by Laura Kressly
A new Caryl Churchill play is a special occasion, but four at once is a treat. Radically different in tone and theme, this collection ranges from pleasantly surreal to shocking and strange. Though they stand alone as short plays, as a whole they take on an array of society’s ills – but the pronounced concepts that Churchill is known for occasionally stale here, despite regular moments of brilliance.
by Romy Foster
Kylie Jenner has just been announced as the world’s first ‘self-made billionaire’ and Cleo is VEX. Feeling this is undeserved, she has launched a tirade of tweets from her anonymous Twitter account @Incognegro about how to kill a social media entrepreneur or, as Cleo thinks of her, a ‘con artist-cum-provocateur’. She is now shut in her bedroom receiving persistent whatsapps from best friend Kara, who is worried about Cleo’s online rant.
By Gregory Forrest
Three unique family gatherings across three decades are marked by three ruined meals. The undercooked rice, untouched takeaway, and burnt lasagne are like a middle finger to the idea of the ‘hearth’, in this epic family drama that struggles to lift off the ground.
By Gregory Forrest
‘Stonewall was a riot, not a rainbow’ says the placard on my newsfeed.
Fifty years on from that night, riots which poured gasoline onto the gay rights movement, these six short plays in the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs is a sign of how far we have come, and how far we have left to go.
by Laura Kressly
Sometimes writing reviews is easy. Thoughts are fully-formed, and words that convey them easily flow onto the page. Sometimes, it’s the opposite. Writing about complex plays full of culturally sensitive material requires a lot of care and awareness, both of the critic’s position in the world, and their relationship with the content of the play. It’s a reflective, delicate process that isn’t and shouldn’t be easy for those in positions if privilege.
by Romy Foster
Nicôle Lecky’s play is an 85-minute, one-woman emotional tornado. She rip-roars across the stage as Sasha Clayton, a typical hell-raising London girl who is 24 and feels like she’s going nowhere with her life. (Hello, did someone say relatable?) Sasha is an aspiring musician who finds herself at a loss and becomes homeless when her ‘perfect’ family kick her out and move to Kent. It’s at this point that she beings to slip into the seemingly enticing world of sex work and the luxuries that come with it.
by Laura Kressly
Growing global discontent has been the hallmark of 2018, and 2019 is looking even worse. The last few years have marked a rise of the far-right, but theatremakers in opposition are letting audiences know it from the stage. Some of the best shows of this year show anger, fear, uncertainty or simply let the world know that enough is enough – it’s time for a fairer, more peaceful society that pays homage to all of its people.
