MUSICAL STUFF

The Scale Of Power | Union Theatre | 21-22 Jul
Yay, lots of musical things for you to get your teeth into this week, which is nice. Feels to me like it goes well with all this sunny weather. That said, this first one, a new piece of musical theatre, feels a bit dystopian, even though it’s a hilarious satire. It has a very intriguing premise, set in a world where your economic power is based on your ability to hit the right notes. More here. 

After My Breath / Eden 2.0: A Double Bill | Arcola Theatre | 15-18 Jul (pictured)
Hurrah, I love this time of year, in part because of the different festivals that take place. And kicking off this week is Arcola’s Grimeborn opera festival, which is very exciting. Our first pick is this double bill of modern chamber opera: ‘After My Breath’, a solo soprano love letter to Greta Thunberg, and ‘Eden 2.0’, which asks what might happen if creation could be rebooted. Click here. 

Trains In The Night | The Glitch | 16-17 Jul 
“Celine, an aspiring actress, is willing to leap headfirst into love. Margot, a struggling writer, keeps getting caught between what she wants and what feels safe. Every time one is single, the other isn’t. Every time they almost say it, they don’t”. A sapphic, coming of age musical that promises to be funny, intimate, yearny and tender. Find out more and book tickets here. 

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SHORT STOPS 

The Green Room Of Good And Evil | Etcetera Theatre | 17 Jul
This one’s actually another musical event that fell out of the above section and into this one, which is apt, because it’s only on for one night, sadly. Grasp the opportunity, though and see this cabaret that pits angels against monsters and dreamers against schemers. “Every musical needs a hero and a villain, but who truly steals the show?” Find out more about it here. 

Chris Grace: 88% | Park Theatre | 17-18 Jul  
A new hour of stand-up comedy from Chris Grace, a performer I got to know through interviewing him about his work at the Edinburgh Festival, and also through watching him in the TV series ‘Superstore’, as one of the players in a subplot that I really adored. This show poses some interesting questions and heads to edfringe later this summer. More here. 

Untold Stories | Greenwich Theatre | 15-18 Jul (pictured)
And speaking of edfringe, this next show is not going to the Scottish Festival this year, as far as I am aware, but it won a lot of fans at last year’s Fringe. Modern mime artist Silent Rocco creates worlds and stories in an immersive and cinematic experience. “What if you could wear emotions like masks?” Find out more and book your tickets right about here. 

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MORE GREAT STUFF 

Cruising | The Hope Theatre | 19-22 Jul
Yes, you may have noticed that this show runs for the same length of time as the last one featured in the short stops section. It’s another one that fell out of its place and into a different set of tips, but no matter, it’s going to be great, so it belongs here. It’s about a dancer and a climate activist who meet on a cruise and realise they are both in a relationship with the same person. Click here. 

Alice In Wonderland | Riverside Studios | 16 Jul-2 Aug (pictured)
It’s a classic and it’s for a family audience (ages five and up) so I reckon this might be a great way for your young fry to start their summer holidays. Not entirely sure when everyone breaks up but I think we’re mostly done by the end of this week. Anyway, you all know Alice and the shenanigans she gets up to and this is a critically acclaimed production, so book here. 

Darling, I Think I’m Turning Into A Chicken | Upstairs At The Gatehouse | 15-26 Jul 
It’s a funny title (not one I could ignore) and this is a darkly comedic play, but it’s definitely got some serious concerns to talk about: it explores how illness is not just biological, but emotional, social and generational, and looks at “what happens when loss becomes the air a family breathes”. Head to the venue website here to find out more.