirates of Penzance or more contemporary Phantom of the Opera; however in the 21st century there cannot be a more influential musical in pop culture then Hamilton. Lin Manuel Miranda has written a piece of masterful theatre that works as a postmodern biopic, historical drama, and just an incredible album.
One of the first things you notice when watching Hamilton is the hip hop and RnB influences throughout the songs and even lyrics. Miranda chose hip hop as it represented “the language of youth and energy and of rebellion” and this comes across superbly in every hip hop song in the musical, highlighting the revolutionary character of Hamilton as he fights for a higher purpose, until his arrogance and legacy building causes his tragic end. The songs exemplify the obvious question of, given that hip hop works brilliantly as a storytelling device, why has everyone waited until now to use it in theatre?
Throughout the play there is a clear postmodern approach to examining history and the way we tell it. Miranda wrote this musical trying to acknowledge the ways in which we mythologise history, and how the myths often hide or repress the darker aspects of history and its important figures.
The production is as versatile as it is gorgeous to look at. The lighting and blocking create every atmosphere for the show, whether the extravagant ball that the Schuyler sisters are introduced during, to many a drunken song from Hamilton and his comrades. Although if you need to be distracted from the singers during pivotal songs the dancing will do so effortlessly. The varying choreography builds tension with every movement, and emotion with every pose. During freeze frames especially, the choreography on the revolving stage turns the dancers bodies into the frame through which the principal cast are seen and heard through.
There are a few mistakes I noticed throughout – namely a few lines said too early, perhaps three or four. It doesn’t detract from the end product or individual actors but given it’s a West End production for an expensive ticket, this shouldn’t happen as much. Hopefully this was just the pressure of press night.
Sadly the window on seeing the original cast of Lin Miranda, Daveed Diggs and others has closed shut. But the mantle is well worn by the entire cast. As expected all the principal cast dazzled with each song and scene but the standouts were Daniel Boys as King George, Sam Oladeinde as Aaron Burr and Maya Britto as Eliza Hamilton, one of the Schuyler sisters.
Daniel delivers the exact right amount of camp and menace that King George deserved in each song, but especially during the fan favourite “You’ll be Back” which makes it incredibly hard not to clap along to the threats of war. Admittedly I think the more menacing take from the original cast is better but Daniel Boys delivers the more comedic take better than anticipated.
The king does sit and jest from the wings in some of the scenes in the second act which is distracting and jarring as the character works best as the larger than life figurehead of the British Monarchy. Maya delivers my favourite vocal performance in ‘Helpless’, her voice gliding across the RnB track’s every beat and accentuation so effortlessly. She carries across this performance to transform what could have been another forgotten woman stripped of agency, into a strong figure that takes control of her own and Hamilton’s narrative. You can see why she’s not the standby anymore. Sam has an elegant voice throughout but he is incredible during dialogue at stretching the tension between Hamilton and Burr from their first meeting as Hamilton’s prospective teacher to Hamilton’s eventual killer.
Hamilton is a genre defining piece of theatre and no doubt marks a turning point in musicals, it is still revolutionary after almost a decade of performances. It’s hard to make history about someone who spent a long time writing essays and debating, this compelling and tear-jerking, but Miranda has done all that, and, made it rhyme.
“An uplifting evening of 20th-century swing music that had me wanting to get up and dance”
An array of velvet dinner jackets and evening gowns in the foyer set the tone for this night of musical nostalgia. The Pasadena Roof Orchestra, a group that’s been performing since the sixties, transported us to yesteryear and the golden era of swing and jazz music. I had an existing penchant for these genres, but this was the first time seeing 1920s and 30s music live — and it wonderfully exceeded my expectations.
The orchestra’s ten virtuoses, many of whom played a second or third instrument, were led by compère and singer Duncan Galloway, who kept the audience thoroughly entertained with snippets of historic narrative and lighthearted gags. His vocals were smooth and warm, providing that twinkly glamour you’d associate with the era, and even tap-danced his way across the stage during one number. It was delightful to see the entire ensemble enjoying themselves as much as the audience, with admiring glances and flamboyant praising of their fellow musicians.
Songs such as Lullaby of Broadway and A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square were beautifully meditative, accompanied by soft, romantic pink light. It was easy to imagine glamorous couples dancing in moonlit ballrooms against the sliding harmonies of the saxophone trio. The mood shifted to something of a sultry swagger with Duke Ellington’s Black and Tan Fantasy, where trumpet and trombone mutes afforded that alluring wah-wah sound.
Comic theatrics kept the music visually engaging too. During the humorously named I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead, You Rascal You, Duncan directed the lyrical jabs at different musicians, who in turn stood up to belt their trumpet or saxophone. It was a wonderful call-and-response kind of approach, one that personified each instrument as the various masculine rascals the song so defiantly condemned.
