Author: Victoria Ashford

REVIEW: Remember,Remember!

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

“A unique take on a historical moment, full of musical numbers and side splitting comedy”

A tale of who the real hero of the gunpowder plot was, or at least he’d like to think it is him, is brought to stage by this actor-writer quartet as it follows the ups and downs of plotting to kill James I. 

We follow Rob and his (not so) secret society as they try and plan to take down the  protestant King and replace him with a catholic successor. After the arrival of the devilishly  charming Guy, who announces that he had heard of their work and wanted to join in the  revolution, an unlikely plan is decided and Rob sets about to infiltrate the King, but all is not what it seems…..  

The set was minimal but well used. Portraits mimicking the 17th Century style, had their  faces replaced with celebrities, I’m not sure why but it added to the comedic approach. A hung frame reserved for the charmingly influential Guy was placed just off-centre stage,  with fantastically timed lighting to add to his main character energy. A set of wooden boxes  were used as the meeting table for the “Rob-elutionaires.” The moving of the set was  incorporated into either a musical number or into the scene which works well for these  small productions.  

The opening scene really set the tone for this piece, a monk-esque ritual with a humorous  narration to get the audience up to speed, soon turned into a musical number full of wit  and cultural references. I lost count how many musical numbers there were throughout, but each one had the audience in stitches. Though at times, they were trying to be somewhat serious and really showcased the singing abilities of the cast. 

This piece was jam packed with humour, though some things maybe didn’t land as well but  honestly, it felt nice to have a little break from laughing. The standout moment for me was the overly sexual draining of James’ (or “Jamie” as he asked Rob to call him) gout leg-a  prosthetic oversized grotesque prop which naturally burst and leaked. I thought the  audience was going to stop breathing at one point, myself included. The little digs at society/life/government, made this piece relatable and, whilst I don’t find history boring, it certainly took a well-known event and really made it into something unique and engaging.  

The standout character for me was James I, my friend disagreed and said it was Guy, who  was a close second for me. But as a whole, the cast were great and how they did not break character or get distracted by the audience still laughing as they moved into the next scene  I don’t know. They even had everyone standing up, singing and clapping along to the  closing number. I can’t remember if it was started by the audience, or encouraged from the cast, I was too busy laughing. 

There really isn’t much else I can say other than I have not laughed as hard as I did in a  while. My friend was still laughing after the lights went up and we all started to leave. Remember, Remember is really something different which if you do catch it, you should see it. I believe it is on at the old red lion theatre pub in Islington next month.

REVIEW: Classical Coffee Mornings: Chantefable Duo 

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

“A wonderful medley of poetry, spoken word and classical song”

On a drizzly, autumnal Sunday lunchtime at the iconic Royal Albert Hall, the duo  comprising of Mariana Rodrigues and Andrew Cowie performed a collection of poetry, song and improv. A cuppa in hand and a few pastries really did epitomise the Classical Coffee Relaxed. This informal event was part of the “relaxed performance” whereby people can move around, chat as loudly as they like, leave if they wish etc, which is a good idea and made this performance assessable to everyone.  

A selection of poetry was on offer; most I had never heard of before and had an air of light heartedness to it. I spoke to Mariane briefly after who said that the morning performance was more serious, so they went for something to balance it out. The theme they had chosen was animals and we were treated to either poetry or spoken word on this topic Frog, Whale, Butterfly and Ant were the animals of choice.  

Mariana’s singing was mesmerizing and along with the piano music, really brought to life he pieces of poetry that they were performing. The mixing of poetry/spoken word with classical song kept the performance engaging. The songs were possibly more unknown classical (my knowledge of the subject is limited) but it is easy to appreciate the beauty in  classical and on a drizzly day in London, it was just a cozy thing to do.  

