Tag: theatre

Review: Big Brother Blitzkrieg at King’s Head Theatre

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Could Adolf Hitler win Big Brother?

Yes, you read that correctly. Big Brother Blitzkrieg, at King’s Head Theatre until 30th January, is a satirical play by Hew Rous Eyre and Max Elton, in which a confused Hitler wakes up to find himself the newest contestant on the infamous reality TV show. Bemused by the pointless tasks and petty squabbles, and with an instant hatred for mum of three, Rachel, it’s not long before Hitler begins to subtly manipulate his fellow housemates – and the British public – with alarming ease.

Big Brother Blitzkrieg, Bitter Pill
Photo credit: Jack Fisher

The idea is bizarre, and the show takes arguably a little too long to make its point – though there’s certainly plenty of fun to be had along the way. But in the end the message, encapsulated in the powerfully visual final scene, is quietly horrifying. We’d like to say that the rise of Hitler could never happen again, that we’ve learnt our lesson – but the truth is, whether it’s a Big Brother contestant or Donald Trump, it turns out human beings can still be that easily led.

Stephen Chance is brilliant as Hitler, with a seemingly limitless range of facial expressions and a flawless accent. His performance brims with the charisma that won over so many, and yet also highlights the character defects – temper tantrums, stubbornness, petulance – of this legendary historical figure, who at the end of the day was just a man, and a pretty ridiculous one at that.

He’s joined by an eccentric cast of housemates, each of whom is necessarily a bit one-dimensional, a ticked box on the reality TV checklist: gay guy (Neil Summerville), young rapper (Kit Loyd), feminist (Hannah Douglas) and PR superwoman (Jenny Johns). The only one who doesn’t seem to fit is Rachel (Tracey Ann Wood), who just seems like a nice person, without any particular ‘angle’ – and is consequently derided by her fellow housemates as boring and weak.

Big Brother Blitzkrieg, Bitter Pill
Photo credit: Jack Fisher

Leaving aside Hitler for a moment, the parody of Big Brother (who’s represented by the calm, unflappable voice of George Smith) is great fun, whether you’re a fan of the show or not. But it’s also, depressingly, not a parody at all; in fact, if anything, it’s pretty tame compared to some of the things that actually go on – just look at the bizarre mix-up on CBB this week over David Bowie’s death. And even though the play’s housemates openly admit that the show’s rubbish and nobody watches it any more, they all still desperately want to win. Never mind Hitler – what does that say about the human race?

Big Brother Blitzkrieg is almost like two plays in one, taking on Hitler and Big Brother simultaneously. It’s great fun and quite, quite bonkers – the image of a Marigolds-clad Hitler clutching a feather duster is one I won’t soon forget. But Bitter Pill’s production also has a serious message, which – once it becomes clear – is unsettling and should give any modern audience pause for thought.


Can’t see the map on iPhone? Try turning your phone to landscape and that should sort it. I don’t know why but I’m working on it… 😉

2015 theatre highlights

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Yes, I’m officially jumping on the top 10 bandwagon. It had to be done. Like everyone else, I’ve thought long and hard about my choices – and given that I lost count a long time ago of the number of shows I’ve seen this year, it hasn’t been easy.

And here they are – but first, a quick disclaimer. These are ten shows that have meant a lot to me personally, for whatever reason. They might not be the biggest, or the best from a critic’s perspective… but that’s probably because I’m not a critic. I’m just a theatre fan who enjoys writing about it afterwards.

Oh, and they’re in no particular order. Just choosing ten was hard enough – if I had to put them in order too, we’d be here till 2017.

So here goes:

Beans on Toast (Patch of Blue)

My introduction to Patch of Blue came at the Wimbledon Illuminate Festival; I was sold instantly on the promise of lamplight and folk music, and I wasn’t disappointed. The story of a couple like any other couple is so totally human and relatable that the characters begin to feel like your friends, and you feel every up and down in their relationship along with them.

