by guest critic Amy Toledano
Walking into the Royal Court to see Rory Mullarkey’s new show Pity, one is welcomed by a full brass band, a working ice-cream stand and a heck of a lot of colour. The energy in the room is buzzing but has a slight edge. From the first moment it is evident that this show is going to be a new theatre experience for me.
by associate editor Joanna Trainor
“In a world where the truth is hard to come by, raising your voice and removing the mask can be the boldest act of them all.”
The above premise for Invisible Light sounds a little sanctimonious, but it’s not actually an hour of people patting themselves on the back for being so right-on. It’s really seven short stories that explore identity and what that means in 2018, and all but one* of them are a little bit tongue-in-cheek, or play with the idea in some way.
by guest critic Gregory Forrest
A new Alan Bennett play is an event. And hospitals – the epicentres of birth and death – are eventful places. Allelujah! is a match made in heaven then.
by guest critic Amy Toledano
DryWrite and the brilliant Vicky Jones brings us another hilarious and poignant piece about love, relationships and manipulation.
by guest critic Amy Toledano
Shepard Tone Theatre Company’s An Abundance of Tims is a rather strange one-man show that feels like exactly what it claims to be – a story all about Tim and the misadventures he and his two speaker companions (also both played by Tim) have.
by an anonymous guest critic
Pigspurt’s Daughter is a kalaediscopic, one-woman show in which Daisy Campbell takes the audience on a journey through the life of her father, the theatre legend Ken Campbell. Campbell, for those too young to know of his work, was an eccentric and brilliant theatre impresario, actor, writer, director and producer.
by guest critic Amy Toledano
Boxman by Daniel Keene is the story of Ringo, a former child soldier, now homeless man living in a box on the inner city streets of London. Reflecting on race, culture and the struggles faced by many immigrants who come to the UK searching for a home, Boxman examines what it means to be lost, lonely and forgotten.
by Laura Kressly
Billie has been around. Now in her 60s, she reflects on a life filled with sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. But it’s not always been carefree – looking after her dying mother, dysfunctional relationships and a lack of parental support system meant that from her teen years she largely had to find her own way. Though she grew up in the age of free love, she also saw its dark underbelly and wants to share what she’s learnt along the way.
by Laura Kressly
There are many reasons why the classics are still read and performed, with their enduring relevance one of them. Ovid’s Metamorphoses, a narrative poem containing more than 250 different myths, is a wealth of flexible source material that can easily be updated and applied to modern socio-political landscapes. Here, five different myths are updated by five different playwrights to comment on a range of current topics, from #MeToo to the refugee crisis. Ranging in style and quality, the new writing night is largely well-curated and impactful.
By Laura Kressly
In 1930s Key West, German x-ray technician Carl Tanzler harbours an obsession for a local woman dying of Tuberculosis. Claiming to have nine degrees and access to technology that will cure her, he lavishes her with gifts and dubious treatments though the married woman never returns his affections. When she inevitably dies, he pays for the construction a mausoleum for her. Not content with this tribute, two years after her death he steals her remains and lives with them as his wife for seven years before being discovered.
The Play's The Thing UK 