Both Mariana and Andrew are not only talented but have clearly put a lot of time into  creating this concept, with the improv music being something that we only heard in that  moment and would never be repeated, which adds something special. There were a couple of recognisable pieces of music, the theme music for Pirates of the Caribbean for one, but  this didn’t detract from engaging with the performance. A nice touch, even though I am not a huge fan of audience participation, was Mariana coming round with an annotated poem suggesting tone/atmosphere to explain how they approach the performance, which just made it feel even more unique.  Classical Coffee Mornings is a wonderful concept and perfect if you want to go on a solo  date, or if you are catching up with friends. It was heartwarming to see a small group of retired women out together having a catch up over a coffee. It’s a good concept for anyone  who finds a packed venue overwhelming as it gives people a chance to enjoy classical music almost on an individual’s own terms. It was a lovely, welcoming atmosphere, if a little quiet but sometimes peace and some classical music is all you need.

REVIEW: Am I losing my mind or just my figure?

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Rating: 3 out of 5.

“A reflective piece on modern motherhood.”

TW: Pregnancy loss

The feeling of not being where you want or expect to be in life is so relevant to modern day.  The social expectations of having a stable career, relationship and home by your late  twenties, is a mindset that many people seem to be questioning.  

When Fin (courier driver, part time freelance illustrator) discovers that she is pregnant, this pivotal moment in a woman’s life is not only taken from her when she has a miscarriage,  but she soon questions the expectant motherhood narrative when she realises that she is  pregnant again. The dreaded conversation with “the parents” devout Catholics, about being unmarried and pregnant, in an on and off again relationship doesn’t help with Fin’s situation.  

What was particularly interesting about the set was the use of a projector with illustrations,  a chatGPT search and some footage, brought life to this humanised play; accompanied by a great soundtrack. With a sparse set and any scene changes being on the performer to tell  the audience in this monologue-esque nature of play, this approach added another  dimension.  

With some funny moments, though it did feel like some of the humour was lost on the  audience, the elements of audience participation added a connection, thankfully it was  only aimed at a couple of people. The piece itself was performed well with the actress  taking on numerous roles with accents and mannerisms bringing the characters to life.  

In a time where women are “doing it all” and more, this play is a very authentic piece. Not  conforming to those expectations, is not only defiant but can be seen as lonely. I think the  take from this piece is that there is joy to find in the simplicity of life. Just because  something has been done for decades, doesn’t mean that it works.  

Overall, this play was good and very relatable. Fin losing her baby was raw and emotional  and I think it is something a lot of women can sympathise with. It did feel like Fin’s on/off  boyfriend did just disappear into thin air with no explanation, which possibly made the piece feel like something was missing, but perhaps somethings don’t always need to be explained. Sometimes people don’t step up when they should and, in some respects, maybe that is reflective of where we are in society. Women have always been expected to  raise children, only this time round, women don’t need to stay in relationships because we have no other choice.

REVIEW: Great White Lies

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

A hilarious and heartfelt show that had us laughing nonstop – a clever take on ‘What if sharks have feelings too

We know the story of Jaws, big scary man-eating predator that will eat you given a chance.  BUT, what if they are sensitive souls? Written by Leo Thomas and directed by Thomas and Gude Yue, this piece seeks to uncover what happened on that fateful day on Amity Island.  

Is it possible for a fish and a human to love? Following a string of gruesome deaths on the island, a teary shark confides in Eillen. Despite her support, even she questions if he is  behind the deaths. With tension between husband and wife and the deaths mounting up,  Cherif Broady reluctantly hires Quint to investigate. Shark. The level-headed oceanographic Hooper, who wrote The Giant Pop-Up Book of Sharks seems to believe that  shark is not behind this and “you’re more likely to die being crushed by a vending  machine.” But, when Cherif’s motives for wanting shark become clear, both Quint and Hooper realise, they too have lost wives to the sensitive fish. 

With David Attenborough style narration of the opening scene, introducing shark and all  the myths around this apex, is not only humorous but informative too, which was prevalent throughout the piece. Cultural references as well as lines from the film brought Jaws into  2025. The beach/underwater set which was simple, blue tarp, a beige rug and two chairs with seaweed on the back and the all-important boat were used well and even the actors on occasion joked about things “what is this land doing in my boat” which brought a fun acknowledgment to a minimal set, in a way a lot of other small theatre shows don’t. 

I’m not a fan of audience participation, but this piece got the balance right. Engaging with the audience enough that props were handed to them to look after or to hold whilst the set  was changed, without it feeling awkward. And at times when the cast were saying the lines, acknowledging the audience member that had been asked their name. Likewise acknowledging that “there’s a big wave” and repeating the line when we didn’t make enough of a wave, obviously followed by laughs from the audience.  

