Comedy Festivals Musicals Theatre ThisWeek In London

Three To See and Stream 2-8 Aug: Camden Fringe, Theatre, Opera

By | Published on Friday 29 July 2022

The Edinburgh Festival gets underway this week and we have a whole load of Three To See recommendations from across Edinburgh’s August festivities right here. Meanwhile, here are some shows to see in London and online…

THREE CAMDEN FRINGE SHOWS

Funny Tinge | 2Northdown | 5 Aug
Yay, the Camden Fringe is properly underway now, and we have been perusing this week’s events for some shows to recommend. What shall we start with? How about some comedy? Yes, I think that’s a really good idea. So let’s make a date with Funny Tinge at 2Northdown, a troupe of four women of colour from around the world that includes Alex Bertulis-Fernandes, a So You Think You’re Funny? semi-finalist who has written for ‘The Now Show’; award winning Yorkshire woman Sapphire Black; French-Iranian comedian, actress and writer Anoushka Rava; and Aisha Amanduri, a South London based comedian from Kazakhstan. More here.

It’s Not Rocket Science | Hen & Chickens Theatre | 5-7 Aug (pictured)
“Eve always knew she belonged in the stars, but those on Earth keep bringing her down. Watch her grow up and grow wiser about how rocket science is the easy part, but being treated equally isn’t”. I really like the sound of this, a play inspired by interviews conducted with female aerospace professionals from around the world. The life experienced by the central character Eve is informed by their stories and their words are used verbatim in the production, which exposes the difficulties involved in navigating this male-dominated industry. Read more and book tickets here.

Julie The Musical | Upstairs At The Gatehouse | 2-5 Aug
Yay, another show celebrating the extraordinary life of a woman, and it sounds like a wonderfully eclectic piece. The focus is a real historical character, Julie D’aubigny, who lived in the late 1600s, a bisexual opera singer and renowned swordswoman who got up to all sorts of stuff, including seducing nuns, duelling multiple men at once, burning down convents, and being bribed by princes. To reflect her chaotic life, the show uses a variety of music and performance styles, and as well as depicting her wilder exploits, it explores “queerness, found family and carving a place for yourself in a world not built for you”. All the details are here.

THREE THEATRE SHOWS

Demetrius Wakes | Old Red Lion Theatre | 2-13 Aug
Okay, time for some theatre, and a show calling itself “an unofficial and unwarranted sequel to the Bard’s ultimate summer rom com”, for yes, it’s a contemporary follow up to ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. “Drowning in domestic bliss and expensive fizz, Mia and Zander play host as Hel talks shop; yet Demetrius is restless. Years after their night of romantic madness in the woods, the spell of love has at last evaporated and Demetrius has woken up to his reality. Could his personal crisis unravel the marital status quo for these 30 something couples? And what happens when the course of true love reaches the end of the road? One thing is for certain, these mortals are well and truly Puck’d”. Ha ha. Find out more here.

The Sun The Mountain And Me | Union Theatre | 2-6 Aug (pictured)
In ancient Greece, a boy trapped in a tower is desperate to fly. In World War Two Kenya, a prisoner of war stares at a mountain and wants nothing more to climb it. And in modern day Surrey, a young man trapped in the trials of his mind is just trying to finish a painting. Melding ancient myth with historical anecdote and emotive storytelling, ‘The Sun, The Mountain And Me’ is a new solo show that explores mental health, masculinity, and the mistakes we make when we’re searching for escape”. A promising sounding piece, written and directed by Jack Fairey. Head to the venue website here to book your tickets.

Jarman/Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope | King’s Head Theatre | 2-27 Aug
The eagle-eyed amongst you (ie, those who actually read the headline) will have noticed that this is actually a tip for two shows, and you may well be wondering why that is. Well, wonder no longer, because both shows are written and performed by the excellent Mark Farelly, and I confidently predict you will want to see both. The actor is renowned for his portrayal of certain public figures, and I feel sure at least some readers will have seen him in action before – but if not, consider making a date with new show ‘Jarman’ as well as the well loved ‘Quentin Crisp’. For info and booking for ‘Jarman’ see this page here, and for ‘Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope’ see this page here.

THREE MORE GREAT SHOWS

Black, El Payso | Arcola Theatre | 2-6 Aug
Yay, three more great shows! I could almost have called this one “three more theatre shows”, but this first one messed that up by being opera. Not that I am remotely cross about that, of course, because this is another fab offering from the wonderful Grimeborne strand at Arcola Theatre. I’m very intrigued by this one, because it’s a Spanish operetta that was first produced back in 1942, but this staging at Arcola marks its UK premiere. It’s allegory of art and nationalist politics focused on two clowns who are exiled from their home country because of civil war, and find themselves in the Parisian underworld, so no wonder I want to see it. Click here for more.

Homeland | White Bear Theatre | 2-6 Aug
Over now to the White Bear Theatre for ‘Homeland’, a comedy drama looking at what constitutes ‘home’ from the perspective of recent migrants to the UK. It’s produced by Theatre Company Knee, written by Korean Playwright HeeJin Kim, and features an all-female, all-migrant cast, as well as being inspired by conversations with real immigrant women, so it offers a really tangible insight into the struggles of those trying to build a new life in a strange land. “I just want to start a new life in this country. I worked so hard you know, to f*cking survive”. Head to the venue website here to find out more.

Our Field At Twilight | The Space | 2-6 Aug
And finally, a little more theatre and a show which – as is normal now at The Space – can be seen either in-person or via a livestream. Plus, it’s also on later this month at edfringe, appearing during the final week of the Festival. “An insomniac mother and an anxious pot-head find themselves trapped in a workers’ cult in Northern Europe. Their milk turns sour when a stranger burgles their farmhouse, digging up the dirt from their past. Will they welcome her, or remain in their twilight state?” Click this link here to find out more and book tickets.

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