Beans on Toast review for London Theatre 1

Kinky Boots

I haven’t seen the movie of Kinky Boots, and didn’t really know anything about it apart from it had drag queens in it – but I soon fell head over heels for this irresistible, feel-good musical with some catchy tunes from Cyndi Lauper. It might not be highbrow but it is ridiculously good fun, and sometimes that’s really all you need from a night at the theatre.

Kinky Boots review for London Theatre Direct

In The Heights

Lively, colourful and so full of energy it’s a wonder the roof stays on. In The Heights follows the hopes, fears, loves and losses of a close-knit Hispanic community in Washington Heights over three scorching summer days. With a great story, memorable characters and some spectacular dance numbers, In The Heights is an irresistible joy to watch.

In The Heights review for Carn’s Theatre Passion

Skin in Flames (stonecrabs theatre)

The best-known work by Spanish playwright Guillem Clua, this incredibly tense political thriller sees a photojournalist returning for the first time to the war-torn country where he took his most famous picture. It’s an ingeniously crafted piece and a gripping drama, but also leaves the audience with some serious questions about moral responsibility.

Also, Skin in Flames was the first time I saw a quote from my review on the wall, so it will always be special to me for that reason 🙂

Skin in Flames

Skin in Flames review for London Theatre 1

Consolation (Théâtre volière)

An unexpected delight, about two lost souls who find consolation in their mutual friendship. Nothing about this play is predictable; set in France, it tells the unlikely story of a woman convinced she was a Cathar heretic in a former life, and a young re-enactor at the local museum. As they both try to make sense of their lives, the results are at times funny, at others moving, but always fascinating to watch.

Consolation review for London Theatre 1

The Scottsboro Boys (Garrick Theatre)

The Scottsboro Boys, a musical by Kander and Ebb, is based on the true story of nine black teenagers convicted of rape in 1930s Alabama. The show starts out fun and light-hearted, but soon takes a more sinister turn as the boys’ situation worsens. This deeply moving and chilling tale of injustice is one that stays with you long after you’ve left the theatre.

The Scottsboro Boys review for London Theatre Direct

And Then Come The Nightjars (Theatre503)

Set during Britain’s foot and mouth crisis of 2001, Bea Roberts’ rural drama is a touching exploration of the friendship between a gruff Devon farmer and the local vet. It might not sound like a laugh a minute, but the chalk and cheese relationship between the two is unexpectedly funny and uplifting, with some truly moving performances.

And Then Come The Nightjars review

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 The Nether

Note to self: make sure you know what a play’s about before you go and see it… The Nether is a very disturbing story that messes with your head, set in a not-too-distant future, in which humans can live in a completely virtual world. The play poses some difficult questions – most notably, if you do something bad in the Nether but not in the real world, are you still guilty? Not one for the faint-hearted, but worth seeing for Es Devlin’s spectacular set alone.

The Nether review for London Theatre Direct

To Kill a Mockingbird

I missed this production at Regents Park Open Air Theatre, so when it transferred to the Barbican after a nationwide tour, I jumped at the chance to see it. Starring Robert Sean Leonard as Atticus Finch, and some of the best child actors I’ve ever seen, this play is a loving homage to the novel that inspired it; I’m so glad I got a second chance to see it.

To Kill a Mockingbird review

The Forbidden (Doll’s Eye Theatre)

This play still makes me shudder a little bit; it’s that unsettling. The Forbidden is a gripping story about four former school friends with a dark secret, which takes great delight in wrong-footing its audience with its twists and turns. But it’s also a startlingly accurate depiction of the way teenage girls interact… and it also ruined 5ive for me forever. But that’s okay.

The Forbidden review for London Theatre 1

A few honourable mentions, because I can’t help myself: Cyprus Sunsets, So It Goes, Blood Brothers, Rotterdam, The Railway Children, Proof and The State vs John Hayes. I’d better stop there or this bit could go on all day…

What were your theatre highlights this year?

Happy New  Year – here’s to more great theatre in 2016!

