Rose Theatre, Kingston-Upon-Thames – until 19 October 2019
Reviewed by Alexandra Sykes
4****
If you have ever wondered what goes on in the invitation only clubs of the elite universities, this is the play for you. Written by Laura Wade, Posh tells the story of the 10 members of the fictional Riot Club, an exclusive club at Oxford University, who meet once a term for a meal and to have fun. Having been disbanded for two terms due to an incident that ended up in newspapers, the boys are determined to still have fun but live up to the club’s reputation.
With the Riot Club banned from meeting in certain places, the boys book a room in a pub claiming to be a young entrepreneurs club so as to avoid detection. With all 10 members once again reunited both Dimitri (Jamie Littlewood) and Guy (Adam Mirsky) both announce their plans to run for president once current president James (Chris Born) graduates. As the evening goes on, and with many toasts along the way, the boys become louder and eventually the pub landlord asks them to leave as they are disturbing another party. The boys pay for the other guests and the landlord takes the money. When a prostitute (Ellie Nunn) refuses to do what the boys ask, they kick off and trash the place. After a fight with the landlord, the club decide on only one of them has to go to prison, meaning he will be kicked out of the university and the club in the process. Due to being seen as the instigator of the fight, Alistair (Tyger Drew-Honey) is offered up as the scapegoat so the others go free. A few weeks after the incident Alistair meets with Jeremey, a former Riot Club member and Guy’s godfather, and offers Alistair a job and says the other boys will take care of him in the future.
The set is basic, a pub dining room which the boys hire out, but the space is used well, with no areas of the stage being unused. Due to the boys attending a meal, a large table is used but the actors do not have their backs to the audience, they sit sideways on. The costumes are impressive, with the Riot Club members wearing tail coats and waistcoats to show that they are the Oxford elite.
All in all a good play although the language used by some of the characters makes you think again, especially with the swearing. Drew-Honey is amazing in the role of Alistair and really makes the others think about the predicament they are in. Although not suitable for younger audiences this play is a good night out and worth a visit.
Grease the Musical, which landed at the Wales Millenium Centre, is one of the most well-known story lines in history. Musical and non-musical fans have no doubt watched the film (starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John) which means that putting on a tour of such an iconic story in the form of a musical is a very difficult thing to do well but this production coped well with the general expectations.
The story of grease has had many iterations in its history from the original play (written by Warren Casey and Jim Jacobs) to the more refined broadway adaptation, to the film version that many people know and love and finally to every slightly altered version on the touring productions. This means the actors and producers have a very difficult task to make each production unique enough so the audience doesn’t feel as if they have seen it all before but while still keeping the iconic world of Grease that people are familiar with.
In this version the story began with Danny and Sandy, from the audience’s perspective, were standing inside a big TV that showed the image of a beach which is obviously a look back to their ‘summer romance’ which everyone is familiar with but the TV lighting was very unique and interesting. The creative time managed to blend the tradition of Grease with newer ideas and nothing showcased it more than this opening scene. From a personal perspective, I didn’t particularly like this TV concept as it was ridiculously cheesy and over-the-top but that is just a personal preference and I know that many people thought that this was a fantastic inclusion. A similar idea was used during the drive-in movie theatre scene were a projection of a film was put into what looked like a projector screen so the audience could clearly see the film however it was in the green and red 3D effect which made sense as Danny and Sandy were wearing 3D glasses. I much preferred this technical aspect but also am appreciative of all the ways the team on this show tried to make this tour unique and special to the audience.
The highlight of this show was the fantastic dancing shown throughout especially by the male members of the cast. The choreographer has planned complex routines that looked incredible when compared with the lights and staging. The song Grease Lightning for me was a fantastic showcase of dance which diverted from the dance moves everyone thinks of when thinking about this number but was incredible nether the less. Despite this though I felt the number needed to be bigger. This show is one of the most well-known numbers in the film and music and I expect a massive impact which this production slightly missed despite the inclusion of gymnastics and a flying car. In my opinion, it was the lights that let this number down it didn’t reflect the magnitude of the song. This concept of being slightly let down with the iconic moments in the show reappeared towards the show with Sandy’s big entrance in her new attire. With this production, she simply walked through a set of doors located downstage right almost off stage and so the shock of seeing her and Danny’s shock didn’t happen at the same time. I thought that she should have some sort of big moment with a spotlight so the two reactions align.
