The Magic Flute or the stories they tell ★★★ Above The Stag Theatre | June 30 - July 4, 2021


The Magic Flute or the stories they tell is an extremely unusual mixture of dialogue, singing and even audience participation. This piece is part of a season, curated by Matthew Baldwin, which challenged a collective of theatre makers to create and develop pieces over just a two week period. Edwina Strobl with Mark Daniels and their highly talented performers, Mais Robinson and Freddie Love, take us on a very strange journey which loosely uses themes from Mozart and Schikaneder's weird and wonderful opera. It takes as its premise that The Magic Flute – particularly with reference to Tamino and Pamina, as well as the use of the benign male (Sarastro) and evil female (Queen of the Night) – is a work deeply imbued with binary issues. Robinson and Love use their non-binary personae to create an enchanting pair of friends: Min and Patty. Min is nervous about playing the flute whilst Patty flits in and out, often wearing a Papageno-esque parrot headdress. Additionally, Min has a very complex relationship with her mother (like Pamina and Queen of the Night). Confused? We certainly were. The Q & A session after the play clarified many elements of what we had seen but should this be necessary? The work feels somewhat unfinished but, given the short gestation period, this hardly surprises. Both Robinson and Love work extremely hard and bring us truly believable characters who certainly gain our sympathy. Love also displays a fine singing voice. Despite the lack of thematic and developmental clarity, there are definitely many magical moments.

Rated: ★★★

Reviewed by D.S.J.
Photo by Oli Sones.

Want to save on tickets? See our Tips page.

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: 72 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP, UK

Most Popular

The Prince ★★★★★ Southwark Playhouse | Sep 15 - Oct 8, 2022

Image
What if you suddenly discovered that you were trapped in a play, living according to a script not of your own choosing? This is the provocative and amusing premise of The Prince . Two intruders into the world of Henry IV, Part I challenge the assumptions that the characters have been living with, and try to awaken them to a sense of their real selves. Joni Ayton-Kent as Sam and Mary Malone as Jen are hysterical as these two unlikely messengers of personal freedom, and they do an excellent job of setting the comic tone of the piece. Corey Montague Sholay also does fine work as the emergent Prince Hal, who in this case is coming out as gay to his formidable father, brilliantly played by Che Walker. Ultimately however, this evening belongs to Abigail Thorn. She creates a convincing and captivating Hotspur, and she has written a play that is both charming and challenging. It becomes a metaphor for the fact, that we all exist within a cultural context that defines both our self-perception
Full Details »

A Different Stage ★★★★★ Duke of York's Theatre | Aug 30 - Sep 25, 2022

Image
Just the name of singer and songwriter, Gary Barlow, guarantees an audience for this show. But even without that draw, this is a compelling piece of theatre. Fans looking for a wander down memory lane with a review of the greatest hits may be somewhat disappointed because this is a play, not a concert. It explores the arc of a singer/songwriter's life while unraveling the common threads of the human experience. From the quest for success, through the valley of depression and self-doubt, to a recognition of what is actually important, Gary Barlow's journey is a universal and inspiring one. Yes, he is a pop star who has written some beloved hits, but in this evening he exposes the highs and lows of his life with devastating honesty and a delightful sense of irony. Gary Barlow shares his coming of age, his dreams and his values. He grows up believing that music makes things better, and he aspires to a shining place down the M56. What he learns is that music may make things better
Full Details »

A Night At The Kabuki ★★★★★ Sadler's Wells Theatre | September 22 - 24, 2022

Image
A Night At The Kabuki is a night like no other! This is an evening that draws on amazingly disparate sources to create an eye-popping spectacle that will leave you laughing, slightly bewildered and utterly entranced. Who would have thought to bring together Kabuki and the feuding samurai clans of the Minamoto and Taira, with an updated version of Romeo and Juliet  plus the music of Queen? Playwright and director Hideki Noda has whipped up an amazing creation, and in some unfathomable way it all works. This is a mind-boggling entertainment that owes as much to the Marx Brothers as it does to William Shakespeare. Inspired by the Queen album, A Night At The Opera , and also by the film of the same name, this extravaganza is a fascinating commentary on the relationship between the "high art" of two very different cultures as opposed to the appeal of popular entertainment. We have the current "high art" fad for meta stories mixed with good old crowd-pleasing spectacle a
Full Details »

Love All ★★★★★ Jermyn Street Theatre | Sep 8 - Oct 8, 2022

Image
Dorothy L. Sayers knew how to tell a good story, with lots of unexpected twists and turns. Mostly known for her crime fiction, she proves with Love All that she can also write a thoroughly enjoyable farce. Godfrey Daybrook, delightfully played by Alan Cox, is a romantic novelist who is actually a victim of his own unrealistic fiction. He casts himself as the central character in his own love story and sees all the women in his life as mere adjuncts to his genius. When his mistress, Lydia, decides that being a muse is less interesting than being a working actress, and when his wife, Edith, decides that a career as a playwright is more rewarding than playing housewife, Godfrey's vanity and self-absorption are hilariously exposed. The target of most great farces is hypocrisy, and in this case, Sayers' does an excellent job of skewering her target. She successfully uses laughter, rather than preaching, to expose the importance of work for personal fulfillment and to advance the ca
Full Details »

