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‘Not afraid to tackle taboo topics’: THEY CALL ME, “WOMAN!” – International Online Theatre Festival 2023 (Online show) ★★★★

In International, Online shows, Opinion, Other Recent Articles, Plays, Reviews by Louise PennLeave a Comment

“They Call Me, “Woman!’’ (written by Ayo Jaiyesimi and presented by Thespian Family Theatre & Productions, Nigeria) is a set of five monologues spotlighting some of the issues confronting the African woman. Whilst there’s strong advocacy for gender recognition, equality and equity all over the world, the struggles of African women, educated or illiterate, young, or old, modern, or traditional, need to be felt in order to be understood. This is our spotlight.”

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‘You have to admire Jameson’s chutzpah’: TEN DAYS – The Space (Online show)

In London theatre, Online shows, Opinion, Other Recent Articles, Plays, Reviews by John ChapmanLeave a Comment

Taking as his central text American journalist John Reed’s seminal book Ten Days That Shook The World, Matthew Jameson’s “labour of love” project Ten Days (it has taken a mere 10 years or so to get this work finished) provides a convoluted history lesson which sets out the main events in some detail and introduces a whole gallery of historical figures who played their part in the process.

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‘Chilling & contemporary’: NOTRE DAME – The Space (Online review)

In London theatre, Online shows, Opinion, Other Recent Articles, Reviews by John ChapmanLeave a Comment

Ever since Covid’s early days pioneering company Threedumb Theatre has developed and sustained the idea of the one shot livestream; this is unedited and raw but captures much of the spontaneity and edge which comes with live performance. Their latest, Notre Dame, is probably their most ambitious.

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‘Can leave the listener wanting & needing more’: OUR VOICES – Small Truth Theatre (Online show)

In Online shows, Opinion, Other Recent Articles, Plays, Reviews by John ChapmanLeave a Comment

Small Truth Theatre has commissioned a series of micro plays recorded as part of its Digital Caravan space (their original mini theatre on wheels being decommissioned because of the need for social distancing). About a month ago they put out a new set of material under the umbrella title of Our Voices consisting of four short pieces inspired by interacting with young people in and around the company’s north Kensington home.

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‘Excellent characterisation’: GREY MAN – Online Review

In Online shows, Opinion, Other Recent Articles, Plays, Reviews by John ChapmanLeave a Comment

It’s that time of year when days get shorter, nights get longer and tale telling revolves around the supernatural. Just a couple of days ago the last thing I saw on stage, Here, was (partly) a modern day take on the ghost story. Now for good measure comes Grey Man, a piece of digital theatre written by Lulu Raczka, which investigates similar spooky territory. The piece has been subtitled “A Stage And Screen Experiment” which, as it turns out, is exactly what it is.

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‘Dialogue whizzes back & forth like leather on willow’: STUMPED – Original Theatre (Online show)

In Online shows, Opinion, Other Recent Articles, Plays, Reviews by Louise PennLeave a Comment

When in 1964 Samuel Beckett (Stephen Tompkinson) and Harold Pinter (Andrew Lancel) play in the same cricket match in the Cotswolds, you might expect something out of the ordinary. Filmed live at Lord’s, the ‘home of cricket’, Original Theatre’s Stumped imagines what might have happened in such a meeting between two playwrights known for pauses and a sense of the absurd.

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‘Remarkable work’: JUST AN ORDINARY LAWYER – Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Online Show) ★★★★

In Edinburgh Festival, Festivals, Online shows, Opinion, Other Recent Articles, Plays, Regional theatre, Reviews, Scotland by Louise PennLeave a Comment

Just An Ordinary Lawyer is one of two shows which Tayo Aluko and Friends have available both live and online on-demand at the Edinburgh Fringe this year, and this one focuses on Nigerian Tunji Sowande (1912-1996), concert singer, cricket fan and Britain’s first Black judge.