Master of the Macabre bills itself as the most horrifying magic show in London. This is possibly true, though the play is competing within a relatively select niche… Set in the eminently atmospheric Vaults in Waterloo, this one-man show depicts an ominous story of sibling rivalry, punctuating the tale with frequent, suitably sinister, sleights of hand.
Forming in 2009, Non Zero One have shaken up the theatre scene with their unique, immersive theatrical experiences. Challenging conventional theatrical spaces, Non Zero One are renowned for staging pieces in galleries and museums, reinforcing the idea that theatre is a form of art that can be admired, but not from a passive stand point. The theatre collective are now taking part in London’s edition of The Other Art Fair, after receiving a commission from the art festival. Ahead of Non Zero One’s participation at this year’s festival, Theatrefullstop were able to speak to the company’s founder, John Hunter about creating interative theatre performances, taking part in this year’s festival and the inspirations for forming the company!
Lloyd Webber‘s sexy reinvention of the Easter story is currently on tour across the UK. To call Jesus Christ Superstar a musical seems a bit tame: it’s a rock opera rich with excellent technical touches and incredibly strong vocals from the ensemble cast.
Pamela Raith
Captivating, intriguing and very abstract, Vera Tussing Projects presents The Palm of Your Hand at The Place Theatre, London. A merge between dance and physical theatre the piece invites audiences to follow the performers into the space, discarding all belongings to the side of the large dark studio, before exploring the area independently. There are no seats as the piece itself is a collaboration between the theatre makers and the audience. One cannot exist without the other in this experimental but deeply questionable production.
A text cited as one of the literary greats, John Milton‘s Paradise Lost provides a magnificent playground for a theatre maker to interpret and illuminate onto the stage. An epic poem initially published in 1667, the work consists of 10 books, each presented in blank verse. The much adapted narrative zones in on one of the greatest stories ever told, the creation of the first man and woman on Earth, Adam and Eve, and their fall from the highly aspirational and idyllic Garden of Eden.
The Great Gatsby is a renowned and revered novel. Written in 1925, nearly a century later it still manages to captivate readers. Unsure of how the novel would translate into a theatre production, I’m eager to see how it pans out.
Humans are a creature of habit, making it very difficult to go against the grain and break away from tradition. We wake up, work, return home, sleep and repeat the cycle. Majority of the time, the little things seem to just drift by, however in A Room For All Our Tomorrows, basic instinct and throwaway passages of time are given the platform to breathe.
Borderline is a Wang Ramirez production; distinctly made up of Honji Wang and Sebastian Ramirez. Ramirez is a French dancer and choreographer, with his roots set in B-boying; he began dance training in 1995, and was self-taught for many years, progressively winning championships and battles. Honji Wang, born in Frankfurt, started her training first in ballet, then, when she was 15 discovered her love for hip-hop dance, this has seen her perform with Rocio Molina, Madonna, and other celebrated performers.
As a production, Apart wears its heart on its sleeve. Created by the celebrated theatre group, Colectivo Alebrije, the play explores the historic leather-making district of Mexico’s León city. Intercutting between tales of past and present, the collective craft an intimate biopic of the region, traversing a range of perspectives to create a collective vision of the area. It’s difficult to avoid being charmed by the three performers, who attack the material with gusto and clearly telegraph their passion for the subject. However, the overall ambition of the production frequently outstrips their capacity, giving the material a rushed, unplanned quality.
Montserrat ignites, emotes and revels within the Casa Latin American Theatre Festival, currently taking place at both Rich Mix and the Barbican. Presented for the festival, Lagartijas Tiradas al Sol (Mexico) Theatre Company, devises, captivates and beguiles in a wonderfully truthful and emotive production of Montserrat.
