THURSDAY 23 MARCH 2017 THISWEEKLONDON.COM
LUCY CARLESS: SEA FRET
The next show to go up over at the Old Red Lion Theatre is a new four hander by Tallulah Brown, focusing on human relationships and the erosion of our coastlines, and which examines the way in which people define themselves by the land they live on.

The cast is led by TV star Lucy Carless, who plays Mattie Hawkins in the rather successful Channel 4 sci-fi series 'Humans'. I arranged to have a quick chat ahead of the play's opening night. Read the interview here.

'Sea Fret' is on at the Old Red Lion theatre from 28 Mar-22 Apr. Click this link here for more info and to book tickets.



WINDSON LIONG: CHINGLISH
David Henry Hwang's 'Chinglish' was first performed in the US in 2011, but it's not been produced over here... until now. The play gets its European premiere at The Park Theatre this week, following the highly successful run there in 2013 of another of his works, 'Yellow Face'.

To find out more about the play, and this staging of it, I spoke to one of the actors appearing in the show, Windson Liong. Read the interview here.

'Chinglish' is on at The Park Theatre from 22 Mar-22 Apr, see this page here for more info.



FRIDAY 24 MARCH 2016 >>

Friends For All | Canada Water Culture Space | 24-25 Mar
"Inspired by Grandad's hippy stories from the swinging 60s, eight year old Lexi decides to fight the powers that be, namely her class teacher Mr Marsh and the class bully, Suzy." An interactive spoken word performance about being an outsider, aimed at children of primary school age, performed by poet and rapper Simon Mole, who co-created it with Peader Kirk. See this page here for all the info.

Big Bang Sprint 2017 | Camden People's Theatre | 24 Mar
If what you fancy today is a veritable smorgasbord of entertainment and artistic endeavour, a platform for the new, experimental and work in progress, then you'd better head over to Camden People's Theatre for a Sprint edition of their well-established Big Bang showcase strand. Take a look at this link here for what to expect.

Seventeen | Lyric Hammersmith | 4 Mar-8 Apr (pictured)
Have you seen this yet? Because it's been up and running for a while now and the reviews are very much in - most (not quite all) being highly complimentary. It's a new play from Australian writer Matthew Whittet, and sees a cast of 60-something actors playing the roles of a bunch of seventeen and eighteen year olds. It's not the first time adults have been cast as children, but it's rare, and it's interesting to see. See the venue website here for more.


SATURDAY 25 MARCH 2016 >>

Pigeon Patrol | Camden People's Theatre | 25 Mar
This is interesting, because you won't be sitting down in the theatre, you'll be off on a nice walk from CPT to Kenwood House. What does this have to do with pigeons, you may be asking? Well, the point is to see the city from the pigeons' point of view. If you've ever read Peter Ackroyd's biography of London, you may remember his claim that pigeons fly particular routes across the city, and on this urban trek, you'll be following one of these fly lines. See this page here for more info.

Eleanor Conway - Walk Of Shame | The Albany Great Portland Street | 25 Mar
The energetic and charismatic presence that is Eleanor Conway has some lurid and true tales to tell you about her rather interesting and exciting life, not limited to but including partying round the world as a music journo, tinder-ing her way round London, working for triads in Asia, and making hardcore porn. Brave-hearted souls, head this way for info and to book.

Science Blast - The Big Bang | The Cockpit | 25 Mar (pictured)
Whoo, hoo, it's one for all the family and it involves, mayhem, destruction, explosions, and, of course, science. Roll up for the sort of science experiment you wouldn't want to do at home, and maybe even lend a helping hand to your host, The UK's most dangerous scientist Prof Kaos. See this page here for details.


SUNDAY 26 MARCH 2016 >>

On The Night | Arcola Theatre | 26 Mar
We like this kind of thing. In their own words: "Using a team of industry professionals we are proud to showcase writers work to an audience, allowing them to see fifteen minutes of whatever the writer has chosen. We grab some savvy actors and brilliant directors and present an evening of varied, eclectic work that we hope entertains and excites but also allows our chosen writers the chance to learn, develop and see their words brought to life". Fantastic, head this way for more.

Ingo's War | Etcetera Theatre | 26 Mar
I think this sounds lovely, not least because its about an animal. Ingo is a dog living with a loving owner in the city of London, but war is on the horizon and the Blitz soon threatens his happy and comfortable life. He ends up plunged into a difficult adventure, seeing the war from all angles, coming face to face with its dangers, and finding his courage. Told by Ditto Theatre company via the medium of storytelling, puppetry and movement. An excellent choice for a family outing, I reckon, see this page here for tickets.

A Regular Little Houdini | King's Head Theatre | 26-27 Mar (pictured)
This one man play, written and performed by Daniel Llewelyn-Williams, is set in Newport, South Wales, at the turn of the last century and is a coming of age piece about a dock-worker's son who idolises Harry Houdini and opts to become a magician. Edwardian Britain, as you'll probably already appreciate, isn't the best place to try and kick-start an entertainment career when you're bogged down by poverty and the trials of working-class life. It's had lots of good reviews, this one, so don't miss this short run. Click here for details.


