MONDAY 11 MARCH 2019 THISWEEKLONDON.COM
MOLLY NAYLOR: LIGHTS! PLANETS! PEOPLE!
As you might be aware, the Vault Festival is winding down now, and so it seemed like a great idea to mark it by interviewing one of our favourite creative people, the talented Molly Naylor, about her play, 'Lights! Planets! People!', on as part of the festival this week.

Naylor has been wowing us with her writing and her performing for quite a while now, and we've always loved everything she does. I arranged a quick chat, to find out more about the play, and her decision to direct it herself. Read the interview here.

'Lights! Planets! People!', written by Molly Naylor and performed by Karen Hill (pictured above) is on at Vault Festival from 13-17 Mar. See this page here for more.


THREE OPENING THIS WEEK>>

The Grenfell Project | The Hope Theatre | 12-30 Mar
A Verbatim piece about a tragic event that you'll be all too aware of. "Kensington and Chelsea, one of the most affluent areas in the world, home to designer brands, famous flower shows and intense public carnivals fill the streets. But it's also home to the biggest wealth divide in Britain. Pockets of poverty clutter the expensive view from townhouses and cause the council too much trouble to care. Does a tragedy have to cut through the wealth to see the humanity?" See this page here for more. 

The Rubenstein Kiss | Southwark Playhouse | 14 Mar-14 Apr
"1953. In the midst of the Cold War and with McCarthyisim at its height the world watched as Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were sent to the electric chair for allegedly passing US atomic secrets to the Soviet Union - protesting their innocence to the last". This is about a period in history I was both intrigued and agonised by, so there's little wonder this jumped out at me. I'm sure you will be interested too - head to the venue website here for info. 

Suzi Ruffell - Nocturnal | Soho Theatre | 12 Mar-25 Apr (pictured)
Okay, so this one starts this week and looks like it goes on for ages, and it kind of does, but the dates are sporadic, she's not on every night or anything so do bear that in mind. Anyway, now that the logistics are about established we can concentrate on how brilliant Suzi Ruffell is, and about how this show is highly acclaimed: Suzi Ruffell is brilliant and this show is highly acclaimed, so hie ye hence to this page here for all the details.


THREE VERY SHORT RUNS>>

Tarzanna | The Albany | 10 Mar (pictured)
Ok, let's kick off the short runs with one for the children, because I love children (sometimes) and I want them to go and see this lovely show, which is an aerial theatre piece aimed at 3-8 year olds. I like the sound of it because it seeks to address the problem wherein girls lose their self esteem and think they can't be as good as boys from heart-breakingly young ages. The show is about Anna, who is very much the assertive hero of her own story. See this page here for details.

City Of London Sinfonia - Comfortable Classical | 11+20 Mar
And onto another event at the Albany and here we have two relaxed music performances, for which all ages are welcome, and which aim to be suitable for those with autism, dementia and sensory impairments. Concert-goers are allowed to move in and out of the venue and are actively encouraged to draw or craft as the event proceeds. Brilliant, info here.

The Sensemaker | The Cockpit | 17 Mar
This one did rather well up at our beloved edfringe last summer, getting lots and lots of great reviews, which is lovely. Hope this isn't your only chance to see it but perhaps you had better go, anyway, just in case. What's it about? Well, over to the blurb: "Critical of new technologies as well as of bureaucracy, this one-woman show mixes dance, theatre, and even lip-synching, and addresses with irony the fears and frustrations of our interconnected world". Find more right about here.


THREE ONE NIGHTERS AT SPRINT FESTIVAL>>

Individual Medley | Camden People's Theatre | 12 Mar
Hurrah, I love all of CPT's festivals so it makes my heart glad whenever there is one. Sprint is especially lovely because it's jam packed with brand new and excitingly exploratory stuff, and so this week I thought we'd have a tips section devoted to it. And we start with this, a spoken word/physical theatre coming of age memoir: "Q: What happens when you move a 12-year-old from Basingstoke to Zambia? A. She swims". Info right about here.

Mantra | Camden People's Theatre | 13 Mar
The blurb certainly makes this one sound completely intriguing, not least because entertainment involving beatboxing, storytelling, rapping AND acting ticks four of my boxes all at once. "Weaving together his own stories based on his journey through life, hip-hop and spirituality, Marv Radio's Mantra combines the mediums of rapping, beatboxing, storytelling, movement and acting to change the way we think about beatbox, spoken word and theatre". Hurrah, click here for more.

Mary and Maria | Camden People's Theatre | 15 Mar (pictured)
"Children are priceless. Teaching assistants earn minimum wage. Au pairs work for free. Who looks after your kids and how much should it cost?Provoked by the recent budget cuts and policy changes within education and social care, Mary and Maria explores the value of care". This sounds really interesting, created by Anna Clock & Josephine Starte, using material taken from and inspired by interviews with real people. Head this way to find out more.


THREE AT VAULT FESTIVAL>>

Bon Ami | Vault Festival | 13-17 Mar
Can you hear an odd sound? A muffled sobbing, perhaps? Or even some ghostly wailing? Yes? Well, that might be me, reacting to the realisation that Vault Festival is coming to an end, after serving up weeks of hugely tasty, across-the-genres offerings. This period of bereavement will be tough, and we will get through it, but let's make sure you make the most of the last few days. Start by seeing this, a comedy two-hander from the acclaimed All In Theatre. See the festival website here for details.

10 | Vault Festival | 13-17 Mar
"Pick up your average history textbook and you'd be forgiven for thinking the only people who did anything up to the 20th century were white men. We're setting out to redress the balance". Oh yes, this sounds like just my dab. But hopefully yours too. It's bloody sickening the way women's achievements are so often ignored and suppressed. Or a man waltzes off with the credit. Anyway, well done, Lizzie Milton, for creating this, everyone else, go and see it. All the info is here.

Ares | Vault Festival | 13-17 Mar (pictured)

And so to our final Vault pick, and it looks fabulous: a future drama about an astrophysicist called Alice, who is involved in the first manned mission to Mars. "As a woman in a male dominated industry, Alice is no stranger to struggle. But the biggest conflict of her life arises when she must decide whether to send her astronaut husband on this dangerous mission, knowing he may never return". Click here for more.
At TW:CULTURE we champion the best in culture.

ThisWeek London is your guide to culture in London.

ThreeWeeks Edinburgh is your guide to Edinburgh's festivals.

TW:DIY is your guide to doing cultural stuff.



© 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 Edinburgh press releases to TWedinburgh@unlimitedmedia.co.uk

Send London press releases to TWlondon@unlimitedmedia.co.uk

You can read our Privacy & Data Policy here

publishing@unlimitedmedia.co.uk | complaints@unlimitedmedia.co.uk