by Louis Train
Thomas is, in the words of its creator, “a story that’s as much for those on the spectrum as it is for people who aren’t.” The spectrum in this case is the Autistic Spectrum, and Thomas is an honest, open, and confident look at what life can be like for people who experience the world a bit differently.
by Laura Kressly
It’s no secret that the social class system in this country has marginalised the working classes, with women pushed to the absolute fringes of society. To the world outside their immediate circle, sometimes no bigger than the street they live on, they are invisible. Solo shows Opal Fruits and Dangerous Lenses, though radically different in style, seek to change that by centering the working class woman’s experiences and demanding attention for those wilfully forgotten.
by Laura Kressly
Orson Welles’ 1938 broadcast of The War of Worlds caused widespread panic with its reports of an alien invasion in New Jersey. Or did it? Did the newspapers exaggerate the reaction to sell papers, the way websites now use clickbait for hits?
By Laura Kressly
Even the most powerful of men can fall when society finally decides their actions are no longer excusable. Unfortunately, women have their lives ruined before these men get what they deserve, and the women closest to them have to clean up the mess. Because the patriarchy is so deeply ingrained, women may even be complicit in the abuse that men perpetuate.
by Laura Kressly
There’s so much humanity in the seedy underbellies of cities that’s easily sneered at by the white middle classes. Yet sex workers and drug dealers, corrupt cops and pterodactyls in Che Walker’s LA prevent the city from becoming a sterile, corporate hell occupied solely by the rich.
Yes, pterodactyls.
by Laura Kressly
Everyone knows the myth of Robin Hood – a heroic forest dweller fights against injustice by stealing from the rich to help the poor in medieval Nottingham. Is there any truth is the story, though? Richard Hurford’s interpretation suggests Hood isn’t particularly ambitious and a bit shy; he just wants to hang in the woods with his mates. The real hero is Maid Marian, but she knows she won’t be taken seriously as a woman.
By Laura Kressly
I’d never considered hair salons to be the domain of estranged, murderous sisters, but this contemporary, actor-muso update of Snow White shows a darker underbelly of this normally jolly place. At the Happy Ever After salon, Trish has built a beauty empire that she rules with an iron fist, toxic pomades and razor sharp scissors. Punctuated by original vintage-style tunes, puppetry and engaging performances, this show is a sophisticated pantomime that’s diverse, accessible and fun.
by Amy Toledano
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is a book treasured by many. The story centres around family, self-discovery and growing up. Over the years there have been many different adaptations of this tale, and this latest retelling is a heart-warming modernization of a classic story.
by Amy Toledano
In anyone fifteen years old, emotions are running high. Everything feels bigger and more extreme than it actually is, so it’s easy to be swallowed up by all the feelings. Add on top of that being queer in the North of the UK, and the teen years are bound to be an absolute rollercoaster. Drip is a lovely reminder of what it feels like to be young, and how important friendship is.
by Laura Kressly
A story of two men who murder people in order to sell their corpses to doctors in 1820s Edinburgh shouldn’t work as a dark character comedy with music. But largely work it does and this three-hander, though somewhat structurally clumsy, is a good alternative to more typical Christmas theatre.
The Play's The Thing UK 