Children's Shows Comedy Dance & Physical Festivals Opera Theatre ThisWeek In London

Three To See and Stream 9-15 Aug: Camden Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe online, theatre, and more…

By | Published on Friday 5 August 2022

The Edinburgh Festival is now very much under way – so do check out all our coverage of that here. But looking beyond Edinburgh, here are some shows to see in London and online…

CAMDEN FRINGE

Self Defence For Time Travellers | Museum Of Comedy/2Northdown | 11, 20, 25, 25 Aug
Ooof, life feels busy at the moment because one of our favourite things – the excellent Edinburgh Festival – is under way, so we’re covering that as well as events in London and online. Though, as we look beyond the Edinburgh Fringe to recommend some shows, we still find ourselves within the world of fringe because, well, there are two fringe festivals happening right now, so here’s some tips from the fabulous Camden Fringe. This first pick is the sort of thing I just cannot resist because if I get even the vague smell of time travel on something, I’m in there, so this sounds like my kind of fun. London-based American comedian Mike Capozzola is the creator of this live multimedia show that explores the unexpected consequences of irresponsible time travel. Why wouldn’t you want to see that? Click here.

An Unexpected Tale In Smoky Midtown | Canal Cafe Theatre | 8-10 Aug (pictured)
“Low on leads and all out of whiskey, a down-on-his-luck detective has no choice but to team up with unlikely allies and old enemies to solve a cold missing persons case with deeply personal stakes. As he gets closer to unravelling the truth it becomes clear that nothing is what it seems and that secrets never stay buried”. Over to Canal Cafe Theatre now for what looks like a rather compelling piece that explores neurodiversity, love and grief, and has an interesting film noir setting, plus original music performed by the cast and composer. Read more here.

Janet | Etcetera Theatre | 10, 17, 24 Aug
And now let us make our way to the Etcetera Theatre where some rather interesting stuff appears to be going down. And when I say interesting, I really mean interesting – not to mention somewhat quirky and surreal. A coming of age story that deals with the conflict of parental and societal expectations, this show features some interesting casting: “A witty and absurd cookery demonstration transforms the ingredients of the bread making process into Janet herself, a whopping 1.5kg of uncooked bread dough. The rest of the cast is played by a teapot, a milk churn, a packet of premium French flour, some naughty baguettes, a spiritual bloomer and other kitchen paraphernalia”. Click here to discover more.

EDINBURGH FRINGE ONLINE

The Big Show: Showcase 2022 | Monkey Barrel Comedy | until 28 Aug (pictured)
We published 27 sets of Three To See tips last week delving into this year’s Edinburgh Festival programme, which you should check out here. But why are we returning to the big Fringe when our focus here is ‘beyond Edinburgh’? Well, because the boom in online culture that occurred during the pandemic means that this year there’s quite a lot of Edinburgh stuff you can see whether you are in the Scottish capital or not. One such thing is Monkey Barrel Comedy’s ‘Saturday Big Show’ line ups, which feature great acts appearing at the venue and elsewhere at the Edinburgh Fringe this month. It’s not the only show from Monkey Barrel you can see online, so you might want to trawl for further digital events here. Head this way for more on ‘The Big Show’.

NextUp LIve Comedy At The Fringe | until 28 Aug
We’ve recommended shows on NextUp Comedy’s digital platform before, and we do it knowing full well that not all of you will be signed up to NextUp. But we do very much think that – if you fancy a taste of what’s going on up in that there Scottish capital and can’t be there in person – it might be worth taking out your subscription this month, because lots of great acts will be streaming live. Lining up to entertain you via the power of digital are the likes of Mark Watson, Yuriko Kotani, Rosie Holt, Hal Cruttenden, Sikisa, Katie Pritchard, Tarot, Rob Rouse and Harriet Dyer, and you can also see shows like the ‘So You Think You Are Funny’ competition heats and final, plus ‘Late n Live’ and ‘Showstoppers’. Take a look at the lineup here.

Antennae | Kelsey Siepser/C arts | on demand
“A pandemic-induced trip down memory lane, featuring puppets and a treatise on ‘The Sopranos’, is put into hyper-speed when a gender non-conforming praying mantis named E appears in Kelsey’s study. This leads her down a path of discovery of patterns that shaped who she thinks she is. Before going further, she must uncover a truth she might not be willing to face – at least, not on her own…” This rather interesting sounding show from Kelsey Siepser explores the voyeuristic nature of performances delivered via Zoom, and the possibility of shedding old habits and moving forward into the unknown. It’s available on demand at a pay-what-you-can price, head to this page here for more info and to arrange to view.

