As you walk into the space you are greeted like a guest in an old Asian aunties house; she jokes about not having bhaji’s to pass around and makes you feel comfortable about where to sit. By breaking the fourth wall immediately the audience is at ease with each other and the space feels safe for the incredible journey we are all about to embark on.
It’s the beginning of the year which means 1 of the most exciting theatre festivals will make its way to the capital. The London International Mime Festival has been amazing onlookers for 4 decades, bringing the world’s of circus, puppetry, mask, visual and physical theatre to life. Making his return to the festival, Stephen Mottram has distinguished himself as one of the world’s leading puppeteers, pushing the boundaries with his exciting shows and creations. Read on to find out more about his work…
It’s all about the festival when it comes to experiencing theatre in the UK. With the UK holding the world’s largest theatre festival in August, this 70 year old event has inspired many after to follow suit and create a programme of works designed to entertain, educate and inspire.
Award winning show Dr Zeiffal, Dr Zeigal, and The Hippo That Can Never Be Caught! by Gaulier trained theatre company Mouth of Lions will take to The Vaults Festival from 28th January-26th February. An immersive piece of theatre inspired by the discovery of prehistoric hippo bones in the UK, this family show looks to ignite imaginations and encourage a team of young explorers to hunt for a wild hippo on the loose.
Deriving from the Middle Eastern and Southern Asian collection of folklore and mythical stories One Thousand and One Nights, Sinbad the Sailor is the legendary tale of a fictional voyager driven by his appetite for adventure and discovery. A tale that perhaps is not necessarily associated with Pantomime, Stratford East Theatre Royal continue to do what they do best; challenging the norm.
Courtesy of Stratford East Theatre Royal
It’s usually the case that we look back at a movement, event, piece of art and really appreciate its significance. the Beastie Boys are a collective that can be banded into this phenomenon. On first glance, the Beastie Boys may appear as a group mocking the genre of Hip Hop, when in actual fact they were doing the complete and utter opposite. Pioneers in their field, they managed to rile up artists in the Hip Hop world as well as gain admiration from fans both nationally and internationally. Perhaps not as prolifically known as certain Hip Hop collectives, the Bestie Boys are seen as being one of the biggest selling rap collectives in music history.
The National and Bristol Old Vic’s collaboration puts a sad twist on this adventurous tale, making it very relevant to adults and appealing to children. The boy who never grew up is displayed by a middle age man (Paul Hilton) almost going through a midlife crisis. As everyone moves on with their life Peter almost seems stuck. Sally Cookson puts together an exciting show with the magic of aerial on display for us to see.
Courtesy of the National Theatre
The much-anticipated new show, Love, written by Alexander Zeldin and devised by the company, is being performed at the Dorfman Theatre (formerly the Cottesloe Theatre), as part of the National Theatre. It is currently running until 10th January 2017. Alexander Zeldin is an associate director at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, so no wonder the show is in co-production with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre and supported by the Quercus Trust, as Zeldin was one of the recipients of the Quercus Trust Award in 2015.
For a newcomer to the York Theatre Royal pantomime, Berwick Kaler’s reputation can be intimidating. The UK’s longest serving panto dame, Kaler has become a cult-figure in York and there’s a trepidation that comes with cult shows that if you don’t know the jokes already, you’ll never be let in on them.
Photo courtesy of York Theatre Royal