As a general note, the accents in this show needed work. Many people slipped in and out of the characters accents which are really frustrating to see. Some actors, when speaking in their desire accents, needed work on their pronunciation and devotion as it was often times very hard to understand what they were saying which makes the show difficult to follow. One accents that I found particularly annoying was Sonny Latieri (played by Damian Buhagiar) who had a very exaggerated Mexican accent however he was the most consistent actor with his accents which was great to see.
It is important to note that not all the blame for clarity of dialogue should go to the actors themselves, this show had a lot of microphones issues with the microphones not being on when they should be and so the volume was not always correct which meant people closer to the back of the auditorium would struggle to hear everything. This can be attributed to ‘opening night teething’ but still needed to be improved for future performances.
Darren Bennet who played both the Teen Angel and Vince Fontaine was very entertaining in this show but he appeared to excel more as being the teen angel than Vince. His singing as the Angel for Beauty School Dropout was amazing and was one of the highlights of the show. My only qualm with the teen angel role is that in the programme and certain advertising they use Peter Andre in the role however there is no mention of him in the programme and he isn’t in the show I saw which is very confusing and misleading. Another minor character that I personally enjoyed was Doody, played by Jordan Abbey. This character helped to provide many of the comical moments in the show but also he fitted the character perfect. The fresh-faced Jordan was believable as almost the plucky sidekick. Both the casting team and Jordan himself managed to fill this role perfectly.
Having to take on such a big role in this iconic show must be very difficult as you technically have all the stress and pressure of the big names who have taken on the role before you. Dan Partridge’s portrayal of the lead role Danny Zuko was very on-brand for the character. The problem with this character is that you have to be able to have enough swagger that the mannerism and actions look somewhat natural and logical to you as an actor. Dan Partridge excelled at the physicalisation of this role and made for a very believable cool group leader. On top of this, his singing was fantastic.
Another incredibly difficult character to portray in this show in Rizzo. She is a bad-ass throughout but obviously by the end of the story you are supposed to feel sorry for her. Rhianne-Louise Mccaulsky who took on this role was great but I think she wasn’t quite able to balance this concept. I think the directorial team made a decision to portray Rizo as almost a bully and so at the end, the sympathy from the audience wasn’t particularly there. However, Rhianne-Louise more than made up for it with her incredible vocals especially during ‘worse things I could do’ which was out of this world and had many of the audience members in tears. This song for me was the highlight of the entire show.
Overall, this production of Grease the Musical was unique and special but there were some aspects that were unpolished and needed work. I would rate this production 3 stars and would recommend it to any Grease fans who want to see how production companies can keep Grease modern and relevant in today’s times.
Based on the book by W.W. Jacobs, The Monkey’s Paw is a chilling story about being careful what you wish for. Set in a radio station, this version of The Monkey’s Paw is presented as a radio play, with audience members encouraged to close their eyes for the full experience.
With a small cast of 5 actors, the play starts with a 1930’s radio jingle for dealing with a cold. The radio station, the British Empire Radio Corporation, are proud to present a dramatic reading of some diary entries regarding the monkey and then, a radio play about the paw. Celebrated couple Nancy and Dick Everett (Jordan Baker and Becky Coops respectively) play the couple who are sent the monkey’s paw by their son who is away in India with the missionary. The radio director (Matthew Jameson) explains to the audience before the play starts that previous audience members have come over faint and it is perfectly acceptable to leave should you need to. Once the play starts the Everett’s forget their arguments and read the play for the listening audience. Once the play is complete the radio station is visited by Professor Swan from the British museum who intends to hold a Q and A session with the audience. After having his theory ridiculed Swan leaves but accidentally takes the prop of the monkey’s paw with him, leaving the real one behind. After an argument with her husband, Nancy wishes she was no longer his wife whilst holding the paw, believing it to be the prop. After Dick dies in the recording booth, the director runs off and Nancy, again holding the paw, wishes for the paw to go back to where it came from. A day later, the news reporter explains that Dick died and Nancy is in hysterics. The paw is never seen again.
