FESTIVAL STUFF 

Time Piece | Bread & Roses Theatre | 26-26 Sep (pictured)
September often feels a bit quiet when it comes to festivals, so it’s lovely that we have the Lambeth Fringe to talk about this week. There are loads of great events, so check them all out here, but I’ve picked two that I especially like the look of. First ‘Time Piece’, which consists of four interlinked plays by four different writers that dovetail into each other, and which look at isolation and the need for human connection. More here.

Causa: The Trial Of The Illegal Potato | LowMAC | 25-26 Sep 
Is it any wonder I was attracted to this one, when it boasts that title? This is an absurdist courtroom comedy about a Peruvian immigrant who is on trial for causing a UK agricultural crisis by growing a forbidden potato variety. Did she really cause the crisis or is she being used as a scapegoat? Find out the answers to those questions, possibly, by booking your tickets to see the show, link here.

London Burning Theatre Festival: As We All Lay Dying | Hoxton Hall | 26-27 Sep
Finally for this section, a whole goshdarnit festival, taking place over two days at London’s Hoxton Hall, and featuring theatre, sound art and immersive installations. It offers “a meditation on the struggles and hardships of life, and on the dedication of oneself to a purpose until the final breath. It celebrates those who dare to dismantle the worlds they inherit, to forge new ones”. More here. 

---

LONGISH RUNS

Affluenza | Riverside Studios | 26 Sep-21 Nov (pictured)
There may well be folk out there who’d like to go see this show because of the cast, which includes Noah Schnapp from ‘Stranger Things’, ‘Strictly’ alumna Jannette Manrana and TV veteran Juliet Cowan. But I was drawn to it because of its themes, as it asks questions about moral accountability, family legacy, the American justice system, and the cost and generational impact of privilege. Get more info here. 

What The Animals Say | Finborough Theatre | 29 Sep-24 Oct 
“Two ex-classmates wait for the Stranraer ferry back to Belfast. At first, they reconnect over football, ‘Father Ted’ and the staunch Unionist culture they grew up in, but what begins as banter spirals into confrontation as buried resentments, betrayal and violence rise to the surface”. A revival of David Ireland’s 2009 debut, which should be as funny and provocative as it ever was. Book your tickets here. 

Pocket Money | Unicorn Theatre | 26 Sep-1 Nov 
One for your kids now, given that they probably deserve an entertaining treat as reward for that two to three weeks of school they’ve put in this month. This is suitable for kids aged seven to twelve years and offers a “wild ride into the world of finance where children make the decisions”. Expect something that empowers children to think critically about money and stuff, but obv it’s also fun and funny. More here. 

---

SHORTER STOPS 

Flock | Jack Studio Theatre | 29 Sep-3 Oct (pictured)
Two of these stops are fairly short, the third, not so much. First up is ‘Flock’, a play about a brother and sister who have grown up separately in the care system. Robbie wants them to live together and Cel is intent on going to university. It’s sad and funny, a “portrait of grief, love and resilience told through the eyes of a young man who sees the world through the behaviour of birds: free, loyal, and pecking the shit out of each other”. Details here. 

My Name Is Rachel Corrie | Greenwich Theatre | 29 Sep-17 Oct   
A new production of this acclaimed play about American activist Rachel Corrie, who died when placing herself between a Palestinian home and an Israeli army bulldozer. Created by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner using Corrie’s diary and emails, it’s “a collision of idealism, anger and wit, Rachel’s words are as relevant now as they have ever been”. Find out more here.

Those People | Soho Theatre | 23-26 Sep  
“Lara Ciulli and Riana White are two struggling best mates desperate to make something profound, but destined to fail as they blur the platonic with the romantic and cliff-dive, naked, into the choppy seas of modern dance and Jacob Elordi impersonations”. A highly acclaimed show that won many fans at the Edinburgh Fringe this year. All the details right about here.