MONDAY 27 MARCH 2016 >>

Pricked Out | King's Head Theatre | 25-29 Mar
"A young man, lying asleep on a deserted beach, is woken up by another young man who has lost his bearings and needs help in discovering where he is. After beginning to question each other it quickly becomes clear that neither of them have any idea of who they are or where they find themselves. But did they perhaps know each other well a long time ago?" This new play by Nicholas de Jongh is described as falling into the genre we call 'magic realism', and I bloody love magic realism so I'm sold. See this page here for more.

Body & Sold | Park Theatre | 27 Mar
This is the first of three one-off shows forming The Park Theatre's strand of staged readings focusing on the sort of contemporary issues that face young people in the 21st Century. 'Body & Sold' is a documentary play based on interviews with young people in the US who ran away from home, exploring what happens to them when they are out there on their own, and what they have to do to survive. For more info on this and the other two readings, see the venue website here.

John Hastings - Integrity | Soho Theatre | 27-29 Mar (pictured)
I've been aware of John Hastings making quite the impression on the Edinburgh Festival these last few years, so it's good to see him turning up at the Soho Theatre with his Fringe 2016 show 'Integrity'. It's about some pretty heavy subject matter - including the murder of his godmother - but, no, you don't have to check, this is a comedy set, and it will be funny, I promise. Click this link here to see a picture of him in his pants. Oh, and to find out more details and book tickets.


TUESDAY 28 MARCH 2016 >>

Ballet Black | ArtsDepot | 28 Mar
The brilliant Ballet Black heads to north London with its latest mixed bill commissioned by artistic director Cassa Pancho. Expect three pieces of bold choreography blending the classical, contemporary, narrative and abstract: Martin Lawrance's 'Captured', set to the music of Shostakovich, Michael Corder's abstract 'House of Dreams', and a twist on a traditional fairy tale in South Bank Award winner Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's 'Red Riding Hood'. Get your tickets, here, before they are all gone.

Letters To Myself | Camden People's Theatre | 28-29 Mar (pictured)
"I've been given the opportunity to write to you and realised there are a few things I'd like to say. You are bright, unique and capable of anything. You are really more precious than you can imagine. You don't marry Keanu Reeves. I'm really sorry to break it to you." A show created using real letters written by real people, 'Letters To Myself' takes a look at regret, but promises to be funny and heart-warming at the same time. Click this link here for more.

Sea Fret | Old Red Lion | 28 Mar-22 Apr
This new play, written by Tallulah Brown and directed by Carla Kingham is about erosion, of more than one kind, of friendship, home and family. Protagonist Ruby lives in a house on the coast which is directly affected by rising sea levels, but it's hard to stay focused on that when she wants spend time with her best friend Lucy before she leaves to go to university. See the venue website here for details.


WEDNESDAY 29 MARCH 2016 >>

Ivy Davies - Play Ground | Wilton's Music Hall | 29-31 Mar (pictured)
Performance poet Ivy Davies has realised she has been living upside down, and has decided that things need to be turned around. It looks to me like this will be a lovely, intimate sort of performance, and promises a "magical journey through time and space, weaving spoken word and song together in this one woman show". Aces. See this page here for all the info.

Our Carnal Hearts | The Albany Deptford | 29-30 Mar
The excellent Rachel Mars is the brain behind this piece celebrating the darker side of our human selves - our propensity for envy, our competitive spirits, the tendency to screw each other over... it's supported by a live surround-sound choral score, composed by the brilliant Louise Mothersole, and comes to you in a much practised state, as it's been touring the US and the UK. Click this link here for details.

Shirley & Shirley | Greenwich Theatre | 29 Mar
The very brilliant pairing that is Shirley & Shirley do great sketches and fantastic characters, and we first found them, as you might not be surprised to hear, quite a few years ago up at ye old edfringe. Here's your chance to see them in action just south of the river, not least because, as they point out, they are "without a doubt the best British-Surinamese, Irish-Palestinian double act working on the comedy circuit today." See the venue website here for more.


THURSDAY 30 MARCH 2016 >>

Free Lunch With The Stenchwench | Camden People's Theatre | 30 Mar-1 Apr (pictured)
It's described as "a one-woman flea circus with faded glory, austerity pants, drop scones and hot chocolate", and examines the drive for survival, and the will to fit into a society in the grip of austerity. Catherine Hoffman presents an account of shame and poverty, of Cheap clothes, thrifty bread, cold baths, and growing up as part of a "feral underclass". See this page here for info.

Battery Life | Lyric Hammersmith | 30-31 Mar
It's on at the Lyric, but it's the work of Chickenshed Theatre and Chelsea's Youth Theatre, and it considers the relationships we humans have with technology, the impact on our lives of digital advances. Classic tales - 'Snow White', 'Goldilocks', 'Billy Goats Gruff' - are given a thought-provoking, technological twist. Click here for more.

Bliss/Mutluluk | Arcola Theatre | 30 Mar-1 Apr
"Lake Van, Eastern Turkey. Meryem, a fifteen-year-old rape victim, is accused of shaming her family. Cemal, her cousin, is tasked with an honour killing. But their journey takes an unexpected turn..." This new musical adaptation of Zülfü Livaneli's 'Bliss' is directed by Arcola Artistic Director Mehmet Ergen, and is only on for three nights before embarking on a European tour. Don't worry about it being in Turkish, there are surtitles, see the venue website here for details.
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