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REVIEW: Sacred and Profane

Reading Time: 2 minutesSamantha Gray's latest comedy at The Space, "Sacred and Profane," invites audiences into the tangled web of online dating, where love and deception collide in hilarious fashion. Set against the backdrop of modern romance, Gray deftly navigates the complexities of finding love in a digital world, delivering a witty and insightful commentary on the traps of online relationships.

REVIEW: I Should Be So Lucky

Reading Time: 2 minutesI Should Be So Lucky is a musical which centres around a young bride named Ella, jilted at the altar, who decides not to waste her honeymoon but instead takes her family and friends to the lovers’ paradise in Turkey. The plot was ridiculous, and became increasingly so as the show went on, but the show was undeniably packed with energy, glitter and fun.

REVIEW: SoundWalk: A City Full of Stories

Reading Time: 2 minutesA soundwalk is a guided walk exploring the intersection between location and sound. In this case, landmarks around Charing Cross are paired with orchestral music and lyrics. Starting at St. Martin in the Fields, A City Full of Stories takes participants around the hustle and bustle of London’s West End, and shows how quickly this can transition into serenity when you know the perfect side street to duck into. The resulting half hour provides a nice walk alongside a pleasing musical accompaniment.

REVIEW: That’s Not My Name

Reading Time: 2 minutesSpectacular, borderline, both at the same time. That's Not My Name is a provoking play engaging the audience’s senses from the beginning. The performance quite smartly plays between the edges of energy on stage, flashy colours and simplistic scenography. In fact, the minimalistic scenery plays along very nicely with the flamboyance of the musical performances in the play. A combination of ambivalences that kept captivating the audience’s attention throughout the play.  

REVIEW: Manon Lescaut

Reading Time: 2 minutesI think I can comfortably assume that the English Touring Opera’s production of Manson Lescaut at the Oxford Playhouse is vastly different from its first performances in Turin, 1893. Director and librettist Jude Christian’s fascinating biography of recent work had me on tenterhooks for the main event, and her revival of this Puccini classic did not fail to excite the senses and turn the classical world on its head. 

REVIEW: Alright, Alright, Alright

Reading Time: 2 minutesStrategically placed cardboard boxes set up along with desks, are used to not only  create the outlines of an office but as usable objects within the characters' space. This  flexible set is cleverly worked into character movements and scene changes. Bright  coloured lighting and pop cultured music really work well and bring the play to life. The performers are dressed in modern and at times stereotypical clothing but with the cast playing different characters it works. A packed theatre and a real buzz from the  audience helped to elevate the play’s comedy.