I commend the writers Taz Skykar and Ross Berkeley Simpson and the director Toby Clarke of Warheads for attempting to tackle the topic of PTSD for soldiers and how it affects their loved ones.
Mates blogger: Shanine Salmon
Shanine Salmon is one of over 45 theatre bloggers who are part of the MyTheatreMates collective. This page features Shanine'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.
Shanine Salmon was a latecomer to theatre after being seduced by the National Theatre's £5 entry pass tickets and a slight obsession with Alex Jennings. She is sadly no longer eligible for 16-25 theatre tickets but she continues to abuse under 30 offers. There was a market for bringing awareness that London theatre was affordable in an era of £100+ West End tickets – Shanine’s blog, View from the Cheap Seat, launched in April 2016, focuses on productions and theatres that have tickets available for £20 and under. She is also quite opinionated and has views on diversity, pricing, theatre seats and nudity on stage. Her interests include Rocky Horror, gaming, theatre (of course) and she also has her own Etsy shop. Shanine tweets at @Braintree_.
The latest from Shanine on MyTheatreMates
‘Ned Bennett’s direction is another star of the show’: EQUUS – West End
Ned Bennett’s direction is another star of the show; the relationship between Ira Mandela Siobhan as Nugget, a Chestnut horse who has a close relationship with Strang, is stunning.
‘Has the spirit of Zinn’: THE TIME OF OUR LIES – Park Theatre
Bianca Bagatourian’s script adapts the life and work of Howard Zinn (who passed away in 2010) into this 65-minute long play.
‘Modern, relatable & relevant’: WRATH OF ACHILLES – Union Theatre & Edinburgh
Distilling a significant chunk of Homer’s ancient epic into a fringe-friendly 55 minutes is a huge task, but one which writer Jack Fairey somehow achieves with ease in Wrath of Achilles.
‘An immersive treasure-hunt of a performance’: THE TEMPEST – Oxford
Creation Theatre’s The Tempest is well worth a trek to Oxford, especially for reluctant theatre-goers who might have given up on Shakespeare in the past.
‘The three leads seem to lack chemistry’: THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA – West End
James Macdonald is the latest director to tackle The Night of the Iguana, perhaps best known from its film adaptation starring Richard Burton , Deborah Kerr and Ava Gardner.
‘Sheer exuberance & joy’: YOURS SINCERELY – King’s Head Theatre & Edinburgh ★★★
Yours Sincerely is a coming of age story from Will Jackson (also performing) and Lucy Bird, founders of Quick Duck Theatre, directed by Anna Himali Howard.
‘Prepare to weep, jump & hold your breath’: LUNATIC 19’S – Finborough Theatre
For a play that starts and ends with the sound of the ocean, Lunatic 19’s is one tight, claustrophobic package in between.
‘Be prepared to be enchanted, provoked & emotionally drained’: OTHELLO: REMIXED – Omnibus Theatre
Be prepared to be enchanted, provoked, and emotionally drained in Othello Remixed. This passionate interpretation of Othello feels so right and so believable.
‘Fun & interesting night out’: DARK SUBLIME – Trafalgar Studios
Dark Sublime is a fun and interesting night out that will attract a new audience with an interest in television to the theatre.
‘Intelligently written & superbly acted play’: STRANGE FRUIT – Bush Theatre
This apt revival of Caryl Phillips’ first play, Strange Fruit, stirred up a maelstrom of memories for me, a second generation Caribbean immigrant, growing up in a city on the south coast of 1970s/1980s England.
‘Convincing, engaging & committed performances all-round’: THE SANDMAN – Southwark Playhouse
Going to see The Sandman is more than just the chance to see some young superstars in the making. It’s a great show, with a powerful message and some gripping acting performances (and a tap dance).
‘An open door into life for 16-21 year olds’: WHAT WAS LEFT – Southwark Playhouse
Molly Taylor’s What was Left looks at what happens when young people are forced to grow up too quickly.
‘Has a lot of heart & a traditional menu’: A RIGHT ROYALE TEA – Amba Hotel Charing Cross
A Right Royale Tea from BoRo Live Experiences is a fun and frothy show aimed mostly at the grey pound and those looking to expand on their afternoon team experiences.
‘Really a mentalism show’: THE PSYCHIC PROJECT – Vaults Theatre
David Narayan is an engaging performer and a skilled magician but the concept behind The Psychic Project needs work and the tricks need to feel more original to really impress audiences
‘Deftly interweaves tales of hilarity & sadness’: FATTY FAT FAT – Sackler Space ★★★★
Fatty Fat Fat is a show by Katie Greenall and Daisy Hale (performed by Greenall alone) which includes dance, movement, a mini game show, audience participation through crisp eating, a ballet dance and a member of the audience becoming a cast member.
‘The enduring currency of its message is astounding’: KILL CLIMATE DENIERS – Pleasance Theatre
The European premiere of David Finnigan’s controversially-titled satire Kill Climate Deniers successfully combines a deeply serious message with some some serious on-stage silliness, set to a spectacular soundtrack of early 90s house and techno.
‘So much potential’: J’OUVERT – Theatre503
J’ouvert, a debut play from Yasmin Joseph and the directorial debut of Rebekah Murrell, is an ambitious play, encompassing the spirit, commercialism and epic Notting Hill Carnival.
‘A distracting concept but well performed’: THE GLASS MENAGERIE – Arcola Theatre
Conflicts between this updated production and the original script are a distraction, but despite this and because of such a talented cast performing Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, I was still able to appreciate how well the piece was performed.
‘It is rare we get theatre like this’: Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience – Old Metal Exchange
I don’t give stars but if I did Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience would get five stars. It is a fantastic night out. It is interesting as a VR and immersive experience and fun with excellent performances from the live team.