Review: Actor Awareness scratch night at Canal Cafe Theatre

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Until a few weeks ago, I didn’t know anything about Actor Awareness. Run by Tom Stocks, the campaign was set up two years ago to fight for equality and diversity in the arts, regardless of background. Last Monday, Actor Awareness presented their first scratch night, featuring six new short plays all based around the theme of working class. I bought my ticket because a friend had written one of the plays, and it was a really enjoyable evening, with a fascinating selection of plays and some brilliant performances.

The scratch night took place at the Canal Cafe Theatre, an intimate setting perfect for this kind of event. After each play, the audience were invited to give feedback – good or bad – to help the actors, writers and directors going forward. This had the potential to be a bit awkward, particularly if the feedback wasn’t all good, but it was all very constructive, and all the comments were taken in the spirit in which they were intended.

One of the most interesting aspects of the night was how varied the submissions were; if I hadn’t known in advance what the common theme was, I’d never have guessed. And they also covered the whole spectrum of emotions – from laugh out loud comedies like R(ex)ception and Netflix and Chill with Bae, to heartbreaking dramas C’est la Vie and 9 Cans and a Quarter Bottle.

We began with R(ex)ception, a short but very funny piece written by Francesca Mepham and directed by Adam Morley, about two co-workers, who also just happen to be exes. Naturally, hilarious awkwardness ensues as they try to work out their differences, in a very public forum. In addition, the play makes clever use of a third actor to separate the scenes and involve the audience in the story. My only complaint was that it was over too soon; the banter between the two exes was brilliant and I wanted to see more.

R(ex)ception by Fran Mepham
Photo credit: Alishia Love

Next was Garnet and Gordon, an intense and powerful play written by Francesca Wright and directed by Gaz Wilson. This is one I think we can all relate to; we’ve all had someone we’d rather avoid sit down next to us at the station or bus stop. But what’s interesting about this piece is how both the main characters clearly have more going on than initially meets the eye. I’d love to see the story developed further and get to the bottom of how both men found themselves sitting on that bench.

C’est la Vie, written and directed by Stephanie Perry, is an extract from a longer play about three couples (though we only saw two in this excerpt). The piece examines love through the eyes of each couple, and follows them through the ups and downs of their relationships, until a tragic set of circumstances brings them together. This play was really well acted, but just seeing an excerpt meant it was hard to properly get into it or know at what point of the story we’d come in. I’d love to see the full play, though, as it was clearly heading in an interesting direction.

C'est la Vie by Stephanie Perry
Photo credit: Alishia Love

Act 2 opened with 9 Cans and a Quarter Bottle, written and directed by Seamus Mcnamara. Along with a few other members of the audience, I didn’t completely follow what was going on with this one until the writer explained, at which point a lot of things suddenly made sense. Nonetheless, it’s still a very hard-hitting and moving piece, which was constructed from real accounts of living with drug addiction. The play’s an interesting mix of emotional, hilarious and just plain odd; I’d love to watch it again now, having had some insight into what it’s all about.

Family Estate, written and directed by Lawrence Crane, is a snapshot of life for a couple struggling to make ends meet – again, something many people can relate to. As he prepares to go out on a risky job (details of which remain unclear), she tries to talk him out of it. The back and forth argument is clearly one they’ve had many times before, and there’s a sense of things escalating. This play, too, feels like the beginning of a longer piece; it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, leaving the audience eager to know what happens next.

And finally, Netflix and Chill with Bae, written and directed by the show’s organiser, Tom Stocks. After some pretty heavy material, it was great to end the evening on a lighter note; this play is very funny because it’s totally real. We’ve all been on bad dates, and we’ve all experienced that inner monologue analysing every detail of what’s going right or wrong. What’s great about this play is that its characters are instantly likeable, and by the end you’re really rooting for them to get together, even though on paper they seem totally mismatched.

Netflix and Chill with Bae by Tom Stocks
Photo credit: Alishia Love

The next Actor Awareness scratch night has already been announced for February, and the theme is ‘Women’s night‘. So if you’re a female writer or director and fancy sending in a play on that theme that’s under 15 minutes long, this is your chance… Visit the Actor Awareness website for more details.


