Art & Events Comedy Musicals Spoken Word Theatre ThisWeek In London

Three To See and Stream 11-17 May: Festival Events, Musical Shows, Things To See In Person, Things To Take In Online

By | Published on Friday 7 May 2021

THREE FESTIVAL EVENTS

House Mother Normal | New Perspectives/Brighton Festival | 7 May-2 Jun (pictured)
Hurray, we have festival stuff for you this week, and that makes me happy. Some of you will be well aware that the Brighton Festival is happening right about now and there are a number of events taking place online. I meant to mention this last week, to be honest, but I noted down the wrong date entirely! No matter, it’s on until June so you still have plenty of time. It’s a digital installation from New Perspectives, inspired by BS Johnson’s novel of the same name, directed by Tim Crouch. “Ron, Rosetta, Ivy, Charlie, Gloria, Sarah, Sioned and George. Under the watchful eye of House Mother, eight residents of the strangest care home recall their pasts and narrate their terrifying present”. See this page here.

Don’t Touch Duckie | Norwich & Norfolk Festival | 17 May
This is a launch event for the Norwich & Norfolk Festival, which has quite a lot of online options for those who can’t be there in the flesh. This is – in fact – a live and socially distanced cabaret, but it’s also going to be livestreamed for those who didn’t manage to book a ticket, or simply would just rather view from home. It’s hosted by cabaret favourites Bourgeois & Maurice and features appearances from Thick & Tight, Oozing Gloop, Harry Alexander, Legs ’67, Joan Collins and Dame Barbara Cartland. See this page here to book admittance to the livestream, and this page here for all the events, many of them online.

#50days | The Turbine Theatre | 17-19 May
You know how I’ve been going on about the tantalising reality of some actual real-life, in person shows opening in London soon…? Well, soon is almost now, because as ever, we are tipping seven days ahead. Here’s one of those shows, which is on as part of The Turbine Theatre’s MTFestUK, which is set to showcase eight new pieces of musical theatre before sending them on a virtual tour of twelve regional venues. They all look great, to be honest, but this grime musical called out to me because of its historical themes: “It is December 1641 and King Charles is about to be formally challenged by a handful of MPs and radical commoners, who share the belief that ALL men are born equal”. Read more about #50days here, and about the full line up here.


THREE MUSICAL SHOWS

You Are Here | Southwark Playhouse | 17 May-12 Jun (pictured)
Hurrah for musical things, and one of them you can actually go to an actual theatre to see! The impending sense of freedom is almost giddying, isn’t it? And the musical thing you can actually go to see is this one, ‘You Are Here’, at Southwark Playhouse. Though, if you’re not ready to venture out yet you have the opportunity to stream it too. “July 20, 1969. On the night of the moon landing, Chicago housewife Diana (Wendi Peters) walks out of her comfortable suburban life for no real reason. She sees the astronauts taking that great step and is struck by the realisation that some people lead exciting lives. Suddenly alone in a fast-changing world, she finds a series of unexpected encounters can turn one small step into a giant, life-changing leap”. See this page here for more.

Everything Is Absolutely Fine | King’s Head Theatre | 15 May
“Alice is making a new start. Things are going to be different. She has moved out of the big city to a small town, doing the job she loves as an occupational therapist. She is going to be a new person here, cool, calm and free. The kind of person who goes running everyday and can go to a cafe and sit on their own. She is going to make a difference, meet new people and become a new woman… BUT her old friend Anxiety has other ideas…” This one is an online offering, a new comedy musical about anxiety disorders, caring and trying to keep going from TW favourite House Of Blakewell, aka Alice Keedwell and Harry Blake. Expect power ballads, show tunes and body percussion. More here.

The Showstoppers: Alternative Eurovision Song Contest | 15 May
Showstoppers fans among our readership may well remember the talented improv group’s Alternative Eurovision Song Contest from last year, which raised lots of money for charity as well as being great fun. So I am sure you will all be excited to hear that they are doing another one this year, which you will be able to watch live, and vote for your favourite songs. If you missed the fun last year, you can still watch all the songs from it, in preparation for seeing this year’s new entries. No need to book, just tune in, but see this page here for more information and a link to last year’s content.


THREE THINGS TO SEE IN PERSON

The NextUp Relaunch Party | Pleasance Theatre | 17 May (pictured)
Obviously it’s very exciting that live socially distanced shows are going to be happening soon, but they are only starting on the final day of our current tipping week, which is why this section features three shows all happening on the same day. But here we go with three choices of properly live entertainment, starting with The NextUp Relaunch Party, a comedy night featuring a host of our favourite comedy acts, namely Dane Baptiste, Maisie Adams, Huge Davies, Nigel Ng, Priya Hall and fab MC MC Thanyia Moore. If you don’t manage to secure tickets, you can also tune in online via NextUp’s streaming service. See this page here for all the info.

Happy Mondays Comedy | Amersham Arms | 17 May
Happy Mondays Comedy at The Amersham makes its socially distanced return with a fab line up of yet more TW faves: Esther Manito, winner of Best Show at Leicester Comedy Festival 2021, the increasingly-on-your-TV Michael Odewale, edfringe fave and TV face Tom Lucy, the multi comedy award winning/nominated Nathan Cassidy, plus “rising star” Kate Martin, and the excellent Sion James on MC duty. For more information and to book yourself in, see this page right about here.

Single Black Female | Chiswick Playhouse | 17 May
You can expect to be amused by this live offering, but it’s a play rather than stand up: “’Single Black Female’ is a show with rapid-fire comic vignettes that explore the lives of thirty-something African American middle-class women in urban America as they search for love, clothes, and dignity in a world that fails to recognise them amongst a parade of stereotypical images”. Socially distanced, like everything else, so fewer tickets will be available than is normal, so head this way quickly, if you’re interested, to find out more and book tickets.


THREE THINGS TO TAKE IN ONLINE

Romeo And Juliet | Creation Theatre | 12-23 May
“Are you a Montague or a Capulet? It’s time to pick a side. Travel to Verona to meet the world’s most famous star-crossed lovers, in an expansive digital universe. Join audiences across the world to experience live performance, filmed scenes and choose-your-own-adventure style gameplay. Immersive, fast-paced and interactive, this extraordinary adaptation puts you at the heart of the action”. You might remember that we interviewed the director of this Zoom-based production a couple of weeks ago. You’ve no doubt been waiting patiently to see it since, head this way to book tickets if you haven’t already.

Touchy | 20 Stories High | from 13 May (pictured)
‘Touchy’ is a mash up of theatre and music video, which combines beats, drama, poetry, animation, visuals and original music to tell the stories of six characters navigating their way through young adulthood. Themes explored through the project include LGBT issues, consent and autism. There are five stories – four of which focus on single characters, the fifth on a pairing – which will be released weekly from 13 May through to 10 Jun. For more information on the plays and the release schedule, see this page here.

On Your Tod | Theatre of Discontent | from 6 May
And so to another collection of pieces being released on a weekly basis, a series of “singular stories embedded in video messages” written and produced by Caroline Loncq, set in lockdown and filmed in isolation by the actors performing each monologue. “Whether it’s a warning to a con artist from the victim he tried to fleece; an update to an estranged sister who ran off with someone else’s fiancé; or an attempt to reach out to an absent twin, each twisted tale is a little dramatic bullet with the watching audience cast as the intended recipient”. The first one is already available, see the company’s YouTube site here for that and a trailer, and subscribe so you get notified when each of the subsequent films are released.



READ MORE ABOUT: | | | | | | | | | | | |