MONDAY 24 OCTOBER 2022 THISWEEKCULTURE.COM
BEN DUKE: TO START WITH
Coming up this week at Sadler's Wells is the world premiere of 'To Start With', an evening of works by John-William Watson, Magnus Westwell, Olive Hardy and Vidya Patel.

These four emerging artists form the second cohort of the venue's Young Associates scheme, which is a programme for talented dance artists aged 18-24 and 18-30 for d/Deaf and disabled choreographers.

For 'To Start With', the Young Associates have been working under the artistic guidance of experienced creative Ben Duke, Artistic Director of acclaimed dance theatre company Lost Dog.

I spoke to him, to find out more about what to expect from the show, and a bit about Ben himself.   

CLICK HERE to read this Caro Meets interview.

'To Start With' is on at Sadler's Wells Theatre on Wednesday 26 Oct. See the venue website here for further information and to book tickets.
TW Backstage is the all-new podcast from ThisWeek Culture, all about the business of comedy, culture, theatre and Fringe.
  RALLYING THE COMEDY COMMUNITY
Find out more about the Comedians' Charter that the union Equity launched at the start of this year's Edinburgh Fringe.
     
  YOU'VE DONE EDINBURGH, WHAT NEXT?
Practical tips and advice galore for how performers and producers can capitalise on momentum they built at the Edinburgh Fringe this August.
     
  FIXING THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL
We debate the issues facing the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and how the community might go about addressing them.
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We are currently putting together three editions of TW Backstage featuring conversations about the business of comedy in 2022, recorded earlier this year at the Cambridge Sound+Vision festival.

The first will look at how comedians go about pursuing careers in 2022, using live shows, online activity and the Edinburgh Fringe to build an audience and a business around their comedy.

Future editions will then put the spotlight on making comedy online and the future of livestreaming in the comedy world.

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Shows to see in person in London and online - including performances from people and companies we first discovered at the Edinburgh Festival.


KIDS' STUFF>>

Pedal Onwards Album Launch | Half Moon Theatre | 29 Oct
It's half term this week so I thought a section of child-friendly stuff might be welcome in some quarters, and if you're the sort of family that enjoys musical things, then this might well be the show for you. 'Pedal Onwards' is an album by family music favourite David Gibb and it focuses on his experience of growing up with a bicycle-obsessed dad. Read more here.

Oldilocks and The Three Bears | Polka Theatre | 25-30 Oct
"One winter, Oldilocks finds a teddy bear in the park and remembers a delicious bowl of porridge she tasted years ago in the woods. Something else happened but she can't quite remember what... so she sets off for the forest. Will she find the bears house and what will happen then?" I'm quite fond of a sequel and this one sounds rather fun. Click here for more.

Jack Frost and The Search For Winter | Jacksons Lane | 27-30 Oct (pictured)
Ohh, this one's almost a bit Christmassy, isn't it? Though it's a winter tale rather than a festive one, which has its own magic. This is a new play by poet and playwright Joseph Coelho about young Jack Frost, a mischievous young boy who each year brings the winter, but one year discovers that he has lost his frozen touch. Details on the venue website here.


SPOOKY STUFF>>

Unrestricted View Horror Film Festival | Hen & Chickens Theatre | 30 Oct-6 Nov
Talking of stuff for kids, some people in my experience seem to think that Hallowe'en is just for children, but that doesn't seem fair to me at all. So here are some lovely tips of scary-themed stuff for you to take in during this season of spookiness. First up, a whole short festival of horror films. You can get individual tickets for screenings, or a day or festival pass. Check out each day's line up in the listings here.

Dracula's Guest | Old Red Lion Theatre | 31 Oct
"An ancient creature, embittered by the burden of immortality and the intolerance of those who would decry him monster. Alone in his keep, but for the memories of centuries past. A living death that only a vampire could understand". An acclaimed play based on the works of Bram Stoker, on as part of the Old Red Lion Theatre's Grimfest. Read more about it here.

Seance | Watford Palace Theatre | 25 Oct-5 Nov (pictured)
Yes, it's not London, but it's not far, especially if you're in certain bits of London. Anyway, it's really interesting, an event that takes place in complete darkness inside a shipping container, "and explores the psychology of a group of people, and asks that they believe, not only in what seems to be happening inside the container but also in what might be conjured up into the room with them". More here.


FUNNY STUFF>>

Frankenstein's Monster Is Drunk And The Sheep Have All Jumped The Fences | Omnibus Theatre | 25-29 Oct (pictured)
Wasn't sure whether to put this one in the scary or the funny section, but in the end I thought it probably fit best here with some other comical things, it's a black comedy from the acclaimed Big Telly. The story's set in mid twentieth century Hollywood and sees a defrosted Frankenstein's monster the subject of "a love story of monstrous proportions". Find out more here.

Brown Sauce | 2Northdown | 27 Oct
And now for something funny in the stand-up comedy sense of funny. For yes, this is a stand up night, and it's one that takes place monthly, if you can't make it this time. 'Brown Sauce' features "the best South Asian comics (and other Asian friends) on the circuit" and this week you can see Daman Bamrah, Farah Sharp, Nadia Javed, Joshua Bethania and headliner Yuriko Kotani. Click here for all the info.

Zav | The Pen Theatre | 29 Oct
A one-person comedy drama from PJ Vickers about Ian Parry, a road-worker from Conwy who finds success unexpectedly as a photographer. "Leaving behind family and friends and his beloved Welsh mountains, he follows his fortunes, only to find humiliation at every turn. But with every disaster comes an ever-increasing payday". All the details right about here.


MORE GREAT STUFF>>

Born To Exist: The Woman I Know | The Place | 25-26 Oct (pictured)
And finally, another mixed bag for you genre wise, starting with something physical, a hip hop dance theatre production. The third part in Joseph Toonga's acclaimed trilogy overcoming stigmas society holds towards ethnic minorities, 'Born To Exist: The Woman I Know' promises to show "what is means to be a human and show it in all its ugliness, beauty, contradictions and complexity". Details here.

Super High Resolution | Soho Theatre | 27 Oct-3 Dec
And now for some theatre treats, first up a play about being a doctor in the modern NHS from Verity Bargate Award shortlisted playwright Nathan Ellis. "Being a doctor is a really good job and you get to save lives and help people, so Anna is determined not to quit. But when her patient runs out on her, and her personal life starts to spiral, she's not sure how much more she can take". Click here.

Des Fleurs | The Space | 25-29 Oct
"An ageing Judith faces early-onset Alzheimer's and the death of her husband John. As she argues with her children, her past and present become blurred. Memories come alive and she sees herself as a young wife and mother, surrounded by John and by her best friend and then lover Georgia". Another great sounding show at The Space. And one which you can see via livestream too! Info here.
At TW:CULTURE we champion the best in fringe theatre, comedy and culture.

Year round, we pick the best shows happening in London and online each week, providing handy Three To See recommendations and interviewing the people behind those productions.

Plus each summer we also cover the biggest cultural event in the world: The Edinburgh Festival.


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