A severed hand crosses the stage, a contorted figure crawls down the stairs like a crab, and a man is gutted right in front of us. Going into this I feel incredibly excited, and perhaps slightly uneasy to see this horror piece, but unfortunately Jakop Ahlbom’s homage to the genre leaves a sour taste, as it does anything but terrify.
Courtesy of Sadler’s Wells.
Tessellating masses of bodies fly everywhere. Bright, exotic colours fill the stage. A projection gives a clear image of the world we are in. Soho, a place full of class, sleaze, seduction, style and warmth; an area I frequent often. Stufish have created a piece that blends many mediums of performance; through circus, theatre, dance, and martial arts the audience are taken on a journey along the exciting streets of this well-known location.
Courtesy of Stufish.
Although Taiko drumming is synonymous with Japanese culture, the musical legacy is believed to have derived from both Korean and Chinese culture. Introduced to Japan in the 6th Century, Taiko drums have taken on various roles; whether it be for communicative, theatrical, religious and military. The drum’s sound is unrivalled; a visceral, earthy instrument that is powerful and engaging enough to take centre stage. The Yamato Drummers celebrate the instrument’s earthiness in their eponymous hit show.
Courtesy of Sadler’s Wells.
The Berlin-based company FAMILIE FLÖZ was founded in 1994 and has pioneered a new European mask theatre. Their stories are developed in a creatively collective process and every production starts out with a new ensemble. After presenting their sell-out shows Teatro Delusio, Ristorante Immortale and Hotel Paradiso, these masters of mask theatre explore the friendship of three men, from infancy to old age and the reality of death in their beautiful production Infinita.
If you believe that a theatre performance cannot be truly scary because The Woman in Black left you unimpressed and Ghost Stories was only slightly frightening, you should see Jakop Ahlborn’s homage to the horror-movie genre: a truly gruesome and genuinely terrifying show – but also quite funny.
There is a moment in Le 7 Doigts de la Main‘s Traces, just before the interval, when one of the performers climbs a metal pole using his hands and feet. In most shows this would be a highlight, a moment of awe for the audience to take in. In Traces the athletisism on display is such that this one doesn‘t even register, it‘s a warm up for another move that leaves the audience breathless.
There is a moment in Le 7 Doigts de la Main‘s Traces, just before the interval, when one of the performers climbs a metal pole using his hands and feet. In most shows this would be a highlight, a moment of awe for the audience to take in. In Traces the athletisism on display is such that this one doesn‘t even register, it‘s a warm up for another move that leaves the audience breathless.
Some things in life are simply, inarguably, cool. Titanium, the new show on at The Peacock Theatre, produced by Sadler‘s Wells is one of those things. Combining traditional Flamenco dancing with Hip-Hop, under some hip-hop influenced Flamenco music it moves breathlessly from moment to moment leaving the audience gasping as the performers sweat on stage.
What better way to shrug off the wintry blues than by escaping for 2 hours in one of London’s best loved theatres? For 2 nights only, the Peacock Theatre (Sadler’s Wells) will play host to CPAA Theatre‘s production of The Legend of the Sun. Rooted in Chinese folklore, The Legend of the Sun maps out a land devoid of any sunlight. Cue a perilous tale of adventure, discovery and vivacity as a young mother steps up to the challenge to seek out the enigmatic sun.
The Snowman is back after 16 seasons for one more Christmas at the Peacock Theatre. This endearing story, based on the children’s book written by Raymond Briggs, tells us about a little boy named James and his friendship with a snowman that he himself built and on one wintery day came to life.
