Elf Lyons delivers an exceptional show that both is and isn’t about horses. Picture the scene: we’re at the farm. Around us, the great, the good and the galloping of the herd have gathered to take to the riding ring. From entirely fictional to notoriously famous, each steed gets their turn to take centre stage. Amidst the sections of horseplay, Lyons stands under spotlight to lip sync to recordings of her family talking about what she was like as a child, and their family life. The gestures and facial expressions she chooses often convey a level of sarcasm, or indeed…
Author: The Reviews Hub - East Anglia & South East
The Reviews Hub - East Anglia & South East
The South East team is under the editorship of Peter Marcus. The Reviews Hub was set up in 2007. Our mission is to provide the most in-depth, nationwide arts coverage online.
A clever, brilliant, and radical comedian who may yet bring about the revolution. Can art change the world? This is the weighty topic at the heart of Kate Cheka’s debut hour, one that wowed Edinburgh Fringe in 2024 and has lost none of its relevance and refreshing political directness. You don’t see many left wing stand-ups these days – not to be confused with liberal, vaguely “progressive” comedians, whose anti-establishment credentials were so amusingly defenestrated during the Jeremy Corbyn era. With neoliberalism and austerity rolling forever on, Cheka is a proud socialist, one whose talk of guillotines, billionaires, and their…
Original Screenplay: James O’Hanlon Adapter: Charles K Freeman Music: Sammy Fain Lyrics: Paul Francis Webster Director: Nikolai Foster West End superstar Carrie Hope Fletcher delights in a tame production of Calamity Jane that otherwise never quite hits the wild heights of its raucous Western environment. The musical stays largely faithful to the 1953 film, following the feisty Calamity Jane (Fletcher) as she’s tasked with providing a star attraction for Deadwood’s beleaguered saloon theatre. Supported by her close friend Wild Bill Hickok (Vinny Coyle), Calamity navigates life, love, and her place as a woman in an overtly masculine world, complicated by…
Presented by Within Theatre Writer: Karina Wiedman Director: Tanya Polosina Movement Director: Sasha Plaige Reviewer: Lela Tredwell LUSTRAM AWARD WINNERS AND EXCELLENCE AWARD NOMINEES AT BRIGHTON FRINGE 2024 Fall in terrifying love with Big Brother all over again with this invigorating production that sets out to answer one of speculative literature’s most burning questions – what happened to Julia? Seamlessly picking up where George Orwell’s novel left off, Julia After 1984 is a greatly affecting piece of theatre which revives and renews the classic dystopia for our times. Created by the Slavic-led collective Within Theatre, the cast are no strangers…
A family friendly cabaret from the previously five-star-reviewed BrainFools. Does this second show soar to the heights of Lucky Pigeons? Circus Enchanté delivers a showy display of acrobatics, clowning and artistry. But where on earth has the host gone? The audience is so mixed, it’s a really tough ask to entertain everyone watching. There’s the tiniest of tots, pre-teens, families and later-life couples here to see the show. On this occasion, the crowd leans particularly young, there’s a large number of under-4s watching. For the purposes of this review, this feels a little unlucky for the troupe, who advertised the…
A bluesy mid-century romantic horror about a nightclub singer and a mysterious man she meets on the streets. Beautifully evocative imagery and fine acting from this up-and-coming young theatre company. As a freshly devised piece, Tip Of Your Tongue tells a fairly familiar story that’s as old as time. But it’s ever so wonderfully done. The venue works both for and against them on this occasion. The wind blows a gale outside the tent, and there’s a few shuffling latecomers who could spoil the atmosphere. But this professional outfit don’t let that rattle them. In fact, there’s a certain cosiness…
Writer/Director: Saskia Wesnigk-Wood Reviewer: Lela Tredwell With pinned butterflies, startling monkeys and an abundance of dust, this historically-inspired fictional one-woman show imagines a reality whereby the naturalist Charles Darwin grew up alongside his future maid servant. Mixing verse, monologue, one-sided conversations and an intriguing voice-over, the experiences of ‘Hen’ (Olivia Post), born into a life of service, are set beside one of the most famous men in British History. With the intention of provoking discussions about women’s rights, Darwin’s Cleaner explores purpose, parenthood, and class. Born on the same day, the Lord’s day 12th February 1809, Henrietta Telford (Olivia Post)…
Queer joy from a performer without a scintilla of cynicism. Beaverhausen the third (twice removed) is not of this earth. This Drag King comes from a space-town of lip syncers living happily within a Celine Dion tune, until – tragedy! – they get stuck inside Steps instead. Our hero has to come to earth to learn more about these strange people with their voices, music, and rules, and perhaps help us all understand and liberate ourselves in the process. The show plays out part lip sync, part dance-off, and part joyous celebration of of the queer pop canon. It’s also…