Comedy Festivals Music Musicals Opera Theatre ThisWeek In London

Three To See and Stream 27 Sep-3 Oct: Funny Stuff, Festival Stuff, Musical Stuff, Theatrical Stuff

By TW Editorial | Published on Friday 23 September 2022

FUNNY STUFF

Film Club – An Improvised Comedy | The Bill Murray | 27 Sep
Who needs a laugh? I do, not least because I can sense those mornings getting darker and the days slowly getting shorter. Anyway, here’s our first comedy option to consider, falling into one of our very favourite categories, the improv show. This one promises to recreate and comically subvert “high stakes scenes” from your favourite films, which is fun. More here.

Laugh For The Climate | Conway Hall/Zoom | 29 Sep
Here’s a comedy event that should cheer you up on more than one level, for you will have a lovely time laughing and also know that you’re supporting an organisation that’s trying to improve the climate situation. It’s hosted by climate journalist and broadcaster Lucy Siegle and will feature turns from Sunil Patel, Annie McGrath, Tom Ward, Kerry Godliman, Tom Mayhew, Jenny Bede and Ken Cheng. And if you can’t make it in person, you can also tune in via Zoom. Click here for all the info.

Live At The Chapel With Milton Jones | Union Chapel | 1 Oct (pictured)
And now for another great line up – though one that’s somewhat shorter. It’s four great acts, though, so you won’t feel short changed. Hang on, does that imply that the previous tipped show’s acts aren’t great? Well, they are, all seven of them. Anyway, so are Milton Jones, Lou Sanders, Rhys James and Thanyia Moore, as you’ll know from having seen them at edfringe and/or on the radio/telly. Book here.

FESTIVAL STUFF

Defective Inspector | Bread & Roses Theatre | 1 Oct
Here’s some more comedy stuff for you actually, but this one’s funny theatre as opposed to stand-up or improv or whatever. And, it’s in this here festival-themed section because it’s on at the fabulous, previously mentioned Clapham Fringe. It’s a genre-satirising piece that promises to be a “whirlwind metatheatrical farce” which sounds great. Click here for more on that – and here for the full Clapham Fringe line up.

Leaving Vietnam | The Pen Theatre | 29 Sep (pictured)
Not sure if The Pen Theatre’s Fresh Off The Fringe programme is regarded as a festival, but I am calling it one, plus this belongs here anyway because it’s a show we saw in Edinburgh this summer and loved, so it definitely has a festival pedigree. And, you know, as aforementioned, we loved it, for good reason – it’s a gripping, well written and moving piece of theatre. Read more about it here and see the rest of Pen Theatre’s fringey season lineup here.

Young, Gifted And Black | Theatre Peckham | 3 Oct-2 Nov
Now, I am pretty sure this one actually isn’t regarded as a festival – I think it’s a strand or a season – but it’s a collection of events under a descriptive banner so to my mind it fits here. And there’s a wealth of fab, diverse and wide ranging stuff for you to see over the next few weeks under it too, so much so I couldn’t bring myself to pick out anything specifically when I first looked at the line up. So look at it all and make your own decisions here.

MUSICAL STUFF

Comfortable Classical | Canada Water Theatre | 3 Oct+7 Nov+5 Dec
And now for some musical things of different types. This one is purely classical music and it’s very much the setting that’s the important thing about it. It’s a relaxed lunchtime performance at which everyone is welcome, including small ones, and you’re invited to engage in whatever way feels comfortable, and to do other things while you listen (like drawing, or whatever – I’d probably take my crochet). Read more here.

Army Of Lovers | The Playground Theatre | 29 Sep-1 Oct
This is a new chamber opera for male voices, composed by Mark Springer with libretto by David Flusfeder, and covering an intriguing topic: “It takes as true the legend that Plutarch wrote about, of the Sacred Band Of Thebes, the single greatest fighting force of the classical age. The Band was comprised of 150 pairs of male lovers: the strength of the army deriving from the strength of the bond between each lover”. Details here.

Sh!t Theatre: Evita Too | Soho Theatre | 27 Sep-15 Oct (pictured)
Long term TW favourite Sh!t Theatre – aka Louise Mothersole and Rebecca Biscuit – head to the Soho Theatre with their latest show this week, and it’s a “performance-art mega musical” and a piece of documentary theatre that explores the life of Isabel Peron, who married Juan Domingo Peron following the death of Eva Peron and went on to become president of Argentina. Yeah, bet you want to hear more, don’t you? Click here.

THEATRICAL STUFF

Pieces Of A Man | Camden People’s Theatre | 29 Sep
And finally three very interesting theatre options for you, starting with this short stop (don’t miss it!) at Camden People’s Theatre. David Labi tells the story of his late father, a Libyan Jew imprisoned as a child in Bergen-Belsen, who “brought lifelong wonder, madness, joy and pain to those around him”. Expect an interactive, mixed-media show that explores serious issues, but will also make you laugh. More here.

Cookie Jar | The Space | 27 Sep-1 Oct
This one’s a comedic drama set in the entertainment outlet of a big tech company as they stage a “desperate rebrand” following the suicide of a former TV presenter colleague whose life and reputation was ruined when deepfake porn featuring her image went viral. Sounds interesting no? And you can also see it via livestream, yay. Oh, and while we are digitally at The Space, you can also see ‘Mary & Mietek’ on demand until 3 Oct.

Growing Pains | The Hope Theatre | 2-3 Oct (pictured)
Last theatre tip of the week is part of The Hope Theatre’s autumn season, which, you may recall, we interviewed Phil Bartlett about a couple of weeks ago. ‘Growing Pains’ is a comical coming of age drama about “the challenge of saying goodbye to the childhood you’re reluctant to let go of”, and sees university student Kitty facing “the trials of adolescence she never quite managed to hide from”. Click here.