The Tyler Sisters, Hampstead Theatre - ★★★★★ - Until January 18, 2020


From Jane Austen to Chekhov, the relationship between sisters has been a source of drama. Alexandra Wood brings us the story of the Tyler sisters. We see them over forty years as they pass through the various rites of passage that life has in store for most of us. Their lives intertwine, they take separate paths and they come back to each other. It is fascinating to watch the dynamics of their relationships play out as their growth and development is both illuminated and contrasted in the context of the ebb and flow of their interactions. All of the performances here excel. Each of the characters is beautifully and sensitively portrayed. Caroline Faber rings wonderfully true as the deliberate, slow to judge eldest sister, Maddy. Angela Griffin is spot on as the sharp, acerbic middle child who carves out a place for herself amongst her siblings and finally finds peace as she comes to accept herself. Bryony Hannah is totally convincing in her displays of the confidence and carefree attitude that so often mark the youngest child. The three cast members are able to create these memorable and credible performances thanks to Alexandra Wood's brilliant ear for dialogue and her amazingly economical writing. A world of characters is created whom we never see and despite the pace of the passing years we are always engaged and never lose the thread. In one scene both the situation and emotions of each of the protagonists are successfully summed up in the simple act of making sandwiches. This is a play and a production that breathes new life into the "sisters" genre!

 Reviewed by J.C.

  Our Score:  ☆☆☆☆☆ 

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 WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE:
Until January 18, 2020
Mon - Sat: 7:45 pm, Wed: 2:45 pm & Sat: 3:15 pm
Hampstead Theatre
Nearest tube: Swiss Cottage
https://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2019/the-tyler-sisters/
Map & Location: Eton Ave, London NW3 3EU, UK

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A Kind of Magic, Multiple theatres (live via Zoom) - ★★★ - Until June 13, 2020

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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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Soho Cinders, Charing Cross Theatre - ★★★★ - Until January 11, 2020

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Gresham College is a fascinating institution that has been providing free lectures for over 400 years. Currently the College offers over 130 annual lectures and events. The range of subjects covered by their eminent lecturers is vast: law, literature, music, medicine, economics, astronomy, computer science.... The variety is amazing and the Gresham professors are leading scholars in their fields. The College is located in Barnard's Inn, but lectures are in various venues including the London Museum. The College has been recording its lectures since the 1980s and live streams all lectures. There are now over 2,000 lectures available on its website and on YouTube.
Reviewed by J.C.
 Our Score: ☆☆☆☆☆
WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE: Times and Dates vary Barnard's Inn, High Holborn Nearest tube: Chancery Lane http://www.gresham.ac.uk
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