Children's Shows Circus Dance & Physical Festivals Musicals Opera Theatre ThisWeek In London

Three To See 12-18 Mar: Festival Stuff, Theatre, musicals, opera and more…

By TW Editorial | Published on Friday 8 March 2024

FESTIVAL CONNECTIONS

3xThursday at Sprint | Camden People’s Theatre | 14 Mar
OK then, let’s start this week with some festival connected stuff, some rather more connected than others. First up, we’re headed to an actual festival, CPT’s Sprint. ‘3xThursday’ means that there are three shows on 14 Mar that are all a bit shorter than standard shows, so you’re cordially encouraged to take in all or two of them with a 25% discount. Find the three shows – ‘Mortar’, ‘Lovely Day’ and ‘Metamorphosis’ – in the Sprint listings here.

A Regular Little Houdini | OSO Arts Centre | 12-16 Mar
Next up is a show that we saw at the Edinburgh Fringe back in 2016, and it’s a rather compelling one man show. “A lowly dockworker’s son idolises his hero, Harry Houdini, and commits himself to a life a magic, but the harsh reality of life in Edwardian Britain gets in the way. As Harry trains himself to emulate his hero’s escapology, his parents struggle to understand their son’s eccentricity”. More here.

High Steaks | New Diorama Theatre | 12-23 Mar (pictured)
Here’s another show that we heard about at edfringe, very much more recently, as this one won a lot of acclaim at the most recent Edinburgh Festival. Created by Eloina and directed by Louise Orwin, it’s a show about labia, labia-shaming and cosmetic surgery, in response to a rising demand for labiaplasty. The show celebrates vulvas of all shapes and sizes via the media of performance art and comedy clowning. Read more here.

ONE NIGHT ONLY

Space Junk | Jacksons Lane | 14 Mar
One night only, folks, so of course the central message here is don’t miss it. Let’s first head over to Jacksons Lane for a circusy treat, a tale of love, loss and new frontiers. ‘Space Junk’ is the story of a space suit “pushed out into space on an ephemeral orbit of the earth”, and it explores “the destructive power of human carelessness and our constructive capacity for hope and compassion”. More here.

Boxed In | The Albany | 16 Mar (pictured)
Well, I said one night only, but there actually two performances of this on the same day. So it is only one ‘night’ I guess, plus my rules were definitely meant to be broken. Anyway, this is a rather cool show for little ones aged three to six, and it focuses on unspoken social rules and the difficulty of navigating them. “How do you know a barrier is there if you can’t see it? And if you can’t see it, how can you remove it?” Info here.

Not Such Stuff | Bread & Roses Theatre | 17 Mar
This sounds interesting, set in a wine bar and featuring a series of interwoven Shakespeare soliloquies, from lots of different – and importantly, female – Shakespeare characters, who are given the chance to have their say. “What does Juliet really think of Romeo? What did Lear do to Regan? Why does Kate submit to Petruccio? If you have ever wondered why Shakespeare’s women behave the way they do, this may give you some answers”. Click here.

SHORT STOPS

Magic | Lion and Unicorn Theatre | 12-16 Mar
So, that’s the one-date things done. Onto the not-happening-for-very-long things, starting with ‘Magic’, a play by Hugo Lau that takes a look at bereavement, and whether or not it’s okay to behave badly when you are grieving. “Lowell has died. He was Natalie’s big brother. She should be grieving. Whatever that means. Let’s be honest – it sounds hard. Getting drunk on the other hand? That’s easy. And Fun!” More here.

La Voix Humaine | King’s Head Theatre | 14-16 Mar (pictured)
“Alone in her apartment, a woman talks to her former lover on the telephone. She teases, flirts, promises, lies and pleads. Finally, telling him again and again that she loves him, she drops the receiver…” Environmentally friendly company Green Opera’s award-nominated production of Poulenc’s ‘La Voix Humane’, adapted from the play by Jean Cocteau. Read more about it on the venue website here.

If They’re Human | The Space | 13-16 Mar
We’re sticking with the rhythmical theme and moving from opera to a musical love story about a couple fighting to survive after being forced into a Jewish concentration camp. “Despite the fear and constant threat of death for them all, Lea and Petr find hope in their dreams of a future with one another”. For all the details and to book tickets, head to the venue website right about here.

LONGER RUNS

Big Finish | Battersea Arts Centre | 14-27 Mar (pictured)
Last section for this week, and it’s a few shows with longer runs for your delectation, and we start with a long loved TW fave, the very excellent Figs In Wigs, with their latest show ‘Big Finish’. “What happens if the world ends? What happens if we end? Is there any way we can make our way through the mess of now, to the future of tomorrow? Or is it better to hope for an apocalypse?” Expect live art, comedy and dance. Yes, even with those themes. Click here.

In Clay | Upstairs At The Gatehouse | 13 MAr-7 Apr
“Berthe Cazin, a ceramist in her early 40s, eagerly awaits her estranged childhood friend, and now celebrated artist, Henrietta Tirman. Her imminent arrival pushes Marie to reflect on the great joys and sorrows of a life devoted to making art”. Another nice musical for you, based on a true story, and which had an acclaimed sell-out run at the 2023 Vault Festival. Head to the venue website here for all the details.

Syncopation | Bridewell Theatre | 14 Mar-13 Apr
Finally, yet more musical stuff – it’s clearly catching – though this doesn’t really call itself an actual musical, it’s a two-hander that’s a blend of theatre, music and dance. “1912 New York and ballroom dancing halls are filled with the syncopated beats of ragtime music. Meatpacker Henry is seeking a new dance partner and, when seamstress Anna responds to his advertisement, life takes an unexpected turn”. Click here.