Lenny Henry’s debut play August in England starts like a comedy set and ends like a punch to the gut. August In England 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the HMT Empire Windrush bringing more than 800 passengers from the Caribbean to British shores. It became a symbol of a wave of post-war immigration: thousands […]
Adapted from NoViolet Bulaweyo’s acclaimed novel, We Need New Names is a coming of age tale split across continents. We Need New Names A young girl growing up in Zimbabwe moves to the America she has dreamed of, but finds her experience of the Midwest is not what she had imagined. Such is the premise […]
A rallying cry against Malta’s restrictions on women’s freedom, Blanket Ban uses humour, fact and personal stories in an entertaining 85 minutes of theatre and political activism. Blanket Ban Abortion bans don’t stop abortions. That’s a fact. They make accessing a safe abortion more difficult, depending of course on your means. But with all the […]
A 1996 play by Canadian writer Jason Sherman, The Retreat finally gets its European debut at the Finborough Theatre. Personal desires and professionalism collide when a producer and aspiring screenwriter meet. The Retreat Sometimes you need to wait to produce a play until the timing is right. The Retreat, the work of Canadian playwright Jason […]
Supernova is the story of Harry and Tess, who bond over a conversation about favourite planets. But will their love story shine like the brightest star, or explode and burn out in a supernova? A VAULT Transfer To The Omnibus Theatre, Clapham I saw a few things at this year’s VAULT Festival. Six in total. […]
Toska uses movement to tell the story of three Russian sisters who murdered their father. A powerful and politically engaged piece of theatre. Content warning: mentions of death and abuse. The Story Of The Khachaturyan Sisters It’s a story so shocking it barely feels real. And yet we know it is a story that plays […]
An innovative play at one of London’s newer theatres, Fragments sees history, puppetry, music and acting combined when an Ancient Greek muse is invoked. Euripides’ Lost Play I like a play which is based on solid research. So I was immediately on board when Fragments opened with a scene in an academic office. No, really, […]
Sucker Punch is an insightful portrait of 1980s Britain, the world of boxing, and the barriers faced by young Black men in both. Sucker Punch Boxing. It’s one of those things. The prowess, the energy, the passion. It can bear the weight of stories greater than the fights themselves. It’s not so long ago I […]
Dominic Cooke’s simple take on Robinson Jeffers’ version of Medea gives plenty of space for devastating performances, especially from Sophie Okonedo in the lead role. Medea That a story that goes at least as far back as Euripides in 431BCE continues to resonate with us today tells us something about human nature. About suffering and […]
An unexpected work from all-migrant Vandens Karta Ensemble, The Cathedral delves into the deepest corners of misogyny, religion and female shame and empowerment. The Cathedral Two women pray and sing religious songs. A femme de joie cleans a church somewhere near Marseille. A lost tourist gives up her search for Michelangelo and instead attempts… what […]
