Coming up at New Diorama is a new play by Jonny Donahoe, performed by a trio of highly talented individuals: Donahoe himself, his Jonny & The Baptists collaborator Paddy Gervers, and Rachel Parris, who you probably know from her solo shows, work as a member of the Austentatious troupe, and from various TV appearances, including her regular roles on BBC satirical news show 'The Mash Report'.
Parris is set for a busy festive season, appearing in 'Thirty Christmases' as well as starting Austentatious's monthly residence at Piccadilly Theatre. Ahead of all that, I arranged for a quick chat. Read the interview here.
'Thirty Christmases' is on at New Diorama from 4-23 Dec, see the venue website here to book your tickets. 'Austentatious begins its monthly residency at Piccadilly Theatre on 5 December, details about that here.
SIMON BRADBURY: CURTAIN CALL
After winning the 2017 Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize earlier this year for 'The Last Act of Love of JB Moliere', this week actor and writer Simon Bradbury brings another new play, 'Curtain Up', to the Old Red Lion Theatre.
He may be less well known to theatre audiences here in his native UK, but has had a long and successful career on the Canadian Stage. I put to some questions to him, to find out more about his past, his plans for the future, and what to expect from the show. Read the interview here.
'Curtain Call' is on at the White Bear Theatre from 28 Nov-16 Dec, see this page here for more information.
FRIDAY 1 DECEMBER 2017 >>
Dear Brutus | Southwark Playhouse | 29 Nov-30 Dec
"In a remote English village there are rumours of an enchanted wood. One of the inhabitants - a mysterious old man - invites eight strangers to stay. They all have something in common. When, one evening, the wood miraculously appears the guests feel compelled to enter. What happens there has the power to change their lives forever". It's a while, I think, since there's been a production of this play by JM Barrie on in London, and I think you should definitely see it, especially if you think he only wrote 'Peter Pan'. Click here for more.
Curtain Call | White Bear Theatre | 29 Nov-16 Dec
The tragicomic story of a once highly respectable actor, now struggling with stage fright whilst appearing in a murder-mystery in a seaside venue. And the show looks like it has a likewise highly respectable creative team involved, not least as the play was written by (and also stars) Simon Bradbury, who recently won the 2017 Liverpool Hope Playwriting award, for his comedy 'The Last Act of Love of JB Moliere'. See the venue website here for info.
The Lost Boy Peter Pan | Pleasance Theatre | 29 Nov-3 Jan (pictured)
You know that JM Barrie we were talking about just one tip ago? Well, here he is again, this time represented by this extremely promising production of an adaptation of his most famous work, 'Peter Pan'. You may know all about it already, if you read our recent interview with the director of the piece, Alexandra Spencer-Jones, and if you haven't, then read it now, and then head this way to book your tickets for a lovely family outing to the show.
SATURDAY 2 DECEMBER 2017 >>
Underneath A Magical Moon | Jacksons Lane | 2-24 Dec
Oooh, another JM Barrie related show for you (there have been a few of late) and this one is a re-imagining of 'Peter Pan' told directly from the point of view of central character Wendy Darling. Sounds like a delightful treat for your young fry aged 3+, get them all magically set up for the even more magical approach of a magical Christmas. If you go for the whole magical Christmas sorta thing. Head this way for info.
Orange Juice | Pleasance Theatre | 2 Dec
"Stuck between Ravi, his boisterously libidinous friend, and Miriam, his devout and traditional mother, Adam, a young British Pakistani Muslim is forced to discover who he really is, and who he wants to be. Adam is on the verge of becoming a man, but how easy is that transition?" This one-man play by Karim Khan looks rather promising, and features a live soundtrack of Indian classical music. See the venue website here for info.
Can You See Me Now? | Battersea Arts Centre | 2 Dec (pictured)
Brighton arts collective Miss Represented, which works with young women facing challenging life situations, have created this cross-genre performance comprising theatre, film and music. It depicts the experiences of a number of 13-21 year olds as they made their way through school, the care system and interactions with social services, and I am sure it's got some important observations to make. See this page here for details.
SUNDAY 3 DECEMBER 2017 >>
The Silence Of Snow | Leicester Square Theatre | 2-3 Dec (Pictured)
This is a portrayal of the rather turbulent life of British writer Patrick Hamilton, notable for his hit plays 'Rope' and 'Gaslight', and his novels 'Twenty Thousand Streets Under The Sky', 'Hangover Square' and 'The Slaves of Solitude'. It's an acclaimed, solo performance from the talented Mark Farrelly, who you may also have seen in his similarly solo Quentin Crisp bioplay a few years ago. Click here for details.
Response 2 Power | Old Red Lion Theatre | 3-4 Dec
And some more solo stuff for you here, too; this is an evening of solo performances of new writing, all written in response to the theme of power. The show, presented by Blink Theatre features six different pieces, created by a range of emerging writers, and directed by Lotte Ruth Johnson. Previous events have been very popular so quick, head this way to book your tickets.
Statements | King's Head Theatre | 3 Dec
"Daniel is obsessed with Jazz, but the world is too loud a place to hear what's going on. Javeed doesn't understand a word, but happily communicates with anybody by smiling. Toby makes a lot of noise, but nobody seems to listen". A piece of new writing that explores Asperger's, Down Syndrome and misunderstood emotions, and promises to offer a snapshot of what it's like to grow up with a learning difficulty. See this link here for information and to book.
MONDAY 4 DECEMBER 2017 >>
Pecs - The 80s Show | Soho Theatre | 4-9 Dec
Drag King collective Pecs make their Soho Theatre debut with this eighties themed cabaret, which promises to be packed with power suits, Prince tribute acts, and New Romantic pretty boys, and to well and truly stick it to the man. So, that sounds like a recipe for a great evening out, doesn't it? Head this way for more information and to book your tickets.