With a set built to look like a 1930’s radio station the space is used well, especially for a small theatre. The costumes too help to set the scene with all 5 actors in 1930’s style outfits. As it is a radio play different sound effects are used, such as popping bubble wrap to be a crackling fire. This works well as when you have your eyes shut you can imagine the actual sounds. Although there are a few scary aspects, the lighting helps to add to the mood as the lights are dimmed down so everything is focused on the stage.
Not for the faint-hearted this play is a fun night out with the dire warning of being careful what you wish for.
Producers Michael Harrison and David Ian announced today cast changes for the national tour of the award-winning smash hit musical THE BODYGUARD.
From 12 November 2019, joining Alexandra Burke as Rachel Marron will be, Ben Lewis as Frank Farmer, Emmy Willow as Nicki Marron and Neil Reidman as Bill Devaney. Continuing in the show will be Craig Berry as Tony, Gary Turner as Sy Spector, Phil Atkinson as The Stalker and Simon Cotton as Ray Court. At certain performances the role of Rachel Marron will be played by Jennlee Shallow. Tour schedule below. thebodyguardmusical.com
The cast is completed by Rosie Cava-Beale, Myles Cork, Jaime Cox, Kerry Crozier, Sia Dauda, Gustav Die, Chris Edgerley, James Lee Harris, Holly Liburd, Natalie Jayne Hall, Jack Loy, Helen Parsons, Daniil Shmidt, Jessica Simmons, Yiota Theo and Michael Wade Peters.
Alexandra Burke returns to the role of Rachel Marron following her triumphant run in the show in both the West End and the subsequent sell out 2015/2016 tour. She first rose to fame after winning the fifth series of The X Factor and her debut number one single Hallelujah sold over one million copies in the UK, a first for a British female soloist. She most recently appeared as Svetlana in Chess at the London Coliseum and Roxie in Chicago at the West End’s Phoenix Theatre. In ? she reached the final of Strictly Come Dancing. Her other theatre credits include Deloris Van Cartier in the national tour of the musical Sister Act.
Ben Lewis was most recently seen in the West End as Larry in the award-winning production of Company at the Gielgud Theatre. His other West End credits include the title role in The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre and Forbidden Broadway at the Vaudeville Theatre. In his native Australia, Ben played the role of The Phantom in Love Never Dies for which he was nominated for a Helpmann Award and won the Sydney Theatre Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. His other credits include the national tour of Love Me Tender, Frank Butler in the Sheffield Crucible’s production of Annie Get Your Gun and Candide at the Menier Chocolate Factory.
Emmy Willow has previously played the role of Nicki Marron in The Bodyguard on the International tour. Neil Reidman’smusical credits include The Color Purple at the Menier Chocolate Factory and The Big Life at the Apollo Theatre in the West End. His other theatre credits include The Dispute for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the national tour of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Craig Berry’s many theatre credits include Mamma Mia!, Cats, Closer to Heaven, Titanic and The Producers. Gary Turner is probably best known for playing Carlos Diaz in ITV1’s Emmerdale and Nathan Blake in Hollyoaks. His many theatre credits include national tours of Dead Guilty, How the Other Half Loves, Jekyll and Hyde and most recently Strictly Murder. Phil Atkinson recently played Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Kilworth House. He has also appeared in Little Shop of Horrors and Spring Awakening. Simon Cotton has appeared in A Clockwork Orange at the Park Theatre and The Dumb Waiter at the Yvonne Arnaud theatre. Jennlee Shallow’s many theatre credits include Nala in The Lion King in both Australia and Germany, Deena in Dreamgirls and Sarah in Ragtime. Jennlee has also performed in the Cirque du Soleil shows Kooza and Viva Elvis.
