CAMDEN FRINGE

Caged Sisters Musical | Phoenix Arts Club | 22-30 Aug 
Sorry to be the bearer of horrible news but, unfortunately, I must tell you that the beautiful Camden Fringe – which contains so many fabulous shows – is sadly, inexorably, approaching its end, so you only have a few more days to catch all of these wonderful performances. And you should consider this one, a musical based on one of China’s greatest ever literary masterpieces. Book here. 

Lisa! The Mona Lisa Musical | Hen & Chickens Theatre | 22-24 Aug
It’s sad that Camden Fringe is all nearly over, but wow, there is so much promising stuff still to happen. I was absolutely reeled in by this, another musical, this time about the life of the model for the most famous painting in the world. Hang on though, I hear you say – don’t we know absolutely nothing about her? Well, yes. Which is why the company behind this show made all this up. See this page here to find out more.

Isn’t It Byronic | The Courtyard Theatre | 21-23 Aug
Well, you didn’t think I was going to pass by a show name like that in a hurry, did you? You know how we love those punny titles. And this sounds like a really interesting thing: “Zoe Maltby lovingly dissects the Byronic hero in all his many iterations – and maybe uncovers some clues to her own identity in the process”. Expect a weird and wonderful journey through romantic lit, see the Camden Fringe website right about here. 

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SHORT STOPS

Hickory Dickory Dock | Little Angel Theatre | 22-24 Aug (pictured)
Right, some vaguely short stops for you and, like I probably said last week, and possibly the week before, it’s still the summer holidays, so how about some entertainment for your small people? Well, the Puppet Festival continues over at Little Angel Theatre, so I recommend ‘Hickory Dickory Dock’ –  info here – as well as everything else that’s on this week, frankly. 

Lobster Pot | The Space | 19-23 Aug
On to some more grown up stuff now and this sounds kinda serious: it’s about a woman who is at the supermarket when a hostage situation arises and finds herself hiding in a cupboard with store employee Joshua. Will they manage to wait out the attack without being discovered? A show that explores misogyny, trauma and forgiveness, and honestly, it sounds amazing. Click here. 

Lightbulbs | Jack Studio | 19-23 Aug
“In our most intimate spaces, who do we trust to keep the darkness at bay? How do we navigate the hard wires of another being? Eventually, the moth must realise his return to the flame is no longer romance, but delusion. The bulb flickers. Letting go is an option”. A gentle love story about a modern, queer ‘situationship’, which seems extremely promising. All the details here. 

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EVER SO SLIGHTLY LONGER RUNS

Sirena | The Glitch | 20-25 Aug 
And now, yes, you read it, some runs which do feel a bit longer, but probably aren’t that much longer in reality. But I wish this was actually a longer run because it sounds amazing: it’s a subversive contemporary opera, created from a modern, feminist perspective. Expect a challenge to the historical treatment of the feminine voice, head to the venue listings here. 

The Animator | Southwark Playhouse Borough | 20-30 Aug (pictured)
This one’s fascinating, a play about German film director Lotte Reiniger, who created the world’s first animated feature, ten years before Disney released ‘Snow White’. It’s set in 1920s Berlin, with all the subversive glamour that implies, offering a glimpse into a world of shadows and light via physical theatre, and exploring dark political themes. See this page here to book your tickets.

Er. | White Bear Theatre | 20-26 Aug
“Jay and Tess are stuck in purgatory, waiting to be reborn. As they drift through the afterlife, deciding what they will become, they relive their past lives – tracing how a single house party brought them together, the paths they might have taken, and the choices that led to their deaths”. Well, if that doesn’t sound intriguing I have literally no idea what does. Find out more here.