Adam Riches - The Beakington Town Hall Meetings | Battersea Arts Centre | 4-9 Dec
"Last night, disaster struck the Beakington Town Hall Christmas Fundraiser. Sixteen Tortoises were massacred in a tombola-related prank gone wrong...seriously wrong. So tonight, all members of the Beakington Town Hall Council - YOU - will be hauled in front of an independent adjudicator - ADAM RICHES - to face an inquiry into just who opened up the door of that tombola". Ha ha. The brilliantly silly award-winning Adam Riches does a thing. Of COURSE you want to go, see this page here.
Thirty Christmases | New Diorama | 4-23 Dec (pictured)
I have been looking forward to this one for a while now, because I love anything with a Christmas theme, and I love anything that involves a collection of my favourite creatives, and this does: it's a "rebellious comedy for grown-ups" written by Jonny Donahoe, with songs (as you might imagine) by Jonny & The Baptists, and it stars the aforementioned Donahoe alongside his J&TB collaborator Paddy Gervers, plus the brilliant Rachel Parris. Hurrah, click here for details.
TUESDAY 5 DECEMBER 2017 >>
Ajax | The Space | 5-10 Dec
The classic play by Sophocles, staged using a modern translation, and featuring an all-female cast. Celebrated warrior Ajax wakes after a night of violent hallucinations to find her friends, lover, and child cowering from her in fear and shame, exhibiting symptoms we'd now associate with PTSD, in a story of honour, death, trauma, and the dehumanizing nature of politics and war. Click here for more info.
Tom Goodliffe's Coffee Run | Museum Of Comedy | 5 Dec (pictured)
The excellent Tom Goodliffe, whom we doth love here at TW towers, brings to Museum Of Comedy the show he performed in Edinburgh this summer, delighting many, including our own reviewer, with his tale of drinking far too much coffee in too many locations over a short time period. Expect something funny as well as informative that you don't have to be a coffee lover to enjoy. See this page here for details.
Beans | Canal Cafe Theatre | 6-30 Dec
Another pantomime for you now (we've tipped a few over the last week or two) but this one is not for the children, it's just for you grown-ups. As you might expect from the title, it's 'Jack And The Beanstalk' with a twist, and it's written by the really brilliant Matthew Floyd Jones (aka Mannish), so I anticipate something fabulously entertaining, especially given its NewsRevue alumnae-filled cast. Hurrah, book here.
WEDNESDAY 6 DECEMBER 2017 >>
Ingo's War | Drayton Arms Theatre | 6-9 Dec
"Owned and cherished by a young girl living in the city of London, life for Ingo is as easy as pie. Yet as war looms once more and the Blitz becomes a very immediate danger, the girl and her dog are evacuated to the country. But when Ingo is left on the train, he is suddenly plunged into an adventure which tips his steady world upside down". A great family show aimed at audiences 7+ that won a lot of friends up in Edinburgh in the summer, head this way for info.
There But For The Grace Of God (Go I) | Camden People's Theatre | 5-9 Dec
One of the most high profile child abduction cases in US history was that of Adam Walsh, a six year old boy who, back in 1981, became separated from his mother in a Mall department store. The creator of this show, Adam Welsh, discovered the history of his almost-namesake when googling his own name, and the result is this show, which looks at how we measure success and value lives. It will be interesting to see what Welsh makes of this horrendously sad source material. Head this way for details.
Sinners Club | Soho Theatre | 5-30 Dec (pictured)
Very much acclaimed show which I believe falls into a category you might call 'gig theatre', as the show invites you to witness a band - The Bad Mothers - recording their latest album in front of a live audience. Their songs tell a story, though, inspired by the life of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in the UK after being found guilty of the killing of her lover David Blakely. Expect something dark and raw, see the venue website here for more.
THURSDAY 7 DECEMBER 2017 >>
Callisto - A Queer Epic | Arcola Theatre | 5-23 Dec
We've tipped this before, because it's been on before, but we're tipping it again because it's very much worth seeing, and you might want to see it again, while those of you who haven't seen it should definitely consider making a date with Arcola Theatre this time around. Four queer stories, each set in different times (historical and future), all intriguing and believable, performed by a talented cast. Click here to book.
Kai Humphries - Punch Drunk | Soho Theatre | 7-9 Dec
The charming and funny Kai Humphries tells stories of his hometown of Blyth in Northumberland and of the youthful sibling rivalry between him and his brother Gav, leading on to how the pair of them ended up setting up Punch Drunk. Expect to have a lovely time, see this page here for lots more info.
Bromance | The Albany | 6-13 Dec (pictured)
The very brilliant Barely Methodical Troupe bring their much acclaimed and award winning show 'Bromance' back to London for a pre-Christmas run, which is exciting. If you've not seen or heard of the show, be advised that it's a breathlessly exciting, humour infused mixture of acrobatics, cyr wheeling, parkour and more. How can you turn that down? Get ye to the venue website here for all the details.
 |
At TW:CULTURE we champion the best in culture. ThisWeek London recommends Three To See in the capital every day. ThreeWeeks Edinburgh covers the best of the Edinburgh Festival. The TW:TALKS podcast talks to great cultural people. While our TW:GUIDES preview great cultural events. © UnLimited Media, a division of 3CM Enterprises Ltd UnLimited Media, Kemp House, 152 City Road, London EC1V 2NX t: 020 7099 9050 (editorial) 020 7099 9060 (sales) Send press releases to TWlondon@unlimitedmedia.co.uk publishing@unlimitedmedia.co.uk | complaints@unlimitedmedia.co.uk |