These two Ukrainian Plays at the Finborough Theatre were both both first born at the time of the 2014 conflict in Ukraine, the second particularly in the Donbas where ugly divisions erupted between Russian sympathisers and supporters of the elected and legitimate government in Kyiv.
‘Feels immensely immediate & relevant’: PENNYROYAL – Finborough Theatre ★★★★★
Lucy Roslyn’s Pennyroyal takes Edith Wharton’s 1922 novella The Old Maid as its initial inspiration but feels immensely immediate and relevant. It centres on a very specific theme – Premature Ovarian Insufficiency, not a Wharton issue, to be clear – but in it’s unflinching, open-hearted depiction of the stresses and dynamics of family relationships it nudges towards the universal. There’s a lot to unpack and connect with here, and it is exquisitely observed.
‘Know us by our courage, not by our fear’: VOICES FROM UKRAINE – Finborough Theatre (Online Show)
The second pair of plays from #FinboroughFrontier’s quartet of pieces #VoicesFromUkraine reflecting on the situation in the war torn nation is now available. They join the first couple to form a suite of programmes focusing on life in the country as the inhabitants are invaded by a hostile force and their response to the situation.
‘An intriguing piece of historical drama set in the wilds of Scotland’: THE STRAW CHAIR – Finborough Theatre
Sue Glover’s play is set on Hirta, the largest island on St Kilda, and takes inspiration from the story of Rachel Erskine, Lady Grange, in the eighteenth century.
VIDEO: Who’s in charge in a toxic teenaged relationship? Bacon post-show Q&A
The spark of an idea for award-winning new two-hander Bacon, now in its extended world premiere season at London’s Finborough Theatre, came when playwright Sophie Swithinbank, then working as a nanny, witnessed a bullying incident between two boys in a park.
New post-show Q&A: Join Terri Paddock for the extended premiere of ★★★★★ Bacon at the Finborough
As part of her resumed post-show talk series, Mates founder Terri Paddock will chair a discussion for the premiere production of Sophie Swithinbank’s award-winning new play Bacon at London’s Finborough Theatre this Wednesday 23 March 2022. Time to get booking!
NEWS: David Ireland’s Yes So I Said Yes gets British premiere at Finborough Theatre
Yes So I Said Yes, written by Cyprus Avenue’s multi-award-winning author David Ireland, receives its British premiere this month at London’s Finborough Theatre, in a limited season running from 23 November to 19 December 2021. Time to get booking!
‘It’s refreshing to see Australian writing on the London stage’: THE SUGAR HOUSE – Finborough Theatre ★★★
Nobody who sees this award-nominated Australian drama is likely to accuse playwright Alana Valentine of lacking ambition.
‘An enjoyable evening, superbly acted’: HOW TO SURVIVE AN APOCALYPSE – Finborough Theatre ★★★
Jordan Hall’s multi-award-winning Canadian comedy, in a smart staging by Proud Haddock artistic director Jimmy Walters, is so engaging you don’t really need a glass of overpriced wine to enhance your experience.
‘Intriguing revival’: MASKS & FACES – Finborough Theatre (Online review)
This is Masks And Faces (full title: Masks And Faces or Before And Behind The Curtain) his 1852 play set in the world of the theatrical profession which the Finborough rediscovered and produced in 2004 and is now being presented as a recorded Zoom reading.
‘Chance for a wider audience is undoubtedly a good thing’: LEATHER – Finborough Theatre (Online review)
The Finborough Theatre’s latest show to hit the ether is Leather which is now available on demand. It is a play which isn’t for the faint hearted and comes trailing clouds of notoriety as one of the first plays (if not THE very first) to highlight male rape, domestic violence and sado-masochism within the gay community.
‘As much about life as it is death’: A Brief List Of Everyone Who Died – Finborough Theatre (Online review)
Quite apart from its quirky title, A Brief List Of Everyone Who Died, what immediately strikes the viewer is the elegance of the structure of this piece from American writer Jacob Marx Rice.
FEATURED POST: Mercurius Theatre’s Jenny Eastop looks forward to an exciting collaboration as director & producer with S&S Theatre Productions
Jenny Eastop, the multiple Offie-nominated director and producer for London-based Mercurius Theatre, will be playing a vital role in the transformation of the prestigious S&S Award into S&S Theatre Productions, dedicated to producing radical new musical theatre with partnerships between the UK and the USA.
‘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.
‘A significant achievement of this third lockdown’: Late Night Staring at High Res Pixels – Finborough Theatre (Online review)
When we left 1 and A in Episode 14 of Athena Stevens’ Late Night Staring at High Res Pixels they were both in some kind of moral and emotional jeopardy, and it seemed appropriate on International Women’s Day to return to this nuanced and considered exploration of female agency, solidarity and behaviour.
‘A dense & intense piece of work’: Late Night Staring at High Res Pixels – Finborough Theatre (Online review)
Late Night Staring At High Res Pixels is a dense and intense piece of work which examines the interplay of relationships but leaves the audience to come to its own conclusions about the motivations and intentions of the characters.
‘You’ll be eager to find out what happens next’: Late Night Staring at High Res Pixels – Finborough Theatre (Online review)
Late Night Staring at High Res Pixels has already become a gripping anatomy of relationships and the attempts to manipulate two quite different women.
NEWS: OffWestEnd announces 47 finalists for its Offies Awards 2021
OffWestEnd announces 47 finalists for its Offies Awards 2021, across 15 categories, covering 24 venues across London.
‘Directed with a sense of passion & integrity’: S-27 – Finborough Theatre (Online review)
The Finborough is to be congratulated for delving back and finding thought-provoking piece S-27 to release and extend its winning run of past triumphs.
‘The acting is uniformly good’: S-27 – Finborough Theatre (Online review)
With S-27, the Finborough once again punches well above its weight, making another compelling contribution to the brave new world of streamed theatre.