Based on Lawrence Kasdan’s 1992 Oscar nominated Warner Bros. movie starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, THE BODYGUARD, directed by Thea Sharrock with book by Oscar winning (Birdman) Alex Dinelaris, had its world premiere at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End in 2012 and was nominated for four Olivier Awards. A sell out 18 month UK and Ireland tour followed, before the show returned to the West End at the Dominion Theatre.
THE BODYGUARD has played to over 3.6 million people in 15 countries and 45 US cities. Countries include the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, Canada, Italy, Australia, Spain, France, the US Austria and Japan.
Former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge; what they don’t expect is to fall in love. A romantic thriller, THE BODYGUARD features a host of irresistible classics including Queen of the Night, So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, Run to You, I Have Nothing, I Wanna Dance with Somebody and one of the biggest hit songs of all time – I Will Always Love You.
There Are No Beginnings was written for, and is about, the women of Leeds in the 1970s and for all women today. The fantastic all female cast: Helen (Natalie Gavin), June (Julie Hesmondhalgh), Fiona (Jesse Jones) and Sharon (Tessa Parr) – through their honest and authentic performances, give us an insight into the stories and lives of the courageous and brave women who lived between the years of 1975 and 1980 (when the so-called Yorkshire Ripper disrupted and devastated the county). The audience gets a genuine (through the writer’s extensive research / interviews) account into how these women went about their everyday business and lives; whilst desperately trying not to become enveloped and stifled by the constant terror and fear that shrouded the streets they lived and walked on.
Written by Charley Miles and directed by Amy Leach, There Are No Beginnings shines the spotlight not on The Yorkshire Ripper, or even his victims but all women who lived in Leeds at that time. It examines how their relationships with each other were affected and how deeper bonds created as they began to depend on each other more, and less on men.
Helen, a vulnerable young prostitute, who we meet aged 14 at the beginning of the play, characterises a female who in real life has now been forgotten and discarded like the men who used and abused her. Natalie Gavin gives an outstanding performance of this damaged teenager and in doing so, finally gives the beautiful tragic girl her voice! Her edgy brave persona is so obviously a fake front as Gavin’s arresting portrayal cleverly reveals a sad and lost little soul who is just trying to survive whilst grabbing any bits of love that are thrown at her.
As June, the caring matriarch, Julie Hesmondhalgh delivers an absolutely flawless performance as a strong Leeds woman, who was trying to protect girls at risk in her job, alongside looking after her vibrant and dreamy teenage daughter. We feel her worry, her fear but mostly her resilient and resounding strength – to keep going and to keep the faith in that everything will return back to normal soon.
Humour, beauty and hope come in the form of Sharon, our mischievous but sweet teenager who is mooning over Donny Osmond and thinking about wedding bells. Throughout the play we see her transform into a woman and a woman with views and a voice – which she uses to becomes an activist who joins the feminist movement. Sharon is a total contrast to Helen and Helen’s plight becomes even more startlingly obvious when they interact, bringing moments of warmth but ones that are heavily laced with sadness due to Helen’s unfair and unfortunate life.
Fiona is also a strong but fiercely independent woman, who at times, is accused of overstepping the mark due to her burning ambition and desperation to get inside Milgarth Police Station. The only other police we encounter and in fact the only men we encounter are voices on tape recordings, which are accompanied by flashing, broken lights. These are intermittently aired and switched on throughout the play; giving a sharp haunting reminder of when ‘he’ roamed the towns and cities of Yorkshire.
There Are No Beginnings gives us the perspective of what life was like for the ordinary women of Leeds: mothers, working women, teenagers, students and women who did what they had to do to get by. They were brave whilst at their most vulnerable because they had to just get on and live to defy the smothering heavy fog of oppression and fear that the Ripper brought to their doorsteps. The solidarity of women shines through in this play and a respect for those who endured life in these times. May we never forget the murdered victims and their families, RIP beautiful ones – you are remembered.
New Victoria Theatre, Woking – until 19 October 2019
Reviewed by Becky Doyle
4****
What an absolute feel good show from start to finish! I loved every minute. I went into the show having really no idea what it was based on or what it was about. The recognisable tone of Dolly Parton rang out and I was engrossed.