Overall, the actors were humorous and engaging. Great White Lies in an interesting piece,  seeking to dispel the myths around sharks in a light-hearted and informative manner, with banter between the characters and audience alike. A very different story perspective and one which you should catch if you can. 

REVIEW: Marshmallow Me

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

“Captivating and a humourous take on a misunderstood issue.”

From writer and performer Rosie Pepper, Marshmallow me offers an insightful story of living with and overcoming an eating disorder.  

Ruby is a northern lass who left sunny Scarbrough to turn her acting dreams into reality. Along the way, the realities of living in London-the pressure, the sky-high rent, working too many jobs and the crippling loneliness that comes with big city living-she loses herself to bulimia to try and feel in control when everything else is spiraling. A chance encounter on a night out in soho whereby Ruby tries to forget her cheating boyfriend, leads her to find a friend and companion, who, along with her family, helps Ruby to overcome her eating disorder.  

The staging was simple-a collection of suitcases that were wheeled around became makeshift counters, beds, toilets and along with interchangeable characters, it helped you to visualise the scene and because of Rosie’s performance, made you feel as though you were there. The use of sound effects also helped in bringing the scene/recounting of a story to life. Some suitcases had props in which were pulled out, at times to add comical effect.   

Rosie’s performance was engaging, and it was easy to be sucked in to the autobiographical feel of stories. Ones which were very relatable and very funny. As the eating disorder takes told, the laughs stop and the performance becomes very emotional and still relatable. You can feel Ruby’s emotional and physical pain as the story progresses and the frustration of long waiting times. Being dismissed is something that I think far too many of us have experienced with chronically underfunded and much needed services. Interestingly, Marshmallow me also touches on the very real social-economical imbalance: if you’re rich you can get the healthcare that you need to get your life back on track but if you’re poor, you can wait.  

This piece also has a real take on feeling homesick and how things were so simple as a kid. The nostalgia hits on the struggles of an eating disorder that I think a lot of people can relate to. Why is it that things which were so simple as a child are now such an overwhelming thing as an adult? 

Marshmallow me is an honest and emotional piece with some very funny moments. Living in London myself, made those moments even more relatable. It’s on at Old Red Lion Theatre until 31st May, catch it if you can here.

@shotby_rachel

REVIEW: Dumping

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

A thought provoking insight into female friendships

Female friendships are important – they become our “tribe”, but what happens when you know that the friendship has become so toxic that it is doing more harm than good?

Set in a pub one evening, we are taken on a journey of self-discovery and ultimately facing a few harsh truths. The focus is on two friends who have known each other since school and Bea’s own path to healing, influenced by Sam, who initiates a “divorce” from Alana, so she can take her spiritual journey further, which unleashes a revelation.

Clever use of sound effects transported us into the scene, be it the pub, garden, toilets or at the end of the night as they wait for separate taxi’s home. The costume was well thought out, the put togetherness of Alana who believes in conformity and how things won’t change with Bea’s being more mismatched, not doubt reflecting her inner turmoil as she tries to find out who she is.

The characters have been developed well and equally performed well. The banter between the two really set the tone for their friendship and indicated that they had been friends for a long time, which makes this breakup no doubt harder especially as Bea forces Alana to do some self-reflection which isn’t taken too kindly, all the while as each of them proves who is the better friend.

@shotby_rachel


Dumping is an insightful look to not only female friendships but social structures and
behaviours like conformity, setting boundaries and self-discovery. Even more insightful is how the two sides of the coin clash – on the one side, believing that you should conform and accept that the way things are not going to change and the other of wanting a fulfilling life. It also brings up the potential bitterness and resentment of people trying to breakaway, which is perfectly exhibited by Alana. This piece also looks to how women often lose their identity when they become mothers and the impact that changing priorities can have on friendships, which the writer and director Alex Summer Milne explores in a heartfelt way.

This exclusive show at Cockpit theatre highlighted many issues that I don’t think we really acknowledge as much as perhaps we should and evaluating friendships is probably something we all could do with doing. A rather funny, light-hearted and all too relatable piece of theatre which made me even self-reflect how I am in a friendship. Very thought provoking.

