Children's Shows Comedy Dance & Physical Festivals Theatre ThisWeek In London

Three To See 2-8 April: Family Shows, Comedy Stuff, Festival Connections, Comical plays, and More…

By | Published on Friday 29 March 2024

FAMILY SHOWS

Four Seasons | Battersea Arts Centre | 2-6 Apr (pictured)
Okey doke, thought we’d start with some family stuff again because, yes, the Easter hols are ongoing and the kids need to go have some fun. We’re headed first to Battersea Arts Centre for ‘Four Seasons’ from the award winning Little Bulb, a “love letter to nature” aimed at three to seven year olds featuring puppetry, physical theatre, clowning and great music, including Vivaldi, as you might have expected when you saw the title. More here.

Dogs Don’t Do Ballet | ArtsDepot | 2-7 Apr
“Biff is not like ordinary dogs. He likes moonlight. And music. And walking on his tiptoes. You see, Biff doesn’t think he’s a dog, Biff thinks he’s a ballerina…” An adaptation of the book by Anna Kemp and Sara Ogilvie powered by puppets and well loved ballet music. Expect a comical story of “a small dog with a big personality and even bigger dreams”, suitable for small ones aged two to six. Details here.

Hermit | Greenwich Theatre | 5 Apr
Another one for the smaller ones, also recommended for ages two to six, and it’s a non verbal show about a quiet, tall man who just happens to be living in a very small house. He’s happy in there, and likes hiding away from the world, so we’ll have to earn his trust if we want to be invited in. “I can see a box, no wait, is it a house? There’s a noise coming from inside. Could there be something inside? Suddenly a flap opens. Is that a man living in a box?” Click here for all the info.

COMEDY STUFF

Millwall Jew: Anniversary Show | The Pen Theatre | 4 Apr
Right, comedy for all you grown-ups who want grown-up stuff. First up, Ivor Dembina, an act we know from, loved at, and gave an Editors’ Award to at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. This show, which debuted a year ago at The Pen Theatre, is about how he decided – at the age of 71 – to “swear allegiance” to his nearest football club, Millwall. Head to the venue website here for more information and to book tickets.

Chris McCausland: Yonks | ArtsDepot | 4 Apr
And another act we first discovered via the old edfringe. Who am I kidding, though, for us it happens that way a significant percentage of the time, especially when it comes to comedians. Anyway, wherever we found him, I am sure that you’re all probably aware of him, not least because of all the telly appearances he’s been doing lately. I imagine the tickets are selling quickly so head this way asap.

Liam Withnail: Chronic Boom | Soho Theatre | 8-10 Apr (pictured)
And, yes, blah, blah, Edinburgh, etc, here’s another Fringe success headed to a London venue that you should definitely get in your diary. Or, better, just buy the tickets already and make sure you don’t forget. Anyway, this show’s won a lot of plaudits and promises an “emotional punch” along with comedic storytelling focusing on Liam’s chronic illness and a stay in hospital. More info here.

FESTIVAL CONNECTIONS

The Death & Life Of All Of Us | Camden People’s Theatre | 2-6 + 9-13 Apr (pictured)
Can’t stop banging on about those Fringe connections, can we? This one’s a show from performance artist Victor Esses that had an award winning run at the Edinburgh Festival, that mixes storytelling with home videos and live music, and offers a poignant and funny exploration of the life of the creator’s long lost great aunt. You can read lots more about it in this Q&A we did with him last summer, and you can book your tickets here.

Cassie And The Lights | Southwark Playhouse Borough | 3-20 Apr
“Can kids be parents? When Cassie’s mother disappears, the teenager wants to care for her sisters on her own. Is she the right person to be a parent now, or should she let foster parents adopt her sisters and create a new family?” Another show that won love and acclaim at the Fringe last summer, based on real life events and interviews with children in care, an examination of what makes a family and holds it together. Click here.

Arcadia Festival | Stanley Arts | 4-7 Apr
Okay, enough with the festival connections, actually, on to an actual festival taking place at south London’s Stanley Arts. It’s a response to the climate crisis and includes three promenade performances, installations, workshops, and a screening of ‘Can I Live’, a filmed performance by Fehinti Balogun. Lots going on, and it all looks great, so head to the venue website here and read more about all the individual events.

COMICAL PLAYS

Life With Oscar | Arcola Theatre | 2-20 Apr (pictured)
Well, you’ve already had three suggestions for comedy, but one can never laugh enough, I reckon, so here are some plays that should also raise a smile. First up is this “darkly comic confessional rollercoaster ride through Hollywood” courtesy of Nicholas Cohen, a one-person performance that features 29 characters, and promises a “deepening spiral of desperation, delusion and debt”, but yes, it is actually hilarious. More here.

Insult To Injury | Lion & Unicorn Theatre | 2-13 Apr
Over to the Lion & Unicorn, then, for yet more quality stuff, this time a satirical comedy focusing on a social media company, two content moderators and the new billionaire boss. It’s by Kieran Dee and Grace Millie, explores the rather topical themes of “misinformation, technology, responsibility, power, and eating other people’s sins”, and I’m inclined to expect rather good things from it. More here.

Sweet Nothings | Barons Court Theatre | 2-6 Apr
This one has a format I appreciate, for it consists of four short comedy plays, and you may be aware of how much we enjoy a short play collection. These are all by Raegan Payne and have a common theme, that of contemporary love and romance. Plots include that of three women waiting to hear from loved ones trapped in a mine; and the life of Mary, who has made the most important discovery of her life, and wants to be alone to enjoy it. Click here.

MORE INTERESTING STUFF

The Light House | Park Theatre | 2-13 Apr
Ok, final section, and some more interesting stuff for you, all of it extremely promising. This one is about love and how it gets more complicated when “the person you love doesn’t want to be alive”. That said, it sounds entirely hopeful and life-affirming. Also, ‘The Light House’ is in the Park Theatre’s Make Mine A Double strand, which means it’s on the same dates as ‘Sun Bear’, whose creator Sarah Richardson we Q&Ad this week, and you get a discount if you book tickets for them both. Do it!

Tides | The Hope Theatre | 7-8 Apr
“Dylan Ward is autistic. He doesn’t connect with people quite like how others can. He can’t follow conventional norms in the way that is expected from him, he doesn’t communicate in the same way, he has his own way of thinking, and his own way of doing things. Sadly, the rest of the world seems to not understand this”. A one person show, based on the writer-performer Joe Dennis’s own experiences, see this page here for more info.

Love Steps | Omnibus Theatre | 3-20 Apr (pictured)
Saved a real goodie for last, here (though of course, everything we recommend is a goodie, obv), a fusion of drama, poetry, dance and music that marks the debut of writer Anastasia Osei-Kuffour. This play looks at the pressure on people to find a partner, questioning whether “finding love defines one’s identity and how self-worth and self-esteem can exist outside of that”. Head this way.

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