The cast were fantastic, I was taken aback by the voice of Amber Davies who played Judy Bernly. Her solo piece was beautiful, strong and so touching. As someone who had seen her in previous TV shows I had no idea she was so musically and artistically talented. I had two stand out performances and that was from Georgina Castle (Doralee Rhodes) and Sean Needham (Franklin Hart Jr) both had me and the rest of the audience in absolute stitches. Sean in particular had some very daring moves on both the stage and up in the air – which left the first half on a great ‘hanger’.
The stage was set out well and the props and equipment utilised to the full. The lighting, something that doesn’t normally catch me eye, did. It was so colourful and stand out-ish it set the whole mood for the current scene.
My only criticism, and it is a small one at that was that sometimes I found the words of the songs hard to hear or understand due to the volume of the band playing, again only a very small remark.
The ending of the show was by far the best part and I as did many of the others in the audience got involved as much as we could with the last act. I would highly recommend this show, if your like me and didn’t know much about the story it’s easily picked up and now that I’ve seen it and know the background I could easily watch it again with the same joy and excitement as I did last night.
Written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1965 with its first full length production in 1974, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat has not lost any of its fun, musicality or entertainment value in 54 years.
This latest offering, directed by Bill Kenwright, brings back all the classic songs and music in style. It has a clever but simple set, comprising of just stairs which allowed continuous movement from the cast giving this production a feeling of high energy. The children who were the Joseph Choir (from the Attic Theatre School) sat on the stairs most of the way through the musical and gave a faultless performance.
In the lead role of Joseph, Jaymi Hensley leads the cast with confidence. His singing is polished and powerful reaching all the big notes effortlessly, and is aided by his youthful looks, appealing to the younger members of the audience.
Alexandra Doar shone in her debut role as the Narrator. Her clear, strong vocals allowed us all to follow the story of Joseph and his eleven brothers. Being the favoured son, his jealous brothers sell him into slavery, and he ends up in prison. He would have stayed there had it not been for his ability to read dreams which gets him noticed by the Pharaoh. Pardoned and now wealthy, Joseph is reunited with his family.
The eleven brothers glue the performance together with a master class of song and dance with clever new choreography by Gary Lloyd. Their melodies were faultless and added comical value to this version. Their characters changed from cowboys to American football players to French men, then Brazilians; all of which just seemed to fit into this entertaining production. And who knew a motorbike with wings would also seem just right for it too?
The standing ovation, which lasted throughout the final song, had everyone on their feet singing and clapping along with the cast. A fun packed production which should make any age smile and want to sing along!
Roll up, roll up! Birmingham Hippodrome celebrate their 120th birthday with a free circus-themed open day
The Acrochaps and Chango Fuego
On Saturday 26 October, Birmingham Hippodrome will be celebrating its 120th birthday by heading back to the theatres origins as a circus with a free open day for all the family.
To mark 120 years since originally opening its doors in 1899 as the “Tower of Varieties and Circus”, a number of free circus themed performances and activities will be taking place throughout the building, including the main auditorium, foyer and Patrick Studio, as well as outside in Hippodrome Square.
A range of jaw-dropping performances begin at 1pm, including appearances from Spanish Fire performers, Chango Fuego and Symoné, a hula-hopping roller-skating cabaret act not to be missed. The Acrochaps will dazzle and amaze with their strongman stunts, the Clockwork Ballerina will come to life in a flare of pirouettes and arabesques and Hannah Finn, Contortion Girl is set to stun with her flexibility and strength. Free performances will be taking place between 1pm-3pm and 6:30pm-7:30pm in and around Birmingham Hippodrome.
Families can also enjoy a free drop-in circus skills workshop for over 7s from 2:15pm plus a Heritage Talk on the history of Variety and Vaudeville from 6:15pm. Schools from Birmingham Hippodrome’s own Education Network will also have the chance to step into the spotlight with performances throughout the afternoon.
