by Evangeline Cullingworth
Molly is working things out. But grief is difficult, comedy is difficult and trying to stop your dead boyfriend’s grandma from assassinating the president is difficult.
Waterloo Vaults
Essence, VAULT Festival
by Jade Pathak
Essence explores the theme of loneliness, what it looks like, and its impact on human relationships. Sarah Henley’s charming, new 60-minute play tells the story of how 32-year-old Elyot’s repetitive, meticulously-timed life which he has full control over gets blown apart when Laquaya – 14, intelligent, gentle, yet loud and argumentative – breaks into his home. It is an incredibly thought-provoking and hugely enjoyable story that everyone can relate to.
Omelette, VAULT Festival
by Lizzie Jackson
In the dark and atmospheric Cavern at the Vaults, theatre company Long Distance present us with their first play, Omelette. It explores many of the important questions on the climate crisis. How far should we go to save the planet? How far is too far? Does it make a difference? Should we give up coffee forever?
The Buzztones Present ‘Guilty Pleasures’, VAULT Festival
by Zahid Fayyaz
The group’s sophomore run at the festival, this is the a-cappella company’s homage to
‘guilty pleasures’ – cheesy songs you shouldn’t love, but (judging from the singalongs at this afternoon performance) most people do. An all-male, eleven-strong group greet the audience at this show, with a backdrop of album covers of by the cheesy artists they would be performing.
Aamira and Gad, VAULT Festival
by Zahid Fayyaz
A site-specific play with a slight immersive element for the audience, this is the latest
production from new company Bee in my Beanie. They establish a framing sequence consisting of the Archivist Society looking at a ‘story’, with the head archivist portrayed as a magnificent, giant puppet. This is mainly the story of Aamira and Gad, two children on opposite sides of a border conflict, forced to come together following a sudden loss.
The Place’s Young Critics review: Coming Out of My Cage at VAULT Festival
by Cara Lee
In Coming Out of My Cage (And I’ve Been Doing Just Fine), Shepard Tone’s Tim and Hannah explore the legacy of one of the most popular songs of all time through a pitch-perfect combination of fun audience interactions and a great use of video in particular.
Sticky Door, VAULT Festival
by Joanna Trainor
Disclaimer: Good reviewing practice is not to put yourself into your article – your review is about the show, not the journalist. But I have such an emotional connection to Katie Arnstein’s work, that I struggle to write about her productions as ‘objectively’ as I perhaps should. It’s probably why it’s taken me so long to put pen to paper.
Rhubarb and custard sweets, a ukulele, placards, and a voiceover montage of misogynistic statements that make you oh so angry – all signs point to the final installment of Katie Arnstein’s It’s A Girl! trilogy.
The Future is Mental, VAULT Festival
by Dora Bodrogi
The Network Theatre Company has put together a brilliant night of short plays that are certainly entertaining, if slightly alarming about where the world is heading. The Future is Mental gives us an assemblage of six near-future, ‘soft-dystopian’ stories, admittedly inspired by Black Mirror, that makes us take a step back and really rethink our present lifestyles.
Who Cares, VAULT Festival
by Becky Lennon
Presented by Just Add Milk (JAM), Conor Hunt’s Who Cares is a powerful and moving piece of theatre which explores the challenges faced in society today because of austerity. We join Jamie (Reece Pantry), who is enjoying a pint in his local pub The Crown, served by the charming bartender Dan (Kyle Rowe), who claims he is the ‘Shakespeare of Swears’. We follow the pair on their journey to create a final send-off for the pub, in hope that they can save their beloved local by showcasing the need for this community space, which is so important to Jamie and Dan in different ways.
Godfrey, VAULT Festival
by Amber Pathak
Where can you go when you’re stuck in a dead end job? What do you do when you feel all hope is lost? Why is my boss an asshole? Current, meaningful and true to life, Godfrey will answer these questions and make you feel just about everything possible.
The Play's The Thing UK 