MONDAY 5 APRIL 2021 THISWEEKCULTURE.COM
CASSIE SYMES AND GEORGINA THOMAS: GENERAL SECRETARY
The edfringe fans amongst our readership may well be familiar with Cassie Symes and Georgina Thomas - aka Thick 'n' Fast - from their acclaimed show 'Not Quite', which was on at Gilded Balloon in the summer of 2019.

If you're not familiar with them, well, I expect you will be before long, as I am sure you'll be seeing lots of their work achieving critical acclaim in the future.

Their latest show 'General Secretary', created in lockdown, will be shortly presented digitally via Applecart Arts. I spoke to the duo, to find out more about the show, their history, and their hopes for the future.

CLICK HERE to read this Caro Meets interview.

'General Secretary' is streaming via Applecart Arts from 8-24 Apr, see this page here for more information and to book.
With most COVID restrictions still in place, this week we are tipping the best in digital culture from across the UK - including online shows from performers and companies we first discovered at the Edinburgh Festival.


THREE THEATRICAL THINGS>>

Charley's Aunt | Proud Haddock | 11-18 Apr
I've been imagining everyone meeting six people outside over the last week or so, but it's not been the best weather for it, and this week looks like it's going to be really quite cold. So I guess you will all be still very much in need of streaming home entertainment options. Let's start with this online reading of Brandon Thomas' classic 1892 farce 'Charley's Aunt', which features appearances from a number of familiar faces, including Gyles Brandreth, Ruby Bentall, Karl Queensborough, Gary Wilmot and Issy Van Randwyk. It will stream live on 11 Apr via YouTube and will remain available until 18 Apr, and is in theory free, but this is a fundraiser for the Equity Charitable Trust which provides financial support to those in need in the theatre industry, so do consider clicking 'donate' when you head this way to find out more.

Try Harder | The Space | 6-8 Apr (pictured)
"'Try Harder' tells the story of three young adults, desperate for money, who attend training for a job they know absolutely nothing about. To make matters worse they have the boss from hell, impossible to satisfy, no matter how hard they try to carry out their work". Yeah, this brings back memories of my early twenties. And my late twenties, to be honest. But enough about me, here's yet another intriguing sounding bit of online theatre from The Space, which will be delivered via Zoom. Described as a "surreal comedy drama", 'Try Harder' - written and directed by Yusuf Niazitakes - is a look at the increasing pressures of contemporary life for young people, asking the question "When is your good, good enough?". For more info and to book see this page here.

Disenchanted | stream.theatre | 9-11 Apr
This critically acclaimed musical comedy that sees Disney princesses behaving in rather subversive ways gets a digital airing via stream.theatre this month, though for a fairly short time, so don't let it pass you by. "Revamping the tales of 'happily ever after' in an empowering all-female musical romp, 'Disenchanted' brings together a band of not-so-merry princesses, keen to rewrite their tales as old as time. Tossing their tiaras and setting the record straight, the royal renegades are here to comically belt out the truths that fairy-tales would have preferred stayed quiet". To book your tickets and find out more, head to this page here.


THREE THINGS FOR KIDS>>

The Giant's Loo Roll | TaleGate Theatre Productions | until 19 Apr (pictured)
Most of you are in the middle of the Easter holidays now, I think, so it's time for some suggestions as to how to keep the little darlings entertained. We'll start with 'The Giant's Loo Roll', based on Nicholas Allan's book of the same name, which tells a story of what happens when a giant's gigantic loo roll bounces into the lives of those living in the town near his house. Luckily, they're able to put it to good use. This production is by TaleGate Theatre Productions - edfringe fans may remember their previous Nicholas Allen adaptation, festive musical 'Father Christmas Needs A Wee!' - who promise a fabulously funny and witty show. See this Vimeo page here for more.

The Stone Soup | Little Angel Theatre | from 11 Apr
Our next suggestion is 'The Stone Soup', a short film featuring puppetry, storytelling, original music, and a specially designed 'crankie theatre' with scrolling paper scenery, which offers a retelling of a classic European folk tale: Three travellers arrive in a village and claim they will make soup from a stone, which sparks the curiosity of the locals. Read more about it here. But, also, while you're at the Little Angel Theatre site, it might be worth having a further look at their line up of online content plus live Zooms, some of which we have tipped in recent months. Click here.

Sunny Day Stories / Mini Beast Mask Mayhem! | Polka Theatre | 7+8 Apr
If you've got kids of the busy and proactive type to keep busy, Polka Theatre might be the venue with options for you, as they have two interesting workshops for you to book into this week. 'Sunny Day Stories' is for children aged two to five, and promises to "transport participants to sunnier climes, exploring exotic landscapes like rainforests and rolling hills... maybe even dipping our toes in the sand down at the seaside!" The second, 'Mini Beast Mask Mayhem!', is for small ones aged three to seven, and - as the name probably suggests - will show them how to create imaginative masks and then transport them into an outdoor adventure. Click here for the first and here for the second.


THREE MORE THINGS TO VIEW ONLINE>>

Return Of The Craic Comedy Club Online | 9 Apr
As ever, we're on a mission to bring you some stuff that will make you laugh like a loon and keep your spirits up, especially as spring can be a bit up and down, really. I mean, one day it's sunny and energising and you feel all joyous because of the blossom, and then the next morning there's a hard frost and grey skies giving way to heavy rain later. And this year the shops aren't properly open for retail therapy. Anyway, I feel as though the chances of you having a good laugh this week are high if you check in at Return Of The Craic to enjoy appearances by Angela Barnes, Ed Gamble, Harry Hill, Pete Heat and MC Jarlath Regan. For more information, head to this location right about here.

One More Edit | Impermanence/Bristol Old Vic | 12-25 Apr (pictured)
One for dance fans now: 'One More Edit' is a collection of works made for film from a range of artists working in dance, from both the UK and overseas, which will be available to stream via Bristol Old Vic for a limited period. The programme of what's described as "evocative and inspiring dance works" has been curated by Bristol-based contemporary dance specialists Impermanence and includes up-and-coming talent as well as the work of established and iconic choreographers, including 'Edits Film' by Marisa Zanotti - "a poetic document from 2014 of the final performance by Lea Anderson's all-male company The Featherstonehaughs". For more information and to book see this page here.

Collywobblers Comedy Fundraiser | 11 Apr
Let's finish with yet more comedy, to continue batting away the pandemic blues, and here's a fundraiser with a startlingly good line up. The event is hosted by Esther Manito and Lily Phillips, and you can expect appearances from a long list of great acts, many TW favourites, which I am sure you will be more than aware of: Jen Brister, Catherine Bohart, Lou Sanders, Sindhu Vee, Stephen Bailey, Rosie Jones, Aurie Styla and Jessica Fostekew. It's a Zoom thing meaning tickets are limited, so head this way soon to book your tickets if you want them.
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