Mark Shenton: First of all, apologies that I was missing-in-action yesterday. I was in London — and at a hotel without desk space in the rooms, so unable to write. (And the dog ate my homework, too). So no, that’s not the entirety of my excuse. But sometimes I need to take a break, too. There may be days when the newsletter fails to materialize!
‘A feminist fairy tale which entertains first & educates second’: MUSTARD DOESN’T GO WITH GIRLS (Online review)
I’ve now tackled a very high percentage of shows on the regular list so I’m going to make a rather more concerted effort to engage with those on the junior version and get this up to the same level. I thought I’d start by heading for one where the title had long intrigued me.
‘A fast-paced romp through one of Shakespeare’s daftest comedies’: THE COMEDY OF ERRORS – Wimbledon & Touring
Scoot Theatre is out touring cricket grounds (plus a few other places) again this summer with two condensed, family-friendly Shakespeare shows. Alongside the return of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (which we saw and loved at BarnFest 2020) comes The Comedy of Errors.
‘It’s hard to pick holes in this production’: The Wolves of Willoughby Chase – Greenwich Theatre
This was our second trip to Greenwich Theatre in a week as we returned to watch The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. The production was originally scheduled to run last Christmas but was unfortunately halted by Covid restrictions. After another Covid-enforced delay, it’s finally up and running alongside Pinocchio as part of the theatre’s inaugural in-house rep season of family theatre.
‘Bringing together the past & present, real & imagined’: MAANIKA & THE WOLF Wolf – Polka Theatre
There are some very nice ideas in Polka Theatre’s Maanika and the Wolf which make it far from an ordinary telling of Little Red Riding Hood.
‘Even the rain can’t put a dampener on the magic’: ARTHUR/MERLIN – The Actors Church
Iris Theatre’s Arthur/Merlin is an interesting take on the tale, which fuses together the classic and contemporary and includes plenty of comedy to offset some of the darker moments.
‘Filled with live music, laughter & just a few surprises’: WHAT THE LADYBIRD HEARD – Palace Theatre
With the summer holidays just around the corner, the stage adaptation of the Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks’ picture book What the Ladybird Heard has just flown into the West End for a summer stint ahead of a UK tour.
‘I can’t wait to see & hear the children’s reactions to the play’: Peter Glanville on Polka’s pop up show Maanika & The Wolf
The Polka Theatre’s artistic director chats to Love London Love Culture about the theatre’s pop up performance of Maanika & The Wolf.
‘Smashing piece of family entertainment’: AIDY THE AWESOME – artsdepot (Online review)
Commissioned by Curve Leicester, produced by the Gramophones Theatre Company and directed by Hannah Stone, Aidy the Awesome is currently part-way through a digital tour.
NEWS: Christopher Haydon announces his inaugural season at the Rose Theatre Kingston
Having been appointed Rose Theatre’s artistic director in January 2020, Christopher Haydon was prevented from announcing his inaugural season until now due to Covid-19. With an emphasis on the female voice, the season will include five Rose Original productions – including two world premieres and a new version of an epic Brechtian masterpiece.
‘Funny, moving & thought-provoking’: YOU ARE HERE – Southwark Playhouse
After five long months, theatre buildings are finally back in business for in-person performances, meaning our calendar and credit card statement(!) are starting to look […]
‘Fun & engaging’: DINOSAURS & ALL THAT RUBBISH – Roustabout Theatre (Online review)
Just like Michael Foreman’s classic book Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish, this makes for a piece of work with enduring appeal, rather than a stop-gap solution to not being able to go to the theatre in person.
‘A masterclass in storytelling’: AN ELEPHANT IN THE GARDEN – Barn Theatre (Online review)
An Elephant in the Garden is a poignant production that will unite and delight generations of families as they are drawn into Lizzie’s tale of triumph over adversity.
‘Captivating’: DUST / PARTY – Half Moon Theatre (Online review)
Half Moon Theatre in the east end of London can usually be relied on for quality product and they are just in the middle of streaming a trilogy of filmed plays so I settled down to watch a pair of these.
‘Never flags in its delivery or pace’: WHERE THE BUGABOO LIVES – Little Angel Theatre (Online review)
Where The Bugaboo Lives is the Little Angel’s first Zoom production, performed live. It joins the productions which have been available for free on their YouTube channel during theatre closure.
‘An innovative & imaginative piece’: CURSE OF THE CRACKLES – Shoreditch Town Hall (Online review)
The world premiere of “the great sonic adventure” Curse of the Crackles proves to be 45 minutes of utter fun. Find yourself a dark space or wear an eye mask, plug in your headphones, and interact when you like in this audio experience which brings all kinds of sounds to surround you in your living space.
‘A light touch & a dose of laughter’: FABLES AT THE KITCHEN TABLE – Stute Theatre (Online review)
Soph is a storyteller, sharing tales from Aesop’s Fables to a virtual audience of school groups on Zoom. Fables at the Kitchen Table is the latest show from Stute Theatre, aimed at children aged 3-7, and it is tremendous fun.
NEWS: The Off West End Awards 2021 winners are announced
The winners of the Off West End Awards 2021, encompassing the Offies, OffFest, OnComm and OneOff Awards, have been announced in an online ceremony on 21 February 2021 via Scenesaver.
Theatre tips & treats for families looking for online half term entertainment
After a gruelling half term of home learning, families across the country are gearing up for another half term holiday with nowhere to go. But staying at home doesn’t have to mean having nothing to do, with a wide range of online activities available to entertain children of all ages.
From online festivals to streaming platforms, here’s a digital theatre catch-up to lift your spirits
Welcome to our first 2021 round-up of digital shows available for you to watch in the next few weeks.
From large-scale musicals to Zoom experiences, student showcases to the Bard, film and comedy, children’s theatre to audio pieces, storytelling to…