In Theatre Ad Infinitum’s production Light they explore the increasingly discussed and frightening idea of utter society control and surveillance. Inspired by Edward Snowden’s revelations that secret services violate our privacy for the greater good, George Mann felt urgent to create this play where control is also initially exerted to increase security with the dream of making the world a better place.
As part of the London International Mime Festival, Thomas Monckton performs his clown and circus solo piece The Pianist. Every show in this annual festival tends to provide fresh perspectives of what theatre can be and for that same reason is worth taking a look to at least one of the many interesting things being created across the world.
Russia, Brazil, China… India. Four monstrously large nations that have been touted as emerging powerhouses for about two decades. India is growing and growing, but not as fast as its neighbour to the North. There is wild growth in some places, and old abject poverty in others. Behind the Beautiful Forevers is based on the book by Katherine Boo, who spent three years in the Mumbai slums her book is set in.
Contact.com, the latest play by Michael Kingsbury is playing at the Park Theatre. The play follows two couples, who met online, sharing one night together. The twist being they are from (as we are constantly reminded) different economic backgrounds.
Theatre503 is the most important fringe theatre for new writing in the country. In one year alone they receive 1,500 unsolicited scripts for submission (they have an open submission policy, all year round). They put on the standard London fringe month-long performance runs – but have an interesting program of small “one-off” events. To go and see something with more of a workshop feel, with more of a “this is being created right now” aesthetic is a joy, and one so well curated by Karis Halsall over three nights in January. 503Fusions at Theatre 503 was a 70 minute long piece with four parts to it, all written by different groups of multi-talented people.
Ever wondered where the term, the ‘Green Eyed Monster’ originated from? Well it’s argued that Shakespeare coined the phrase in one of his greatest tragedies, Othello. A term associated with a strong feeling of jealousy, the phrase perfectly summarises the disastrous rise and fall of a once respected figure within society who finds himself torn between a web of lies spun by his ‘trustworthy’ best friend and the love of his life, whom he fears has committed an act of infidelity.
A Series of Increasingly Impossible Acts by Secret Theatre is one of the company’s seven shows since it was formed by the Lyric Hammersmith in 2013. This show had success at the Edinburgh Fringe 2014 and toured parts of the UK before landing at the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn.
It is somewhere between the star performer being dropped off by a big tattooed bloke in a cloak and her wallowing in a pile of cardboard boxes to ‘80s synths, that the audience wonders whether they’ve accidentally walked into the International space festival, rather than the International Mime Festival.
Imagine falling in front of a crowd of people… all eyes on you as you stumble, topple, drop to the ground… murmurs turn into comments that may potentially turn into laughter… I’m sure we’ve all had an embarrassing tripping moment. We’re taught to walk and keep our balance from a very young age, however falling is apart of that process. Falling as we age is viewed upon as vulnerability, a lack of support or direction.
Named after the famed nautical creature renowned for wreaking havoc and drowning many a ship brave enough to cross its path, you’d be mistaken for thinking that the production of Kraken would follow suit, elaborating on the element of fear most associated with the monster. However, the production is anything but scary as Trygve Wakenshaw playfully navigates a fun, animated and comical piece of theatre.