Can’t see the map on iPhone? Try turning your phone to landscape and that should sort it. I don’t know why but I’m working on it… 😉

Theatre round-up: 22 Nov 2015

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Sometimes you just have to see a show more than once (or should that be four times). This week had a couple of repeats, but since both were brilliant, I’m not complaining… So here’s what I’ve been enjoying this week:

Harlequinade / All On Her Own

I was lucky enough to be at the first preview of Harlequinade, one of the plays in the Branagh season at the Garrick Theatre. And when I was invited to see it again this week, I jumped at the chance. The double bill by Terence Rattigan begins with Zoë Wanamaker in All On Her Own, a short but incredibly intense piece about a woman who finds herself talking to her dead husband late at night after one too many whiskies.

It’s followed, in a swift change of pace, by Harlequinade, a comedy about a theatre company rehearsing Romeo and Juliet and The Winter’s Tale. The brilliant cast is led by Kenneth Branagh and Miranda Raison as the company’s lead actors, the Gosports – but for me, the star of the show is undoubtedly Tom Bateman as their overworked manager, Jack Wakefield. It’s a very funny play, and I only wish it had been a bit longer; there are so many actors that some of them get very limited stage time. Overall, though, it’s a lot of fun and I’d recommend it, especially if you’re not sure about Shakespeare – this play might just change your mind.

Review for London Theatre Direct to follow.

This week's theatre

Miss Saigon

My fourth trip to see Miss Saigon and I love it a little bit more every time. This particular outing was booked in response to the announcement that the show will be closing in February (news that still outrages me). There’s not a lot to say that I haven’t said before – I love the tragic love story between Kim, a Vietnamese girl, and Chris, an American GI; I love the music by Boublil and Schönberg; I love the helicopter, which still gives me a little thrill every time; I love the brilliant cast, especially Jon Jon Briones as the Engineer and the incredible Eva Noblezada as Kim (and a quick shout out to Richard Carson, who was a fantastic Chris on Friday evening); and I love how it makes me cry like a baby every time.

Basically, I love it.

Review for London Theatre Direct (written in February – after visit no.3 – so some cast members have changed)

This week’s theatre

Bit of a quiet one – lots of other things going on – so just the one show coming up this week:

The Illusionists, Shaftesbury Theatre

Theatre round-up: 8 Nov 2015

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Right, I haven’t done a theatre round-up for weeks – not because I haven’t been going to the theatre (far from it) but just because of lack of time. There are definitely not enough hours in the day lately.

So in an attempt to get back into a routine… this week I’ve had two theatre trips. And one of my recent reviews, of The Forbidden by Doll’s Eye Theatre, got a mention in an article on the Guardian website, which was pretty exciting 🙂

Anita and Me, and Rotterdam

Rotterdam (Theatre503)

It’s New Year’s in Rotterdam, and Alice is finally ready to come out to her parents by email – until her girlfriend Fiona makes the sudden announcement that she wants to start living as a man. Suddenly finding herself in a relationship with Adrian, instead of Fiona, leaves Alice wondering if this means she’s now straight. This touching and heartwarming comedy by Jon Brittain considers the labels placed on us by society, but also those we place on ourselves. Well worth a look if you can get there – it’s on until 21st November.

Review of Rotterdam for LondonTheatre1

Anita and Me (Theatre Royal Stratford East)

Based on Meera Syal’s 1997 novel and adapted by Tanika Gupta, Anita and Me is the story of 13-year-old Meena, and her friendship with the rebellious Anita. Faced with changes within their family and their neighbourhood, the girls have to decide what’s most important to them. This is a fun, entertaining play with some catchy tunes – but it tries to squeeze a bit too much in to a relatively short time, which makes it hard to get into the story or identify with the characters. I didn’t love it – but definitely didn’t dislike it either; it has a lot of potential to be a really good show.

Anita and Me review for LondonTheatre1

What have you seen at the theatre this week? Any recommendations?

Next week’s theatre

Puttin’ on the Ritz – Orchard Theatre, Dartford

Staying Alive (Blackshaw Theatre Company) – Pleasance Theatre