Folk by Nell Leyshon tells the true story of Cecil Sharp, the musicologist and collector of English folk music at the turn of the 20th century who was responsible for kick starting the revival of interest in traditional songs.
Mates blogger: John Chapman
John Chapman is one of over 45 theatre bloggers who are part of the MyTheatreMates collective. This page features John's posts on MyTheatreMates. Take a look at our full list of theatre bloggers and our aggregated feed of all our Mates' posts. We’re always looking for new theatre bloggers. Could that be you? Learn about how to join us.
John Chapman works as a freelance education consultant, writer and copy editor. Prior to this, he was an Assistant Headteacher specialising in English and Drama. John first took to the stage as a schoolboy pretending to be a Latin frog. Decades later, he has been involved with 150+ productions, usually as an actor or director. He is currently a member of Tower Theatre in Stoke Newington, London. In 2016, he was in their “mechanicals” team that worked as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s A Midsummer Night's Dream: A Play For The Nation, appearing both at the Barbican and in Stratford-upon-Avon. In 2004, he served as a panellist on the Olivier Awards; he is currently an Offies assessor. He reviews for a variety of websites, writes his own independent blog 2ndFromBottom about his theatrical life.
The latest from John on MyTheatreMates
‘Teeters on the edge of theatre as we used to know it’: Flavour Text / There’s Something Among Us – Chronic Insanity (Online review)
Two intricately constructed online pieces from Chronic Insanity push at the current boundary definitions of theatre.
‘Entertaining viewing’: SUDDENLY / CELLS (Online review)
Sometimes good things DO come in small packages – a pair of mini musicals, Suddenly and Cells, make a pleasurable watch.
‘They definitely get away with murder!’: A KILLER PARTY – Stream.Theatre (Online review)
A Killer Party is a camp musical comedy murder mystery based around the world of showbiz – what’s not to like?
‘A fun & diverting change’: THE SECRET CONNECTION (Online review)
For The Secret Connection Dr Will Houstoun has taken his act online and threaded together various tricks and illusions to baffle and delight.
‘Ridley plays with our expectations’: TARANTULA – Southwark Playhouse (Online review)
Philip Ridley’s Tarantula is another stunning showcase for a young actor who commands the stage and leaves the viewer exhausted – in a good way.
‘Interesting play that just needs a bit of tweaking’: MONEY – represent (Online review)
The practice of “greenwashing” is examined in Money, a pertinent interactive drama from new company represent.
‘The cast bring an urgency to their playing’: J’OUVERT – BBC Lights Up Festival (Online review)
The vibrant culture of the Notting Hill Carnival is celebrated and examined in Yasmin Joseph’s play about three young women, J’Ouvert.
‘Leaves a lasting impression’: ADAM – BBC Lights Up Festival (Online review)
Adam by Frances Poet was originally commissioned by the National Theatre of Scotland and is now showing as part of the BBC Lights Up Festival.
‘Delightfully done’: VESPERTILIO – King’s Head Theatre (Online review)
Both Benedict Salter and Joshua Oakes-Rogers have created complex characters and handle the cut and thrust of Barry McStay’s dialogue with aplomb in Vespertilio.
‘A powerhouse performance for posterity’: MEDEA – National Theatre At Home (Online review)
Having missed the National Theatre production of Medea in the theatre I was pleased to catch up with it and, especially, Helen McCrory’s performance for she was on blistering form.
‘An interesting excursion into a world of choices’: Anthropocene: The Human Era – GymJam (Online review)
On World Earth Day today this new piece from the creative collective GymJam, Anthropocene: The Human Era, makes its points in an unusual way.
‘Leanne Best is on exceptionally good form’: HARM – BBC Lights Up Festival (Online review)
Harm by Phoebe Eclair-Powell was due to run at London’s Bush Theatre last spring but has now been remade for the small screen.
‘The writing rejoices in the sound of the words’: CRUISE – Stream.Theatre (Online review)
Writer/performer Jack Holden’s full on powerhouse performance in Cruise will hold you in awe for 90 minutes.
‘At one point I found myself rushing off to my cutlery drawer’: THE TEMPORAL SOCIETY – CtrlAltRepeat (Online review)
Directors Sid Phoenix and David Alwyn have delivered the goods once again for CtrlAltRepeat with The Temporal Society providing a mind-blowing evening which more than stimulates “the little grey cells”.
‘There’s life in the monologue formula yet’: SITTING – BBC Lights Up Festival (Online review)
Written skilfully by Katherine Parkinson, Sitting thankfully mixes up the monologue format a little to provoke interest and show that there’s life in the formula yet.
’An impressive piece of work with sharp writing’: SADIE – BBC Lights Up Festival (Online review)
Lights Up has performed a valuable service in rescuing David Ireland’s latest piece Sadie from oblivion.
‘Introduces an interesting new voice to the industry’: PLAYFIGHT – Finborough Theatre (Online review)
Julia Grogan’s Playfight, the winner of the 2020 ETPEP Award, is given a rehearsed reading online directed by Blanche McIntyre.
‘It will do nicely’: THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN (Online review) – Shakespeare’s Globe
Thirty-eight Shakespeare plays in a year, that was the aim, and the project is completed by The Two Noble Kinsmen as performed at the Globe Theatre in a 2018 production helmed by Barrie Rutter.
‘The sound design is all important’: MONSTER / HAIRY HANDS FM (Online review)
Two horror based audio plays/experiences, Monster and Hairy Hands FM, use sound to full effect to creep you out.