Readers may be aware that we are big fans of Calm Down Dear, Camden People's Theatre's annual festival of new feminist theatre and performance, which is now celebrating its tenth year. We usually select lots of events from it in our Three To See recommendations.
This year, the festival is being curated by one of our favourite companies, RashDash, and I thought it would be great to get an insight from them into what it's like to oversee the programme of an event like this, as well as a bit about what to expect from the line up.
So I spoke to RashDash's Helen Goalen and Abbi Greenland.
CLICK HERE to read this Caro Meets interview.
The Calm Down Dear festival runs at Camden People's Theatre until 17 Jun. See this page here for all events.
JONATHAN BANK: YOURS UNFAITHFULLY
Last week we tipped a show called 'Yours Unfaithfully' - which is on at Jermyn Street Theatre until July - because it's an old play, rediscovered and only recently given its first ever staging, and I love it when that happens.
Having recommended the show based on its obvious promise, I thought it might also be good to find out a bit more about it.
The show is staged in London by New York-based company Mint Theater, following their initial US production in 2017. I spoke to director Jonathan Bank.
CLICK HERE to read this Caro Meets interview.
'Yours Unfaithfully' is on at Jermyn Street Theatre until 1 Jul. For more information and to book tickets head to the venue website here.
FESTIVAL STUFF>>
Lucy Hopkins: Dark Mother | Soho Theatre | 8-10 Jun (pictured)
As I think I said quite recently, with summer comes a big glut of festivals, so often at this time of year it can be hard to dedicate a whole section to just one of them. So today we have a couple of festival-y mixed bags, which is nice. We are starting with a pick from the London Clown Festival over at Soho Theatre, and a show we have actually tipped previously and recently. But it's definitely worth tipping Lucy Hopkins again and again. Click here for her show and here for the full fest line up.
All The Men Are Going To Hate Me | Camden People's Theatre | 7 Jun
And now over to the lovely and feminist Calm Down Dear festival at Camden People's Theatre. Loads and loads of good stuff in the line up for this week, so do take a look at all the listings here. But also, pay attention to me going on about something that really jumped out at me: a one woman show about one woman's attempt to write The Great Female Novel, which looks at how women can create such works when held to tighter standards than men. Read about that here.
The Merry Wives | The Bedford | 12 Jun
Finally in this section, it's time to head to the lovely Wandsworth Fringe, which is on from 9-25 Jun, and has lots of events from all kinds of genres taking place at many different venues. So, again, check out the full listings right about here. We've honed in on one particular show, though, and it's 'The Merry Wives' at The Bedford, a new and witty comedy musical based on the Shakespeare play with a similar name, as you might well expect. Book tickets for that here.
MORE FESTIVAL STUFF>>
More Fiya: A Celebration Of Black British Poetry | Roundhouse | 12 Jun
Okay, well this second section of alleged festival stuff isn't quite as purely festival stuff as the previous section. However, this show here is bona fide, an alluring pick from the brilliant Last Word Festival over at Roundhouse. This is a night celebrating the paperback publication of the anthology 'More Fiya: A New Collection Of Black British Poetry', edited by Kayo Chingonyi, and features performances by creatives who have work in the book. For more info on both the book and the performance, see this page here.
Dedication | Marylebone Theatre | 7-24 Jun
This one's here not because it's part of a festival right now, but because we saw it at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe last year, where it had a critically acclaimed run. It's a one man show by New York pianist Roger Peltzman, who tells the story of his family's experiences of fleeing from the Nazis via the media of drama, humour and musical performance. For more information and to book tickets, head to the venue website here.
Julie: The Musical | King's Head Theatre | 6-10 Jun (pictured)
This one's not in a festival, either, but it is part of the latest season in the King's Head Theatre's The Takeover, which feels a bit festival-like. This particular season is curated by Tania Azevedo and features LGBTQ+ musical theatre. There are loads of different shows running between now and the end of July, but because I like my history, my eyes were drawn to 'Julie: The Musical', which is about a real historical figure and bisexual icon, Julie D'Aubigny. More here.
