Comedy Dance & Physical Festivals Theatre ThisWeek In London

Three To See 31 Jan-6 Feb: Vault Fest, Funny Stuff, Other Great Stuff…

By | Published on Friday 27 January 2023

VAULT FESTIVAL

Love In | Vault Festival | 31 Jan-19 Mar
Yay, it’s so nice that the Vault Festival lasts for a good long time so we can pick things from it week after week. Here is our second selection of tips for shows that all look fab, but remember, don’t just go to see the things we like the look of, because there’s so much good stuff on offer. Peruse the full listings here. But make one of your choices ‘Love In’, which is interactive and intriguingly promising. Read about it here.

Scratches | Vault Festival | 31 Jan-5 Feb
Next up is ‘Scratches’, which is a play about self harm and recovery, but it’s the sort of play that’s funny while exploring difficult themes. “Meet GIRL. For too long, she’s been hiding her scratches with unfashionably long socks, clever white lies and period pads. But now she and her fabulous BEST FRIEND are here to set the record straight”. Find out more here.

The Ballerina | Vault Festival | 31 Jan-5 Feb (pictured)
“January 2019. Set in a country far, far, not so far away, British diplomat Colin Clutterbuck is brutally arrested by the National Intelligence Agency. Faced with infamous master interrogator Pacifique Muamba, the young diplomat is about to be painfully re-educated and taken to the brink of madness. Can she prove her innocence? Is she innocent?” Another great looking show from Khaos, read more about it here.

FUNNY STUFF

Alex MacKeith: Thanks For Listening | Soho Theatre | 31 Jan + 1 Feb
And now onto some amusing things for your delectation. We begin with the excellent Alex MacKeith, who we previously tipped ahead of the 2022 edfringe, where he performed a highly acclaimed musical comedy show. And, as you may suspect by now, ‘Thanks For Listening’ is that highly acclaimed musical comedy show. See all the details on the Soho Theatre website right about here.

Medico | The Hope Theatre | 5+6 Feb (pictured)
What’s that? Another recent edfringe success? Yes indeed. It’s so good to see them turning up in ye olde London town. This time it’s award-winning comedian and NHS doctor Stefania Licari with ‘Medico’, a one woman show fusing stand up and physical comedy, offering “a hilarious journey into the world of medicine, immigration and what it means to be an Italian doctor in the UK”. Click here.

I’ve Got Some Things To Get Off My Chest | Golden Goose Theatre | 1-3 Feb
This sounds like it could be a serious show, in some ways: I think people too often dismiss the problems associated with having very large breasts and it looks like this show is going to tackle them head-on. It promises to be “perceptive and funny” in its examination of misogynistic medical standards, underfunded female health care and how hard it is to have big boobs. More here available here.

SHORTER STOPS

Kissed By A Flame | Pleasance Theatre | 2-11 Feb (pictured)
I’ve called this shorter stops, but then this first show isn’t that short of a run at all. Perhaps I should have hidden it at the bottom. But never mind, it’s here now. And it sounds ever so good: A “romantic tragedy for our times”, ‘Kissed By A Flame’ – by Simon Perrot – is about Jamie, who has never recovered from Teddy’s death, and, eleven years after his passing, unboxes his last diary. Expect something “beautiful, tragic, funny, and bittersweet”, more here.

A Water Journey | Little Angel Theatre | 3-5 Feb
The London International Mime Festival has its final events this week, and here’s one of those, but – as with all their shows – tickets are flying away, so if you want to see this, please do hurry. This wordless piece, performed with carved wooden marionettes and silhouette animation, tells the story of a community forced by climate change to undertake a dangerous journey. Suitable for everyone over five, see here.

Two Fest: Lift Off | The Space | 2-4 Feb
You may know that The Space are raising money for a new lift so that the venue can be more accessible, and ticket revenue from this mini-fest of short plays will go to that endeavour, which is brilliant. But also, it’s a collection of short plays and you know how much we love those. Expect work by Alice Underwood, Ariella Como Stoian, Danica Corns, Dorothy McDowell and Katie Bignell. Click here.

LONGER RUNS

One Who Wants To Cross | Finborough Theatre | 31 Jan-25 Feb (pictured)
And finally, some slightly longer runs to get your teeth into, starting with ‘One Who Wants To Cross’ over at the Finborough Theatre, a play by French playwright Marc-Emmanuel Soriano, translated by Amanda Gann. It’s described as a “dramatic meditation on migrants”, and focuses on the contemporary tragedy of those who face suffering and even death in their attempt to find a new home. Details here.

Housemates Returns: Chicken Burger N Chips | Brixton House | 31 Jan-11 Feb
“Summer holidays in South London, Corey dreams of nothing but hanging around with his friends while ordering as much Morley’s as possible. Until Jodie comes along and makes him realise the changes which are happening within his beloved Lewisham borough”. A witty coming of age story about growing up in South London, that deals with the important topic of gentrification and its effects. More here.

I Found My Horn | White Bear Theatre | 31 Jan-11 Feb
Last pick for this week is a revival of ‘I Found My Horn’, which first won acclaim at the Aldeburgh Festival back in 2008. “A man wakes up in midlife to a broken marriage and the dawning fear that he has done nothing to make himself memorable. Packing away his life as he prepares for divorce, he is struck by an insane idea: why not pick up the French horn he never conquered in his youth?” Why not indeed? Book here.

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