MONDAY 10 JUNE 2019 THREEWEEKS EDINBURGH | THISWEEK LONDON
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ROBIN MORGAN: WHAT A MAN, WHAT A MAN, WHAT A MAN, WHAT A MIGHTY GOOD MAN (SAY IT AGAIN NOW)
The TW team have seen and loved Robin Morgan's work in the past and yet we have never done a Q&A with him. When I heard he would be back at the Fringe with a new show this summer - and it was hard to miss, given the title - I thought it was about time we did.

This year's show - 'What A Man, What A Man, What A Man, What A Mighty Good Man (Say It Again Now)' looks at male role models and what it takes to be a good dad. I asked Robin some questions about that, other things in his life, and his hopes for the future. Read the interview here.

Robin Morgan performs 'What A Man, What A Man, What A Man, What A Mighty Good Man (Say It Again Now)' at Edinburgh Festival 2019 at Laughing Horse @ The Pear Tree from 1-25 Aug.
ThreeWeeks Co-Editor Caro Moses recommends shows to see at this year's Edinburgh Festival, presented in handy sets of three.


SHOWS ABOUT WOMEN IN HISTORY>>

Harriet Braine: Les Admirables | Gilded Balloon at Old Tolbooth Market | 31 Jul-25 Aug (pictured)

Browsing through this year's Fringe Programme I've come across loads of shows featuring mentions of historical women. And as I am someone who is rather keen on history - and especially keen on not having women erased from it - of course I wanted to do a tips section on it. My first choice of those on offer is this one from talented musical comedy purveyor Harriet Braine, who, in this year's show "brings forth a team of rebellious women from the history of science to help her wage battle against ignorance, patriarchy and her inner demons". Listing here.

Chaika: First Woman In Space | theSpace On North Bridge | 2-17 Aug
This play is about Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, who was the first woman to fly in space, completing a solo mission on the Vostok 6 in June of 1963. Many will have heard of her already, because her story is pretty amazing: a textile-factory assembly worker and amateur skydiver prior to her recruitment to Russia's space programme, she continued on to a high profile political career. But this drama focuses on that solo mission, and the discovery, shortly after take-off, that there's a mechanical problem that could potentially have tragic consequences. Listing here.

Herstory | theSpace @ Surgeons Hall | 12-17 Aug 
This final choice is actually called 'Herstory', so there was no way I was going to leave it out. But of course that's not the only reason I am interested in it, it also looks super: "This bold and bodacious cabaret chronicles the tales of some of the most enigmatic and misunderstood women throughout history. Get up close and personal as they name, shame and reclaim their stories in the books that have notoriously begrudged them of any space". Said stories are brought to life through song, movement and spoken word, which sounds wonderful. Listing here.
DAVID FURLONG: THE FLIES
Headed to The Bunker Theatre this week is a production of Jean-Paul Sartre's 'The Flies', produced by Exchange Theatre - a company I am a big fan of, because of its international and diverse approach - who will as usual be staging their version of the show 'bilingually', with half of performances delivered in English, the other half in French.

To find out more about the show, and what to expect from Exchange Theatre in the future, I spoke to company founder, director and actor David Furlong. Read the interview here.

'The Flies' is on at The Bunker Theatre from 11 Jun-6 Jul. See the venue website here for more information and to book tickets.


THREE FROM CALM DOWN DEAR>>

Calm Down Dear: Baba's Song | Camden People's Theatre | 11-12 Jun 
Camden People's Theatre's Calm Down Dear Festival is headed to its close this week, so I thought we'd have a Calm Down Dear section to mark that. Still lots of good stuff to see, including this, which immediately caught my eye because it's described as a "wild roar in the woods and a panic attack in Mothercare" and I myself have definitely had a panic attack in Mothercare, though thankfully, my Mothercare times are now past. Anyway, it takes a look at the experience of becoming a mother, and why mothers' voices often fail to be heard. See this page here for more.

Calm Down Dear: Hot Flushes | Camden People's Theatre | 13-15 Jun 
"It's 2016. Lady Green is bronzing on her Super Yacht, Sir Phil Green is getting roasted by the Select Committee, and Sandra, who has worked 45 years for BHS, is burning from the loss of her pension. Croydon branch is closing but there's no closure for Sandra, not even in the stoic lyrics of her favourite Country songs. That's until a chance encounter in the ladies' fitting rooms with Patsy, a member of the National Rifle Association". A country and western musical about later life activism, and it sounds bloody brilliant. See the venue website here.

Calm Down Dear: Om Shanti F*ck & Doll Face | Camden People's Theatre | 16 Jun (pictured) 
This was on at BAC earlier in the year, but here's another chance to see this great double bill of woman-centred plays. In 'Om Shanti F*ck' Ambika "questions the strange myths of Indian culture and the sexist taboos that have made her feel inadequate to be a woman all her life", while 'Doll Face' is "a gut-wrenching but hopeful account of a single Indian female in an abortion clinic reflecting on her upbringing, culture, society and the reality of trying to have it all". Details here.