SHORT STOPS>>
Pinocchio | Half Moon Theatre | 8-10 Jun
And now a short stops section, which could also maybe - and more informatively - have the title 'some family shows and some comedy'. First up is one of the family shows, as we head over to the Half Moon Theatre for a date with everyone's favourite wooden boy, Pinocchio. This particular telling of the well loved tale is back at the venue by popular demand, so - as you might expect - tickets are selling quickly, so if you are interested, head this way to book yours soon.
Daniel Muggleton: White & Wrong (But Mostly White) | 21Soho | 9-10 Jun
One for the grown ups this, and of course it's the aforementioned comedy element of the Short Stops section. Daniel Muggleton - "an Australian stand-up comedian wearing a tracksuit" - is of course someone that we first heard about via the old edfringe, and has a history of achieving sell out runs and glowing reviews. Expect "some truth bombs on the white man" and other touchy topics like taxes and religion. Find info and booking links in the venue listings here.
Súper Chefs | Theatre Peckham | 11-14 Jun (pictured)
Yay, another show for those of you with young folk to entertain, suitable for four to eight year olds: "Six year old Manny is making his very first guacamole for his dad's welcome home dinner. Manny's grandma is preparing the dessert, but Abuela doesn't like boys in the kitchen - after all, it wasn't like that before. But Manny feels differently. Why can't he become a chef? Or a superhero like Mighty Mujer? Or both?!" Read more about it here.
LONGER RUNS>>
Paper Cut | Park Theatre | 7 Jun-1 Jul
And now, some longer theatrical runs to get your teeth into, starting over at Park Theatre: "A young gay American soldier, Kyle, returns from Afghanistan after being injured in an IED blast. Only a paper cut. Or that's what he wants his friends, family and a potential new love to believe. 'Paper Cut' is a raw exploration of the physical and emotional toll of returning soldiers and how they navigate their way through another minefield - returning home". Details here.
My Uncle Is Not Pablo Escobar | Brixton House | 7-24 Jun (pictured)
Hmm, looks like this is another event with a festival connection, as it's being presented alongside the Latin X Brixton Festival, a series of panels, workshops and talks around co-creation, activism, creativity and Latinx culture. The play itself challenges negative stereotypes about people from Latin America, and "imagines how a powerful team of Latinx women could come together at great risk to themselves to expose men profiting from crime". Read more here.
Snakehead | The Hope Theatre | 6-24 Jun
"England. 2023. A town in the middle of nowhere. One woman's life is about to change forever. Throughout history, Medusa has been given a rough ride. She is presented as either grotesque monster or seductive temptress, what men fear or what turns them on. Now she's here to tell you what actually happened, sing some songs and set the record straight". This sounds good, a gig-theatre exploration of the story of Medusa, find out more and book tickets here.
MORE GREAT STUFF>>
Blueprints | Pleasance Theatre | 12-17 Jun (pictured)
And finally, three more very compelling pieces of theatre, of varying length in run. 'Blueprints', a new Afro-futurist show by Ashlee Elizabeth-Lolo, explores beginnings, knowledge and ancestral inheritance. "Are you destined to repeat ancestral patterns forever? If you could know the entire history of your bloodline, and everything you're passing on to your children, would you want to know? Welcome to the Blueprints programme, where we can protect you from the past because, after all, knowledge is power. Right?" Click here.
The Unicorn | Arcola Theatre | 7-24 Jun
"After her life takes an unexpected turn, Andrea finds herself overwhelmed by feelings of frustration and depression. She attempts to combat her loneliness through casual sex, but what starts as a distraction soon threatens to take over her life". This intriguing new play by Sam Potter promises to be darkly comic and provide an "evocative portrait of a woman driven to extremes in this vivid examination of obsession, desire and despair". So yes, I'm interested. More here.
Richard III (A One Person Show) | Jack Studio | 6-10 Jun
And so to your last tip for this week, and it's a show that's already won acclaim and awards, so you can trust that it will be a worthwhile experience. This one actor version of the Shakespeare play promises to obliterate the fourth wall and sees the audience taking on the roles of the other characters at Richard's 'party' - don't worry though, participation is gentle, consensual, and you don't have to speak unless you want to. Find out more right about here.
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