Children's Shows Comedy Festivals Music Musicals Opera Theatre ThisWeek In London

Three To See and Stream 27 Oct-2 Nov: Events Live In London, Shows With Seasonally Scary Themes, Musical Shows, Festival Events, Intriguing Things + More

By | Published on Friday 23 October 2020

THREE EVENTS LIVE IN LONDON

Roald Dahl And The Imagination Seekers | Greenwich Theatre | 31 Oct (pictured)
Okay, we have a lot to get through today so let’s get cracking. And we begin with three shows taking place in real life but happening in a socially distanced way, of course. The first is a show that will make a nice family outing for those of you with small people to entertain. “All around the world Roald Dahl’s words are disappearing, not only from books but children’s minds too! Now only an organisation known as the ancient guild of tale tenders can save the stories – and they need your help”. Find out more here.

Now. Here. This | Chiswick Playhouse | 27 Oct-31 Oct
A UK professional premiere for this musical from the same team behind off-Broadway hit ‘[title of show]’, which – according to the blurb – “searches for the answers to life’s big questions by exploring the birds, bees, reptiles, trees, dinosaurs, illiteracy, hoarding, middle school, first love, fashion, and much, much more”. For more information and to book a clutch of tickets, see this page here.

The Spooktacular Cabaret | The Garden Theatre | 30 Oct
The Garden Theatre at The Eagle continues to stage events outside and the latest is one likely to appeal to all you musical lovers out there. This is a graduate showcase and will feature lots of spookily themed songs from spookily themed musicals like ‘The Rocky Horror Show’, ‘Phantom Of The Opera’, ‘Into The Woods’ and ‘Little Shop Of Horrors’. Head to this page here for more information and to book your tickets.

THREE SHOWS WITH SEASONALLY SCARY THEMES

Ghosts Of Stanley Halls | Stanley Halls | 29-31 Oct
This is another show, actually, that is happening in real life in London, but it’s also a spookily themed show too, so it fits into this section. And yes, I know that there was a spookily themed show in the previous section, but you’ll just have to live with these occasionally inconsistent themes that are all just part of the mixed up world in which we live! Anyway, this sounds fun: you are invited to “take a walk through the secret rooms and hidden passages of Stanley Halls to meet the people and things that lurk in the shadows”. Click here for info and to book.

Captain Fantastic’s Virtual Trick Or Treat | 31 Oct
Hmmm. Having put this in the ‘seasonally scary’ section, I am starting to wonder how genuinely scary this might be, given it’s a trick or treat themed thing, and trick or treat isn’t really that scary. And who would want this to be frightening given that it’s for kids? What’s important, though, is that we are clear on the fact that this has a Hallowe’en theme and that it will probably be great fun for your lovely children. Take a look right about here.

Host | The Space | 28-30 Oct (pictured)
“Online English tutor Fay has a new student. She’s charming, chatty and won’t focus on any one thing for more than a minute. But her father isn’t letting her leave the house. Suspecting the worse, Fay risks everything to try and help. But when something even more sinister rears its head, she is forced to ask whether she’s gone too far”. This sounds like it’s a bit on the spooky side. In fact it’s described as a “horror” and explores themes of loneliness redemption and the fear of getting too close. An online show delivered via Zoom, see this page here for more.

THREE MUSICAL SHOWS

Rush Hour Lates With Brodsky Quartet | King’s Place | 31 Oct
If it’s a non-scary sort of Hallowe’en evening’s entertainment you are looking for, then perhaps some classical music from an extremely well established and acclaimed quartet might be of interest? This is actually a live event taking place at the venue, which has sadly already sold out, but they are also doing a live stream of it. So you can book a ticket for that instead and enjoy this performance of Beethoven’s late string quartets from the comfort of your own home. So that’s nice. Head this way to find out more and book tickets.

Blue Electric – An Opera | The Playground Theatre | 27–31 Oct (pictured)
This sounds fascinating: a wife and husband collaboration, with a story based on Alba Arikha’s acclaimed memoir ‘Major/Minor’, and music by Tom Smail. It’s about a father and a daughter dealing with the effect of the long past Holocaust on their relationship, and focuses on particular scenes from the book – parties and cafés set in 1980s Paris. Expect “an opera of juxtapositions: contemporary orchestral music and bursts of pop, adolescent preoccupations and concentration camps”. This one’s a live show, so head this way to book your tickets.

I Look For The Think | 29 Oct
‘I Look For The Think’ is a very short opera by Orlando Gough, which is set to be screened on 29 Oct to coincide with World Stroke Day. And, of course, it’s no coincidence that said opera has been rehearsed and recorded via Zoom by sixty stroke survivors. Thematically, the piece explores the uncertainty and anxiety of being discharged from hospital after a stroke, both for the patient – facing a new life with an altered capacity for movement, speech and expression – and for those plunged into the role of carer. The livestream will take place via this Facebook page here.