From Dominic Sayles on drums to Rory Ingham on trombone, each solo performance was outstanding, but it was Tom Langham’s rendition of Frosted Chocolate on a 1926 banjo that really struck a chord (pun very much intended). His fingers moved with lightning speed to mesmerising effect. Tom claimed how in its day, this would have been the “punk rock” equivalent of banjo playing; nearly a century later, it still feels rousing and somewhat rebellious.
Whether it was infamous Hollywood hits like Puttin’ On The Ritz or a lesser known but utterly captivating melody, the expert musicianship was uplifting and engaging. While I appreciated the contemplative nature of the auditorium stalls, I couldn’t help but wish there’d been an area designated for dancing. Besides, my aisle featured plenty of foot-tapping and shoulder-wagging throughout the night.
Leading dance artist Marc Brew and world-renowned choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui present brand new dance theatre piece, an Accident / a Life.
an Accident / a Life has its UK premiere at Tramway, Glasgow from 22-23 March 2024, before touring.
Bringing together two leaders within the dance world, an Accident / a Life is an exciting collaboration between Marc Brew and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. Performed by Marc Brew, this solo work marks the first collaboration between the Australian, Scotland based artist and Flemish Moroccan choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui who directs the piece.
A semi-autobiographical performance, it unravels moments in life, exploring difficult things with and without words using storytelling, film, music, dance and a car. The starting point for the piece was sharing life stories and key moments of change. For Marc Brew, this was his car accident, where he went from ballet dancer to paraplegic in a split second.
This moment transformed Brew’s relationship to movement, cultivating a fresh approach to dance. an Accident / a Life follows on from Brew’s notable solos For Now I am… and Remember When, both critically and publicly celebrated.
After it’s UK premiere in Glasgow it will transfer to Switzerland as part of Steps Dance Festival, opening at Theatre Les Halles in Sierre from Saturday 4 May to Sunday 5 May 2024, Salle CO2 in Bulle on Friday 10 May 2024 and Kaserne in Basel from Thursday 16 – Friday 17 May 2024, before returning to the UK.
an Accident / a Life will be at Norwich Theatre Royal from Friday 24 – Saturday 25 May, as part of the collaborative programme from Norwich Theatre and Norfolk & Norwich Festival, before further UK, European and International dates are announced.
‘I am extremely excited to share this ambitious and moving production. The new work has challenged me creatively and pushed me physically. It has been an incredible journey, and a dream come true, to collaborate with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui in creating our new show an Accident / a Life.’
Marc Brew
‘As a choreographer I am interested in how the body moves, and I’ve always looked and searched for how it copes, survives, thrives and changes with time, circumstances and age. It’s been extremely rewarding working with Marc because we are from the same generation, he is open and honest about his own unique experiences as a choreographer and dancer. an Acci dent / a Life is an auto-biographical performance: it’s a testimony of a very intense, specific and personal moment in time.’
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
an Accident / a Life is co-commissioned by Tramway and Sadler’s Wells. It has been developed in residency at the Théâtre National de Bretagne (TNB), Cumbernauld Theatre, The Work Room and De Warande.
Vivid, poignant, and steeped in emotion, Emma Wilkinson Wright’s powerful performance in Rika’s Rooms is sure to leave a lasting impression
Gail Louw’s Rika’s Rooms, part of the Louw season at The Playground Theatre, is a compelling and complex theatrical experience that examines the densities of memory, identity, and trauma caused by loss. Based on Louw’s novel, the play is inspired by the playwright’s own mother, who was sent away as a child from Nazi Germany to Palestine and then later as young woman moved to South Africa into the midst of Apartheid. Now, aged 76, living in England with dementia, Rika dwells between two worlds: the present, which doesn’t make too much sense anymore, and the past, more coherent, but populated by people lost.
Against the backdrop of Rika’s dementia, the play takes the audiences on a journey through the maze of her mind, exploring the symbolism of rooms as vessels for storing fragments of memory, and the profound sense of abandonment that accompanies Rika throughout her life.
Fundamental to the success of this production is the remarkable performance by Emma Wilkinson Wright, whose interpretation of Rika and other characters is nothing short of mesmerising. Under the guidance of director Anthony Shrubsall, the actor proves to be in absolute control over her body language and voice, as she effortlessly inhabits Rika’s personas and the other people in her life. Her performance captures the sense of liminal spatiality that Rika navigates emotionally. In moments of profound despair, her cries, perfectly calibrated, punctuate the spaces between the “rooms”. In her performance, Wilkinson Wright unwraps the trauma that lies beneath the surface, inviting audiences to witness the raw, unfiltered essence of Rika’s experience.
