Enda Walsh’s Rooms captures five voices narrating five separate stories, being told in a manner and environment that absorbs the small groups of audience into their world, their perspective and their loneliness.
Courtesy of Andrew Downes.
Henry Filloux-Bennett has seamlessly reworked Nigel Slater’s popular autobiography for the stage, Toast. A charming, endearing, yet equally sorrowful tale of a young boy growing up with a developing passion for all things food in 1960s suburban England. Giles Cooper’s Nigel first exhibits a devotion for cookery in his mother’s kitchen. His childhood excitement fills the auditorium, enthusiastically narrating as he bakes wonderfully British jam tarts. He learns eagerly at his mother’s side (Lizzie Muncey); content in his own homebaked edition of paradise. Sadly, in his culinary quest, life does not remain in this gleeful and happy state. Instead, it is replaced by confusion, anger and melancholy in the touching true story of Nigel Slater.
Established 28 years ago by writer Rukhsana Ahmad and the director Rita Wolf, Kali has blazed the trail for stories told by women of South Asian descent. Born from urgent beginnings, Kali’s legacy still lives on, their mission to ‘develop and present groundbreaking, thought provoking, contemporary theatre by women writers of South Asian descent that reflects and comments on our lives today’ the driving force of every production or initiative established. The company’s latest initiative, DISCOVERY recently created a platform for 12 writers to have their show’s produced for stage readings in London, Leicester and Birmingham. Kali’s Artistic Director, Helena Bell reflects on the initiative’s impact on the writers taking part and audiences responding to the works.
The Believers are But Brothers returns to London after a runat The Bush Theatre in 2018 and a Scotsman Edinburgh Fringe first winning appearance at Summerhall in 2017.Written and performed by Javaad Alipoor and co-directed by Kirsty Housley, Believers is a formally ambitious 70 minutes of technological theatre that attempts to spin a complex, multi stranded tale about three men’s contact with online extremism.
We all know that our forefathers and their forefathers before have been in a constant game of revenge since the first two men on earth took vengeance on each other to defend their own beliefs. Fathers at war with themselves and others is what has driven countries and communities apart for far too long.
Courtesy of Helen Murray.
Now in its 4th year, the Network of Independent Critics continues its mission of championing the works of independent publications. Offering access to the world’s most popular arts festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, bloggers, vloggers, journalists, critics and reporters are afforded the opportunity of being located in the very heart of this exciting world renowned festival, whilst covering a particular art form of their choice and having a means to focus on their craft without distraction. As the name suggests, individuals will also be joined by a network of fellow critics, encouraging an environment of discussion, supportiveness as well as a shared appreciation for the arts. Ahead of this year’s festival, co-founders of the initiative Laura Kressly (Founder of theatre blog The Play’s The Thing) and Katharine Kavanagh (Founder of blog The Circus Diaries) talk about how they were inspired to create Network of Independent Critics, how the initiative has supported critics taking part and independent critics Jo Trainor and Daniel Perks taking over this year’s cohort.
Caryl Churchill’s innovative Top Girls has been held in high regard ever since it’s Royal Court premier in 1982. Most notable for its pioneering use of non-linear narrative, its feminist skewering of Thatcherite individualism and an anachronistic opening featuring a dinner between central character Marlene (Katherine Kingsley) and a roll call of notable women from down the ages.
Courtesy of Johan Persson.
A childhood gaming favourite turned into a political hierarchy, Noughts and Crosses takes audiences on a high speed dramatic journey through love, loss and life threatening betrayal. The performance has a Romeo and Juliet style innocence, however is laced with the kind of mistrust and social divides you are likely to see in the Hunger Games Saga. District 1 represented by the influential Crosses squeezing their grasp on the poor, in this case the Noughts, towards the lower citizens of District 12.
Due to current political affairs, Brexit encompasses the majority of television, social media and conversation. These discussions are had nationwide between family members, close friends and even strangers. Within these conversations, immigration is often thrown around as a pawn upon a bigger chess board, a throw away part of a larger playing field. Estelle Savasta’s Going Through (originally Traversée) delves into the arduous and lamentable trials of a young girl, having to embark on a journey of immigration that would be dangerous for any adult, let alone a child.
Ali Wright, Going Through, The Bush Theatre
Packed full of classical charm and dynamic vocal artistry, Macbeth takes audiences on a journey through Scotland’s civil war, yet adding the rich flavour of Verdi’s operatic genius. The English Touring Opera, conducted in this performance by Gerry Cornelius, incorporates the bloodthirsty and murderous Shakespearean favourite and balances it alongside the bellowing yet crisp tones sang by the vocalists.