THREE FESTIVAL EVENTS

Where You Are | Ad Infinitum | 29 Oct-1 Nov
Award-winning Bristol-based Theatre Company Ad Infinitum – whose fantastic shows we have witnessed many times up at the Edinburgh Festival – are this week staging a free online mini-festival of short films, podcasts, Q&As, talks and discussions exploring themes of freedom, transition, resistance and care. It all looks rather intriguing and features new works from two deaf collaborators, and you can see a list of all the programmed events on the company website right here. So take a look and see what you’d like to take in.

Shakespeare And Fear | Shakespeare’s Globe | 31 Oct-9 Nov
“Fear weaves its way through Shakespeare’s plays, manifesting as delusion, paranoia and terror. He shows us how the contagion of fear can spread faster than the plague, how it can infect the mind, and the body and how it can be used as a pacifying and suppressing power. Shakespeare also shows us that when fear is harnessed, it can offer hope and catharsis – and be transformed into a motivating force for positive action”. A second digital festival from The Globe, filmed in the candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, which includes scary ghost stories and a staged reading of ‘Macbeth’. Info here.

Rich Kids: A History Of Shopping Malls In Tehran | Traverse Online Festival | 29-30 Oct (pictured)
We first tipped this back in July when it was on as part of the Electric Dreams Online Festival, but now you have another chance to see it via the Traverse Online Festival, so we thought we would flag that up, especially as the play won a Fringe First when it was on in Edinburgh in 2019. “The global gap between rich and poor is growing. As the world decays, the spawn of the powerful dance like everyone is watching. This darkly comedic, dizzying show about entitlement, consumption and digital technology invites you to use Instagram to explore what is happening in the world”. Details here.

THREE INTRIGUING THINGS TO TAKE IN

Stay Safe | New Perspectives | 29-31 Oct
“Is everything OK? Not really. I think I need to share this with the whole group…” This is an interesting one from New Perspectives, a Hallowe’eny play by Jack McNamara delivered entirely by the medium of WhatsApp. “A WhatsApp group is a modern-day campfire. A place to gather, gossip, myth-make and share stories. For many parents it’s a safe space to feel connected to their children’s school. But is anything really safe anymore?” More on the company website here.

Murder On The 28th Floor | District Theatre | 2 Nov-29 Jan (pictured)
Okay, this is an interesting one, but it’s kinda not for everyone, though it’s the sort of thing that could be enjoyed with colleagues from your workplace if you have one. ‘Murder On The 28th Floor’ sees District Theatre taking over office spaces to perform a show via Zoom for the team of staff that usually work in said office space. “Watch as two hilarious, mad-cap detectives solve a string of murders, live, from your empty offices. You are integral to the plot, assisting the investigation, interrogating suspects, exploring your work environment like never before”. Great for a virtual team party. Info here.

Keep The Candle Burning | Electric Goldfish
This is yet another scary – and therefore Hallowe’eny – thing we have to talk about, so that one Hallowe’en tips section really wasn’t all we had to offer in the way of spooky stuff, was it? Anyway, this is an intriguing show on account of it being an interactive ghostly audio experience to take in at home, in the dark with your headphones on. Behind it is Electric Goldfish – the collective of immersive theatre companies that brought audiences at home the sell-out series of interactive mystery solving experiences ‘The Pandora Network’ earlier this year, so you know you are in good hands. See this page here to find out more and purchase your experience.

THREE MORE ONLINE EVENTS

Always Be Comedy | 28 Oct
Oooh, the evenings are dark and are only going to get darker as we face the impending chill of winter, so frankly now is the time to make sure you have something to laugh about. Tuning in to some Zoom-based comedy featuring some hilarious TW favourites surely has to be the order of the day. And who are those TW favourites, you are no doubt wondering? Well, I saved them until the end of the paragraph to heighten the anticipation: but they are Felicity Ward, Jessica Fostekew, Stephen Bailey and Glenn Moore, ably hosted by the great James Gill. See this page here to book.

Don’t Wait | Battersea Arts Centre | 1-3 Nov (pictured)
“Conceived in the long, hard summer of 2020, ‘Don’t Wait’ confronts the unchartered space between grief and acceptance, experienced through the unique, often unnoticed lens of broken-hearted young black men. Physically exploring a personal journey that deals with desolation, rage, and confusion, it’s a collaboration between award-winning director / choreographer Lanre Malaolu, and acclaimed performer Regé-Jean Page”. This short movement film is part of Battersea Arts Centre’s Make/Love digital season. See this page here for ‘Don’t Wait’ and click here for a list of other stuff in the same strand.

An Evening With Matt Forde | Always Be Comedy | 29 Oct
Matt Forde has a new book out and I think that’s the reason for this online event, though the blurb suggests that it’s “a celebration of all things Matt Forde”. Which means Always Be’s James Gill will be chatting with Forde about “why he’s so brilliant”, as well as talking about the aforementioned book ‘Politically Homeless’, and encouraging the political comedian to do his impressions of Trump and Johnson. For more information and to book yourself a ticket, see this page here.

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