The stage is set with intimate simplicity, allowing the audience to focus on Wilkinson Wright. The props are cleverly employed to allow a smooth transition between “rooms”, creating an impression of temporal fluidity despite the memory jumping all over the timeline. Rika transitions from victim to freedom fighter, navigating war, love, and personal choices. We witness Rika’s youthful idealism, her defiance, and her moments of vulnerability. “I need to fill up this empty room that I have become”, Rika says.
The dialogue buzzes with wit and authenticity under Wilkinson Wright’s brilliant performance, despite the many instances of loss and tragedy, revealing the inner conflicts faced by Rika. “In actual fact, I might want to be a socialist if I understood what it meant, but I don’t want to live on the kibbutz and not have my own stuff. I mean, I really don’t want to wear big fat Yudit’s knickers.’”
Rika’s Rooms is a must see for anyone seeking a moving and intellectually stimulating theatre experience.
Could be a fun night out, but is not an amazing immersive theatre experience
As someone who has an interest in both theatre and music. The promise of an immersive theatre rave adventure piqued my curiosity. Marketed as an enthralling journey that merges compelling theatre with raving and a subsequent night out, Raves R Us aimed high. Unfortunately, while it aspired to deliver an unforgettable evening, it fell short in execution.
That’s not to say there weren’t positives, as the atmosphere, lighting and enthusiasm of the actors/actresses on stage was impressive. Raves R Us was hosted in the Invisible Wind Factory Liverpool- the perfect backdrop for a rave. As expected at a rave, the lighting was a key component of the event- contributing to the atmosphere in cohesion with the music. The lighting consisted of coloured beams cutting through the air, strobe lights mimicking the beat, and a wall of LED lights that move in time to the beats. Thus the atmosphere of the event emulated the experience it intended, this vibrant tapestry of light and colour set the mood, guiding the energy of the crowd, and enhancing the overall sensory experience.
Another positive was the enthusiasm of the acting, as the actors and actresses were undoubtedly committed, diving into their roles with a passion that deserved admiration. They worked hard to give high energy performances and dance scenes. Not too give too much away, highlights for me included the dancing giraffe scene and the *talcum powder” scene. As I enjoyed the incorporation of classical music into the rave music. A final positive of note is the crowd interaction- actors and actresses often interacted with the crowd, handing out glowsticks, using them in a few scenes and making frequent eye contact. This meant the crowd stayed energetic and active throughout the performance.
However, despite the above positives, I cannot give this piece more than a 2.5 – due to the lack of depth and coherence, which left much to be desired in terms of narrative engagement. This piece felt very juvenile, with choppy changes, and a lack of plot. As I watched I thought this piece felt under-developed. Furthermore, the audio quality of the microphones over the music left something to be desired- meaning it could be hard to hear what was being said.
Overall, Raves R Us aimed to weave together immersive theatre and raving into a captivating tapestry. Yet, it ended up as a patchwork of good intentions rather than the masterpiece it aspired to be. For those seeking an evening of seamless integration of performance and music, this experience might disappoint. However, for the more forgiving adventurer in search of a fun night out with a twist, it might suffice.
Touring to Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness and Edinburgh from 18 April to 08 June 2024 Opening press performance 7.30pm, Thursday 18 April at Dundee Rep Theatre
Dundee Rep Theatre, in co-production with the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, have revealed the full ensemble cast that will star in their thrilling new adaptation of Sunset Song, which will tour stages across Scotland this Spring/Summer
Danielle Jam (Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning, Kidnapped, James IV: Queen of the Fight, Wings Around Dundee) will lead the exciting cast in the role of Chris Guthrie, Scotland’s most beloved and iconic literary heroine. As an alumnus of the Dundee Rep graduate actor scheme – a programme which supports acting graduates in the transition from drama school into the theatre industry – Sunset Song marks a meaningful return to the Rep stage for Danielle. The award-winning ensemble cast will also include Rori Hawthorn, Murray Fraser, Andy Clark, Annie Louise Ross, Sam Pashby, Naomi Stirrat, and Kirsten Henderson.
This revitalised and reimagined production is brought to life by a leading Scottish creative team. Co-conceived by writer Morna Young (Lost at Sea, The Stamping Ground) and director Finn den Hertog (The Enemy, Square Go), Sunset Song will also feature new music by Composer Finn Anderson (Islander, A Mother’s Song).
One of Scottish literature’s most enduring classics, Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s powerful coming-of-age tale continues to capture hearts and imaginations across the world. Following the spirited Chris Guthrie as she faces a choice between a hard farming life and a world of learning, her journey to womanhood in the early 20th century sees her face crushing poverty, harrowing family trials, stirring love, and the ever-looming threat of the First World War. With a profound lyrical intensity, Sunset Song tells the story of human resilience in the face of great loss.
Sunset Song will open at Dundee Rep Theatre from 18 April to 02 May (previews 13 – 17 April) before touring to His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen (08 – 11 May), Eden Court Inverness (16 – 18 May), and the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh (28 May – 08 June).