THREE STARTING THIS WEEK>>

After Dark; Or A Drama Of London Life | Finborough Theatre | 12 Jun-6 Jul
"The new underground railway is a thing of wonder, the early Salvation Army shines a light on the grinding poverty of the East End, and high and low-lifes frequent gambling dens and revel in the illicit sex of the music halls. All the while Scotland Yard struggle to police increasingly sophisticated financial fraud and marauding bands of ex-soldiers lately discharged into destitution and a life of crime. Can love and honour prevail in such a world?" A west end hit in late Victorian London, this "sweeping melodrama" gets its first production in 120 years. Info right about here.

Strange Fruit | Bush Theatre | 12 Jun-27 Jul (pictured)
A great team are involved in this staging of acclaimed novelist and playwright Caryl Phillips' 1980 play. "Alvin and Errol can't picture much of a future for themselves. They're young, Black and living in England in the 1980s, with an entire country and political system set against them. Instead they focus firmly on their past - the sunny Caribbean and heroic father they left behind when their mother brought them to England twenty years ago. But when Alvin returns home from his grandfather's funeral a new version of their past emerges and the two brothers are caught in a desperate struggle to unearth the truth about their existence". Details here.

Riot Act | Arcola Theatre | 16-30 Jun
Alexis Gregory created and performs this acclaimed solo piece, a verbatim exploration of the history of LGBTQ rights movement. It's been put together from interviews with Michael-Anthony Nozzi, one of the only remaining Stonewall survivors; Lavinia Co-op, a 1970s London radical-drag artist; and Paul Burston, a prominent 1990s AIDS activist and covers six decades of queer history. Expect something "hard-hitting, hilarious and heart-warming", performed in honour of the fiftieth anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. See the venue website here for info.


THREE ONE NIGHT STANDS>>

Emerge | The Bunker Theatre | 17 Jun
Yay, we love stuff like this, a night dedicated to emerging artists featuring four new plays accompanied by live music, presented by Flux Theatre. The works are as follows: 'Bin Juice' by Catherine Kolubayev, 'Monstera' by Laura Jayne Ayres, 'Work' by Jerusha Green and 'Three Mothers In Search Of A Son' by Henry Martin. Make sure you get along to this page here to book your tickets, because chances are they'll be flying away like a big batch of those proverbial hot cakes.

The Wooden Meadow | Finborough Theatre | 17 Jun
The Finborough's Vibrant 2019 festival has begun and here's an early contender by Stewart Pringle for your attention: "Jim's run this pub theatre for as long as anyone can remember. It might be held together with gaffer tape and hope, but then so is Jim. It's got charm, anyway. It's got history. Punters used to queue thirty deep at the box office. But while Jim's been keeping the lights on, the world's rolled on beneath him. Numbers are drying up and creditors are closing in. What Jim needs is one big hit to keep the wolf from the door, but the cupboard's bare. Well, it's almost bare..." Click here.

Sleeping Trees Comedy Garden | Battersea Arts Centre | 12 Jun
"Greetings friend, what seems to be the problem?" asks the blurb. "You're in need of some big belly laughs? Well worry not dear companion, just grab those heavy duty boots, an assortment of seeds and your prized trowel and join us at the Sleeping Trees Comedy Garden!" It's good advice, that, because these long term, absolute TW favourites are hosting a great line up for their latest comedy compilation show, and it includes  George Rigden, Jenny Bede, Seayoncé, and Zach Zucker. Head right a-this-way for all the details.


THREE MORE THINGS WE'D LIKE TO SEE THIS WEEK>>

Becoming The Invisible Woman | The Drayton Arms Theatre | 11-15 June 
This sounds interesting: "A woman 'awakens' to find herself middle aged, stuck in a rut and confused - unsure of where she fits in, and feeling increasingly invisible and irrelevant in a youth-centric society. Perhaps middle age is a time to challenge the paradigm and subvert expectation; a time to lean in to life, explore and take risks?" Plus, there's another show on at the venue on the same nights as this one, so you can make yourself a very reasonably priced double bill if you go to see this and 'Everything Today Is The Same'. See this page here for the invisible woman show and this page here for the other one.

Pramkicker | The Hope Theatre | 16-17 Jun 
"When Jude gets arrested for kicking a pram belonging to a yummy mummy in an 'independent coffee emporium' she finds herself being sent to Anger Management classes to avoid a criminal record. Her sister Susie comes along to keep Jude in check, and also takes the opportunity to reveal a secret which leaves both sisters closer in relationship but separate in ideologies". A piece promising to be poignant yet funny, a bittersweet comedy looking at sisterhood and what it means to be a woman. See the venue website here for more.

Transit | Underbelly Festival | 27 May-7 Jul (pictured)
I missed the start of this run, which began towards the end of last month, because I am stupid. But never mind, it's on until July so you still have lots of chances to see it. Anyway, if you're a fan of circus you may be aware that super successful Canadian troupe Flip Fabrique are back at Udderbelly with their latest show 'Transit'. If you don't think you are a fan of circus, this is probably the sort of show that could change your mind, and who knows, even change your life. No guarantees on the changing your life thing, but I am prepared to guarantee a pretty good time. See this page here for more.
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