Camden Mela - FREE - ★★ - July, 2020


If you are in the neighbourhood and have an hour, you might enjoy this local fair. The food and products available are limited, but the entertainment by local amateur groups is enthusiastic and enjoyable. Relishing the sunshine and summer in Coram Fields is a pleasant way to spend part of a Sunday afternoon.

Reviewed by J.C.

 Our score:  ☆☆ 

WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE:
July
Coram's Fields
Nearest Tube: Russell Square
Website: http://www.camdenbangladeshmela.org
Map & Location: 93 Guilford St, London WC1N 1DN, UK

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Sir John Soane's Museum Guided Tour - FREE - ★★★★★

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Reviewed by J.C.

 Our Score: ☆☆☆☆☆

WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE: Wed - Sun: 10 am - 5 pm (last entry at 4:30 pm) Closed: Dec 24, 25, 26, 31 & Jan 1
Private Apartments Tours: 1:15 pm & 2:00 pm Sir John Soane's museum, Lincoln's Inn Fields Nearest tube: Holborn https://www.soane.org
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Relatively Speaking, The Mill at Sonning - ★★★★★ - Until April 18, 2020

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The words "Alan Ayckbourn" usually summon up fun and this production is no exception. It is a delight in every way. As soon as we see Michael Holt's clever set with all those doors we are anticipating a good time. It's not long before the characters are popping in and out of them and the laughs begin rolling in. Thanks to director, Robin Herford's perfect pacing of this piece the audience is completely taken into Ayckbourn's world and never given a pause to question the delightful absurdity of it all. The wonderfully silly plot twists and hilarious cases of mistaken identity all work beautifully. The entire cast get it just right with performances that make their unbelievably credulous characters entirely credible. James Simmons as the philandering husband on the verge of exposure is suitably self-serving and lecherous, and Rachel Fielding as his wife strikes just the right tone of gullible and knowing. The other woman, Lianne Harvey's Ginny, radiates the…
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Science fiction is notoriously difficult to present theatrically; this immersive version of H. G. Wells' The Time Machine succeeds where many have failed. In groups of twenty, we were whizzed through the glorious galleries and bookshelves of the London Library. It is difficult to describe unless you can imagine travelling through 'The Crystal Maze' in the company of Doctor Who on steroids! This new dramatic version, written by Jonathan Holloway in November 2019, is loosely based on the novel's premise. The Traveller gives a lecture to his weekly dinner guests suggesting that time is simply a fourth dimension and he then demonstrates his invention. It was rather bewildering at the beginning because the narrative has been updated and jiggled about, but as we went with the flow, the anachronisms, ambience and theatricality of it all became enjoyable and, unexpectedly, spookily realistic. The idea that when we visit the future sections of the population have been infected …
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Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis, Park Theatre - ★★★★★ - Until January 4, 2020

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On Blueberry Hill, Trafalgar Studios - ★★★★★ - Until May 2, 2020

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The British Theatre Challenge 2019, Brockley Jack Theatre - ★★★★ - Until October 5, 2019

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Reviewed by J.C.

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Nuclear War, Buried, and Graceland - Old Red Lion Theatre - ★★★★★ - Until March 21, 2020

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“Oh death, where is thy sting?” could well be a subtitle for Alexander Knott's enthralling triptych comprising Buried, Graceland and Nuclear War. The first of these, Buried, is brilliantly performed by James Demaine as a man temporarily entombed in a collapsed building. His entire life flashes through his mind in a torrent of words and actions. His first drink, his first sexual experience, military service, boxing are all presented with tremendous physicality. In Graceland, Anthony Cozens plays an endearingly dysfunctional teacher who is pilloried by his class. By using the audience as his class, Cozens gains a terrific and often hilarious rapport. Kids can be both perceptive and cruel so when they discover that he is being cuckolded a different side of the teacher emerges. Using combustion as a metaphor for life we enjoyed this ingenious play and the performance enormously. Nuclear War comes as a shock when we meet two women, played by Zöe Grain and Freya Sharp, who portray two s…
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A Life Twice Given, Upstairs at the Gatehouse - ★★★★★ - Until October 6, 2019

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Opera Undone: Tosca & La bohème, Trafalgar Studios - ★★★★ - Until March 7, 2020

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Opera Undone aims to bring opera to a new audience. These are shortened versions of the classics, sung in English and with contemporary lyrics and plots. These are not parodies of the originals, but very clever re-imaginings. Tosca is now a story about the Italian mafia, and Michael Georgiou's Scarpia is a very menacing godfather. Indeed in this version, the focus is very much on the psychology of the characters and the deeper look into Scarpia's motivations brings a whole new sense to the themes of loyalty and love. Honey Rouhani beautifully interprets Tosca, and Roberto Barbaro as Cavaradossi did a fine job. For us, however, the real treat was the transformation of La bohème. Casting Mimi as a man brought a completely new sense to the piece, and Philip Lee's interpretation brought a new depth to the part. Roberto Barbaro showcased his amazing talent for characterisation and excellent voice, this time as Rod/Rodolfo. His new version of Che gelida manina was quite wonderf…
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