REVIEW: The Jewish Dog

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

A unique perspective of a dark period in history

The importance of not forgetting is the foundations of The Jewish Dog. When atrocities  happen, we tend to want to bury them and forget that they even took place. We want to  move on and carry on from before they happened, not quite knowing how we fit in.  

The atmosphere felt light and “The dog” greeted everyone entering the theatre, which set  the tone of the interactive, breaking the fourth wall performance. A doghouse and earth  with several objects placed on top was the stage for this piece. Floor lighting highlighted  the objects and cleverly gave them depth. “The dog” had a go pro on a head mount to give a  unique perspective which is something I haven’t seen used in this way before.  

The light-heartedness and jokes introduced this piece-though a lot of cultural references  were lost on me as we are shown memories and stories relating to the item are told.  Throughout the performance, “The dog” engages with the audience which made me feel  more emotionally involved than had it just been a typical play. But, sure enough the light heartedness stops instantaneously. The severity of the rounding up of Jews is gripping and  what follows felt intense as “The dog” recounts poignant moments as he grapples with his  own identity as he tries to survive in a world where he is told that he doesn’t belong. There  is no ending to spoil as it doesn’t end. There is no conclusion, no resolution for the  audience to end on which I felt was the main takeaway. “The dog” gives us a few facts  about Treblinka and the piece was left on a sombre note.  

Despite a few technical issues, which was handled with light-heartedness and humour,  luckily at the start of the performance, it didn’t feel awkward, and I think it was because the  audience had already been interacted with. Had it been a typical performance, it could  have easily taken the audience out of the moment. 

The Jewish Dog is an interesting piece, not only due to an untold or thought of perspective,  but because of how society is connected to dark times. It is so easy to bury the past but sometimes that is the wrong cause of action. Sometimes things need to be remembered  so we can all learn and we can choose to do differently.

REVIEW: Allergic to People

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

From writer Rebecca Douglass, I’m Allergic to People is a dark and poignant look at how we as a society judge people’s behaviors and actions.

From writer Rebecca Douglass and directed by Caterina Siano, I’m allergic to people is a
dark and insightful look at people’s lives with a few twists and turns.

A simple stage of four chairs and tables re-arranged throughout is the setting for the plot of four people’s lives, intertwined by their issues and traumas, none of which anyone has healed. The re-arranging at times did take away from the flow, but it was handled as best as it could with it being built into the character’s movements, and given the limited space, you still understood the setting the characters were in.

As the story unravels, we see each character’s flaws and insecurities with all too real relatable situations and a poignant look at how we as a society judge people’s behaviors and actions. The use of sound effects added a bit of realism and was used to highlight some comical moments, whilst red and blue lighting highlighted poignant emotions.

What was interesting about this piece is how reflective it was, not only the character’s self-reflection of their actions and the consequences of some but also how it comments on how society takes victim blaming rather than the perpetrator being held accountable. There were a few scenes with the four actors speaking lines of very real and relatable comments and opinions that we have no doubt either seen play out in the media or on socials regarding the treatment of women in society and sexual harassment. It highlighted, for me, how toxic society has become. It was an interesting take as it almost takes you out of the play and into the real world and makes you reflect on the themes that are being explored.

Amongst the toxic personalities and insecurities, there are funny moments that sometimes felt like they weren’t as humorous as intended, and I could get that sense from the actors. However, the moments that landed were very relatable. The play dipped in the middle, and perhaps the heaviness of the themes began to weigh. Still, there is a surprising secret from one of the characters (I guessed wrong; I thought it was another character behind something). Things ended with the resolution, but it also unintentionally commented on how toxic and careless some women can be while looking at the other side of the coin on how men are treated.

This is an interesting piece that delves a little deeper into sexual harassment, how and why violence towards women is always played down, and how people construct narratives for their own benefit with life-changing consequences, resulting in the question as to why some people are reluctant to face their sexual identity.

REVIEW: Henry VIII

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

“A stunning fresh take on a classic play.”