Antigone ★★★★ Regent's Park Open Air Theatre | September 3 - 24, 2022

Image
Attempts to contemporise and recontextualise Sophocles' Antigone are not infrequent, but this is one of the most successful we have yet to see. Writer, Inua Ellams, brings out the themes of the original play in the context of current British political issues such as terrorism, immigration and the legacies of empire. It is a quite brilliant interpretation that brings to the fore all of the power and complexity of the original in a context that frighteningly resonates with today's events. The political debate is raw and real, and Tony Jayawardena as Creon rings terrifyingly true to what we are seeing in the current climate of political manipulation. This is an outstanding performance that could unfortunately pass for television news. Sandy Grierson as Creon's political advisor, Aleksy, is wonderfully unctuous in his amoral commitment to attaining power at all costs, and the reimagining of the seer, Tiresius, as a data wonk is simply inspired. Pandora Colin as Eurydice provid
Full Details »

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo ★★★★★ Sadler's Wells Peacock Theatre | September 6 - 17, 2022

Image
There is nothing quite like The Trocks! Whether you're a balletomane or a fan of RuPaul's Drag Race, there's something here for everyone. After nearly fifty years, the troupe is still entertaining audiences with what are inspired parodies of the ballet classics. The company's gentle humour pokes fun at dance conventions and clichés, while slyly commenting on stereotyping both inside and outside the world of dance. The satire is subtle and the political points are unobtrusive, but beneath the froth and folly there is some real significance and some very serious dancing. Indeed, what makes for a lot of the fun here is the real prowess of these dancers. Their considerable skills make it doubly amusing when they mess up or when they apparently break character and expose the emotions behind their assumed classical hauteur. The company's "Le Lac Des Cygnes (Swan Lake, Act II)" is simply to die for, and we loved the "Swan Lake Pas De Trois" with its bri
Full Details »

Barb Jungr sings Leonard Cohen ★★★★★ The Crazy Coqs, Brasserie Zédel | September 2, 2022

Image
Leonard Cohen is a an extraordinary artist. He is a challenging poet/songwriter whose works do not give up their meanings easily and his themes can be dark and sometimes disturbing. His commentary on both politics and relationships is usually stark and unsentimental. "Everybody Knows" and "First We Take Manhattan" challenge, and almost threaten, the listener politically. The 'love' songs "Suzanne" and "So Long Marianne" are wistful and tinged with disappointment. Indeed, Cohen's world is haunted by broken relationships and betrayal, but there is also a promise of reconciliation and redemption. Barb Jungr does an extraordinary job of presenting the poet's musical musings, and it is always a joy to hear her interpret these works. She does so with skill and intelligence, and she brings drama and clarity to the complex emotions that Cohen conjures up in songs like "Bird on The Wire" and "You Want It Darker." She
Full Details »

Silence ★★★★ Donmar Warehouse | September 1 - 17, 2022

Image
Too often history is seen as events that happened a long time ago and in a place far away. This theatrical adaptation of Kavita Puri's book, Partition Voices: Untold British Stories , demonstrates that history is about people and that it is always present in the here and now. Silence consists of the harrowing, yet sometimes humorous, voices of real people who lived through the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. Their personal and painful stories humanise the consequences of political decisions taken with strange haste and apparently little thought. The supposed resolution of issues is exposed as exacerbating subsequent conflict and creating unintended consequences for the future of the families and nations involved. But, while it might be easy to be overwhelmed by this dark view of the human condition, the narratives also reveal the beauty, resilience and goodness of individual people. The quality of the acting varies in this production, but we were particularly struck
Full Details »

RIDE - A New Musical ★★★★ Charing Cross Theatre | Aug 25 - Sep 17, 2022

Image
Con artist or role model? Imposter or Inspiration? Annie Kopchovsky aka Annie Londonderry is a paradoxical character who lives in a world of fact and fiction. Her bicycle trip around the world in 1895 is the stuff of legend, and her self-promotion recalls the exploits of P.T. Barnum. RIDE is a musical version of this story, and it is told with sympathy and insight, as the layers of Annie's invention are peeled away to expose the desperate woman whose derring-do and resourcefulness are undeniable. Trapped in a world that defines her by gender, class, religion and ethnicity, she reimagines her reality and motivates others to believe in their personal destinies. Liv Andrusier does a remarkable job of bringing Annie to life. She exudes a completely credible combination of bravado, charisma and self-doubt. As Annie's foils, Martha and Celine, Yuki Sutton also puts in a fine performance. Her growing belief in her mentor's vision and her developing self-confidence is palpable. As
Full Details »

Berlin ★★★ Etcetera Theatre | August 23 - 27, 2022

Image
This sixteenth Camden Fringe presents a wide variety of theatrical experiences across twenty venues in North London. Showcasing the unconventional and the innovative, it serves as an important incubator for new talent. Berlin written by Holly Whinney is a fine example of why such festivals are important. This is compelling theatre that tells the story of a Britpop band who come together three years after the death of their lead singer. James, Martin, Nick and Ben reunite in the German capital and explore their interpersonal dynamics while attempting to come to terms with Harry's suicide. It's an intriguing premise and promises to be a thoughtful look behind the façade of celebrity. It has been said about Jane Austen that she never wrote a scene with only men present, the explanation being that she could never have witnessed such an interaction herself. Holly Whinney takes on the task of writing a whole play with only male characters, and she creates dialogue that is both sharp
Full Details »

The City Life Magazine | Reviews & Ratings