Reading Time: 2 minutesWritten and directed by Farine Clarke, London Zoo stages its third iteration at the Southwark Playhouse Borough. The play centres on a UK newspaper conglomerate’s internal trouble as pressure mounts on the print media industry
Reading Time: 2 minutesScenes with Boys promised a queer and gender-expansive take on miscommunication, love and the messy second adolescence that many queer people face – and through the complications of unrequited love, in a university setting that will be familiar to many, the play did just that. Not only did it deliver on this, but the emotive performances combined with the simple, but effective staging drew you into a story that is sadly relatable to so many.
Reading Time: 3 minutesSchubert's Winterreise is a deep and profound exploration of loneliness, melancholy and self-journey through an incredible chemistry between male voice, piano and the poignant verses by Wilhelm Müller, which was written just one year prior to Schubert’s untimely demise at 31. German conductor Hans Zender orchestrated this masterpiece in 1993 by weaving in a myriad of modern soundscapes and instrumental techniques (such as huge array of percussion) that infuses Schubert with a contemporary flavour and psychological depth.
Reading Time: 3 minutesCo-created by Natasha Gilmore, Jude Williams, and Ben Duke (Lost Dog), Chunky Jewellery celebrates the bonds of friendship and the nuances of womanhood.
Reading Time: 3 minutesThe first two episodes of London's 50-Hour Improvathon, an improvised sitcom comprising of twenty-five two-hour live sessions running continuously over a full weekend, were a dazzling testament to just how fabulous improv can be. Originally created by award-winning Canadian troupe ‘Die Nasty’, the London's 50-Hour Improvathon has been running more or less annually since 2008, now back at Wilton’s Music Hall after a three year break. The event was brought to London by esteemed theatre maker Ken Campbell and since then has been produced by director Adam Meggido and Extempore Theatre as an annual event, likened to binge watching an entire DVD box-set of comedy drama in one viewing.
Reading Time: 2 minutesJerker is a truly unique show that humorously combines obscenity and genuine emotion. Set during the peak of the American AIDs epidemic, Robert Chesley’s most celebrated play follows the progression of Bert and JR’s ‘dial-a-porn’ romance. This staged reading was put on by The AIDS Play Project, a campaign aiming to revive the works of writers who died of HIV/AIDS. Jerker will both disturb and surprise you in the most exciting ways.
Reading Time: 2 minutesFor Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy by Ryan Calais Cameron is a poignant and powerful play heavily inspired by Ntozake Shange's iconic 1975 choreopoem, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf. Cameron's work, like Shange's, follows a similar style, presenting a series of connected monologues infused with dance music and movement, all skillfully performed by a talented ensemble of six performers.
Reading Time: 2 minutesBrown Horse has just begun its UK tour in Glasgow; they will play up and down the country before finishing off in Dublin in May. Holy smokes (as they repeat in one of their unreleased songs), catch them while you can! This sextet is fresh out of Norwich, where they met and recorded their debut album, ‘Reservoir’.
Reading Time: 3 minutesTrevor Nunn has directed every Shakespeare play, and a fair few of Chekov’s. And plenty more to boot. He is Artistic Director of the Theatre Royal Haymarket, having previously been in the same position at the RSC and the National Theatre. In short, a play adapted and directed by him is an event in and of itself. That it is Uncle Vanya, a play which has so far eluded him, makes it even more so. And it pays off, in spades. The Orange Tree is just such a wonderful setting for this claustrophobic play oscillating between boredom and passion, love, tenderness and murderous rage, and Nunn’s direction is immersive placing every audience member as a fly on the wall.
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe New York City Ballet's long-awaited return to Saddler's Wells is a testament to its enduring legacy, combining classical roots with a contemporary twist. In their 75th-anniversary season, the company, under the direction of Jonathan Stafford, showcases a dynamic quadruple bill that effortlessly marries tradition and innovation.