Adapted by Hannah Khalil and originally played at the Globe in 2022, Shakespeare’s work comes to the Guildhall school, with professionals and students bring this piece to life. In this adaption, the play focuses on the female characters of Henry’s life-his current wife Catherine of Aragon, his love interest Anne Boleyn and Mary-Henry and Catherine’s child.

With sonnets taken from Shakespeare’s other works, Khalil is giving the women a voice
which is missing in the original and presenting them in a new light.
The play follows Henry’s marriage to Catherine and his attempts to divorce her and marry Anne Boleyn, much to the dismay of Wolsey who is trying to orchestrate another
arrangement. The ending did feel a little disconnected and I didn’t quite understand it. I’m not sure if it was in the original play or part of the adaptation but to jump from Elizabeth being a baby to her being queen, I didn’t quite see what it brought to the piece other than reaffirming that it was part of history.

Both the director and designer, along with the lighting and sound designer (both of whom are final year students) bring the court of Henry to life in stunning period costumes. However, Elizabeth’s costume for the finale felt a little flat and almost out of place compared to the details that went into the rest of the costume. The lighting really added to the visuals and was both intense and beautiful. The use of spotlights allows the student performers to portray their characters inner thoughts and at times, feels like the fourth wall is being broken. The visuals are immaculate, the backdrop being two red curtains, one textured to give depth and perception with props such as chandeliers add to the grandeur of Henry’s court. It was a little off putting that the stage was entirely open and you could see the performers and stagehands off stage. Similarly, the sound design was really good and with the choreography of period dancing added more life to the play.

This piece is visually stunning and flawless. Some of the acting was hit and miss, but those who were good were really good and a talented group of students. In this adaptation, I personally, didn’t think that Mary added anything. I do understand that Khalil wanted to give her more of a presence as her character lacked in the original. However, the other characters didn’t really interact with her when she was on stage, apart from Catherine later in the play and throughout it felt like she was more a spirit rather than an actual active character but I do applaud Khalil for making Mary’s presence and importance in Henry’s life more prominent and trying to build a character from very little.

Some of the symbolism was a little lost on me. The characters in red seemed to be
representing different things to different characters and there was no distinction between what it was that they were representing. I think the play being in the original dialect didn’t help with understanding what was happening.
Overall, this piece is just beautiful with wonderful costumes and performed by some
talented students.

REVIEW: Copla: A Spanish Cabaret

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

A fun, interactive performance unleashing the inner diva in all of us.

From queer migrant performer, Alejandro Postigo, we are taken on a cultural and political journey through the years: how Copla was born, whatits definition is, the importance of it in the Spanish culture and how it adapted under Franco’s dictatorship.

This is the first English translation of its kind, in which Alenjandro draws on his own personal experiences to help us to understand Copla. With clips of notable Spanish films and tv, he brings the essence alive with his alter ego La Gitana, casually slipping into different diva’s by simply taking a new costume hung up on the wall. We are drawn into the character and to what the song that being performed is about.

With a talented pianist and a violinist, Copla in all its glory is brough to life. Alejandro goes deeper, explaining how Copla was a tool for resistance, with women, ethnic minorities and queer people seeking solace from the regime through song and the impact that ideologies have had on Spanish society, almost questioning issues of identity, social norms, sexual identity and of place where you feel like you are living an in-between life.

With humour brimming, Alejandro really does engage with the audience, bringing a playfulness that I get the impression comes with Copla song. His audience interaction in this lecture-come-cabaret-come-singalong adds a fun element to an otherwise deep and meaningful performance. Simplistic staging-costume and props, brightly coloured against a black background and dramatic lighting for those diva moments, just help to place us in a Spanish bar, where I could imagine such songs being sung. Alejandro does a wonderful job of making the audience feel welcome: it feels like you are talking to a friend reminiscing about their life and the audience interaction, with himself and audience to audience, helps us to understand the connection that Spanish people have with their home when singing Copla.

Copla is an interesting piece. Not only does it introduce the audience to something that perhaps a lot of people haven’t been exposed to- but it is also in some ways, a history lecture full of humorous moments. Despite its cultural significance, there weren’t many times I felt out of place or felt like I wasn’t included in the joke, despite being from a different country and often not knowing the tv show or film being spoke about, which, I think if you boil Copla down to, is what it is all about.