RUNS STARTING THIS WEEK

Mediocre White Male | King’s Head Theatre | 15 Aug-2 Sep (pictured)
Back to London now, and some performances requiring your physical presence in the relevant venue. First up is ‘Mediocre White Male’ at King’s Head Theatre, a past edfringe success (sold out run in 2021) described as a “searing portrait of male anger, fragility, and vulnerability” that explores the state of those feeling left behind in the face of a changing world. “They say that as you get older, time sort of… speeds up. Well, it doesn’t feel like that for me… not here… It’s been years since high school, since everyone left for uni, since starting the summer job that’s never ended… and since you”. Head to the venue website here to find out more.

Ready, Steady, Go! | Polka Theatre | 11-25 Aug
“When Sofia discovers a mountain bike in the boarded-up shed at the bottom of her garden, she doesn’t realise the thrilling adventures that await her. Join Sofia and her Mum as they travel across mountains and lakes, through day and night, in a race like no other”. Yes, it’s a children’s show, and I’ll bet it’s coming not a moment too soon because they’ve been on holiday for at least a couple of weeks now and I’ll bet they are bored. This looks fab, and is aimed at preschoolers and young primary-schoolers (ages three to six, basically) and promises to offer a great introduction to the theatre experience. For more information and to book tickets, head to this page here.

Two Ukrainian Plays | Finborough Theatre | 9 Aug-2 Sep
And now one that’s not for kids. No, it’s something for you serious minded adults, and it looks rather good. And, as you’ll have realised from that title, it’s a double bill of plays by Ukrainian writers. The first is the English premiere of ‘Take The Rubbish Out, Sasha’ by Ukraine’s leading contemporary playwright Natal’ya Vorozhbit, which “blends reality and the afterlife in a critical look at the effects of war and conflict”. The second, ‘Pussycat In Memory Of Darkness’ by Neda Nezhdana, gets its first performance outside of Ukraine, and “starkly reveals the roots of Russia’s war on Ukraine through the brutalised eyes of one woman”. For much more info, see the venue website here.

SHORTER RUNS

The Boatswain’s Mate | Arcola Theatre | 10-13 Aug
Right, a few shorter stops for you now, and none of them are theatre, in fact we have what I would call a dance and opera section here. Because it’s got dance and opera in it. For our opera, we’re headed Arcola-wards for some quality Grimeborn action courtesy of the Spectra Ensemble’s returning acclaimed revival of Suffragette composer Ethel Smyth’s ‘The Boatswain’s Mate’. “June 1953: peace reigns in Europe, and the waters of the English Channel are troubled only by holidaymakers, as Britain celebrates the coronation of its new Queen. Young and old alike have flocked to Margate for summer loving and strolls on the promenade. But at a quiet pub set back from the seafront, the landlady has a nuisance on her hands”. More here.

Future Cargo | Lewis Cubitt Square | 10-20 Aug (pictured)
And now for the dance show. This is an an open air performance in Lewis Cubitt Square, and it’s the work of the rather good Frauke Requardt and David Rosenberg. “There are reports of fireballs in the area. Power surges and blackouts and electromagnetic waves. The message boards are filling up with unexplained visions of ‘gods’ and lights. A mystery shipment arrives in Coal Drops Yard from an unknown location. As the side rolls up on a 40ft haulage truck, an alien machine is revealed and a strange and unstoppable process begins”. Yeah, I bet that’s got your attention. Find out more about it right about here.

Carmen | Arcola Theatre | 9-13 Aug
And now some more opera. It was really my intention to choose just one of the Grimeborn offerings available to you this week, but of course I couldn’t decide which because they both look so good. So here’s the second, and it’s one with a title you’ll definitely be familiar with, though it’s a distinctly contemporary take by Baseless Fabric on the classic theme. “When supermarket check-out girl Carmen brazenly flirts with the new security guard Don Jose, much to the confusion and embarrassment of his fiancée Micaela, things get even more complicated as Carmen’s ex-boyfriend turned TikTok celebrity Escamillo also shows up”. Head to the venue website here for all the details.

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