Headlong’s latest touring production The Absence of War sets to give us a look into the inner workings of the Labour party during an election campaign. This cleverly written play from David Hare expertly intertwines satirical comedy with important issues. This mixture makes it not only a very interesting piece but also an entertaining one.
Touring this year after a successful run at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival is The Paper Birds with their verbatim show Broke. The show was created using interviews and questionnaires about money, debt and consumerism. Although it doesn’t come to any solid conclusion on the matter of money, it does offer many different viewpoints and insight into how we view finances today.
The Miller accidentally tells the King that his daughter Emily can spin straw into gold, leading to him locking her up and forcing her to complete the task or else face death. Emily has to seek the help of a mysterious and melancholy creature to help her, but once she has parted with all of her jewellery the only thing she has left to offer is her first and yet to be born child! Fast forward a year and the King and Emily are happily married, the kingdom has never been better and they are celebrating the joyous birth of their baby girl! But the evil creature demands his reward, unless Emily can guess his unusual name!
Exit the King transports you to a fantasy kingdom in terrible strife. King Berenger I is dying but is full of regret and fear at his death and is begging and fighting to stay alive. As the King slowly deteriorates Queen Marguerite and his Doctor try to sway the King to let go, whilst Queen Marie begs him to hang on. All the while the servants try to keep order as the kingdom continues to decay around them.
Nancy Meckler has created a fantastic adaptation of Strindberg’s Dance of Death. This wonderfully black comedy is a roller coaster of emotion from start to finish!
