If we think we suffer from a paranoid cancel-culture, we should note this reminder of mid-1950s America – notably Hollywood – in the McCarthyite witch-hunt against suspected communists. Retrograde at the Kiln Theatre is a three-hander by Ryan Calais Cameron (who gave us For Black Boys…). It lays out in 90 minutes real time – though sometimes too slowly – a meeting in a movie office.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: Handbagged at the Kiln Theatre
Love London Love Culture’s Emma Clarendon discovers what critics have had to say about the revival of Moira Buffini’s political comedy Handbagged now playing at the Kiln Theatre.
‘Their world is tough but they get through it together’: THE DARKEST PART OF THE NIGHT – Kiln Theatre
Directed by Nancy Medina, Zodwa Nyoni’s The Darkest Part of the Night shares the experience of a young, autistic Black boy, Dwight. The play follows his diagnostic process in 1980s Leeds. Tenderly by Lee Phillips, he is a young man full of joy – he loves to dance, listen to music, and play “the adventure game” with his sister Shirley, the rules of which are never really explained.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: Black Love at the Kiln Theatre
Emma Clarendon rounds up the reviews for Chinonyerem Odimba’s Black Love, which finishes its limited season at north London’s Kiln Theatre in Kilburn on 23 April 2022.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: The Wife of Willesden at Kiln Theatre
On LoveLondonLoveCulture, Emma Clarendon rounds up the reviews for multi-award-winning novelist Zadie Smith’s debut play The Wife of Willesden?
‘The fun they’re all having absolutely includes & invites you’: THE WIFE OF WILLESDEN – Kiln Theatre ★★★★
Zadie Smith humbly refers to her first play as more like “homework” than the novelist’s usual dread of a blank page. Chaucer, after all, laid down its tale, framework and attitudes 600 years ago.
‘This is powerful, thought-provoking stuff’: NW TRILOGY – Kiln Theatre ★★★★
Educational and richly entertaining, NW Trilogy emerges, in Taio Lawson and Susie McKenna’s vibrant production as a sparky, moving valentine to what is traditionally one of the capital’s most diverse neighbourhoods.
‘A real heartfelt & emotional experience’: NW TRILOGY – Kiln Theatre ★★★★
Each play in this engaging trilogy is filled with warmth and compassion while highlighting the personal struggles that the characters face in finding a place in which they belong.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: The Invisible Hand at the Kiln Theatre
Love London Love Culture rounds up the reviews for Indhu Rubasingham‘s revival of Ayad Akhtar’s play at the Kiln Theatre.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: Reasons You Should(n’t) Love Me at Kiln Theatre
Love London Love Culture rounds up the reviews for Amy Trigg’s play Reasons You Should(n’t) Love Me which officially reopened the Kiln Theatre.
NEWS: The Kiln Theatre reopens its doors with 3 world premieres
For the first time since theatres closed on 16 March 2020, Kiln Theatre will reopen to share live performance with audiences with a season of work including three world premieres.
NEWS: Winners of The Stage Awards include Kiln Theatre, Nica Burns, Wise Children’s Simon Baker & the Theatre Support Fund
The Stage has announced the winners of The Stage Awards, reimagined this year to celebrate theatrical organisations who continued to create great theatre, show innovation, and help ensure theatre survives in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
NEWS: The Black British Theatre Awards reveal 2020 nominees & announce the ceremony will be broadcast on Sky Arts
The BBTAs have revealed the 2020 Black British Theatre Awards nominee list, voted almost entirely by the public and representing some of the finest work by Black performers and creatives in UK theatre. The 2020 awards ceremony will air on Sky Arts this autumn, as part of the channel’s free to air line-up.
Text of the Day: Pass Over
Random and topical thoughts and quotes gathered by My Theatre Mates contributor Aleks Sierz, first published on www.sierz.co.uk.
Best of the Blogs: Upstart Crow, The Prince Of Egypt, Macbeth & more
In our continuing series, editor Lisa Martland picks out some of her Top Picks from the last week of theatre (to 1 March 2020), ranging from Love London Love Culture’s thoughts on David Mitchell’s West End debut in the stage adaptation of TV favourite Upstart Crow at the Gielgud Theatre.
‘This is the fiercest account of racism on the London stage’: PASS OVER – Kiln Theatre
Despite its absurdist style, Pass Over is a political play whose message is indisputable. The evening is a powerful mixture of male camaraderie, brutality and almost casual defiance.
Text of the Day: Snowflake
Random and topical thoughts and quotes gathered by My Theatre Mates contributor Aleks Sierz, first published on www.sierz.co.uk.
Best of the Blogs: Snowflake, Swive, Curtains & more
In our continuing series, our editor Lisa Martland picks out some of her Top Picks from the last week of theatre (to 5 January 2020), including Aleks Sierz’s mixed feelings about Snowflake at the Kiln Theatre.
‘Might end up unfreezing your heart’: SNOWFLAKE – Kiln Theatre
Mike Bartlett’s Christmas cracker Snowflake goes out with a bang, but it really takes a long and clumsy time to do it.
Love London Love Culture’s Favourite Shows of 2019
Emma Clarendon selects her favourite theatre productions of the year…