The celebrations coincide with the opening weekend of the dazzling Circus 1903 which runs from Friday 25 October – Saturday 2 November. Direct from a sell-out run at London’s Southbank Centre, audiences can expect all of the thrills and daredevil entertainment of a turn-of-the-century circus.
The show includes sensational life-sized elephants Queenie and Peanut, stunningly created by the award-winning team behind War Horse, who will take to the stage alongside Ringmaster Willy Whipsnade plus a huge cast of jaw-dropping acts from across the globe.
For more information and a full open day schedule visit birminghamhippodrome.com.
Five years following its Broadway debut the bio-musical On Your Feet – the story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan – is off on tour following it’s West End debut earlier this year. The chart topping song promise that the Rhythm is Going to Get You – this show certainly delivers on that, although in-between the songs the beat is often much slower paced, often a little bland in places.
This opening performance at Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre we had several major cast changes…..sometimes this has proved a blessing in disguise in some musicals (for example – the first time I saw Wicked at Apollo Victoria it was Emma Hatton as the famous green witch – understudy at the time and a new name in the world of theatre to me – but she blew my socks off with her performance, later taking over the lead role) but as much as I tried to like Francesca Lara Gordon in the role of Gloria Estefan, there were several times where her voice wasn’t quite powerful enough in some of the bigger belter hits. Whilst she worked well with leading man George Ioannides (as Emilio Estefan) with the duo having a believable chemistry; vocally Gordon lacked the stamina for such a demanding vocal role at times, but her voice on slower numbers had more power to it. Gordon delivered the more challenging notes better when backed by the ensemble.
Sergio Trujillo’s choreography is catchy and addictive to the point where you almost feel like getting up and joining in – which – word of warning to those on end stalls seats near the front – you do get pulled up to dance by the cast members at one point – luckily I’d already grabbed my walking aids ready for the interval dash so the cast member who approached me moved to the person behind (that would have been an awkward abrupt end to Act One if I’d not been on the ball!), with the live band on stage and the athletic moves in perfect unison you can’t help but tap your toes along to the beat. Whilst the choreography can seem a little repetitive at times, it’s such high energy that it is impossible not to want to dance to the beat.
The story starts in 1990 with a dance number from Gloria’s backing dancers, leading backstage to Gloria, her son Nayib and Emilio, and flashbacks to her younger days playing the guitar and singing to send a recording to her dad, José Fajardo, who is stationed in Vietnam in 1966. Growing up in the Little Havana neighbourhood of Miami, with her mother – Gloria Fajardo and Grandma, Consuelo Garcia, Gloria is eventually introduced by her Grandma to Emilio – who at the time was part of a group called Miami Latin Boys – and after Gloria (who at the time was studying psychology) is invited to play one of the songs she has written at one of the bands rehearsals. She soon joins the band, but whilst they rehearse Tuesdays’ and Saturday’s she only commits to weekends so not to interfere with her studies.
Whilst at first Gloria is reluctant to be in the spotlight, with the guidance of Emilio she soon feels more confident and the pair start to fall in love with each other. Some forty years later and the pair are still happily married. The story shows the battle the renamed band (Miami Sound Machine) face when trying to get their music played – they’re either turned away for singing in English or for being too Latino sounding. When they struggle to get their records played on radio, they turn to the nightclub scene and soon hit the big time.
The most memorable part of Gloria’s career of course was the tour bus crash on the 20th March 1990, which left her critically injured, suffering from a fractured spine when their coach collided with a semi truck during heavy snowfall. It was feared she would never walk again following a nine hour surgery to insert two permanent titanium rods into her back stabilise the joints. Following a years intensive physiotherapy, Gloria regained her strength and learned to walk again, returning to the tour she’d had to cancel following the tragedy. Ironically, Gloria fondly refers to the accident as her “rebirth” and it gave her a new sense of life, continuing to perform for decades to come to her millions of “EstaFANS”.
The story concludes in 1991 with her triumphant return to the stage at The American Music Awards. Whilst a must die hard fans, or for a nostalgic night out, it may not appeal to younger musical theatre fans although it’s worth noting that Hollie Ceasar had stepped in to play the role of Gloria’s Grandma for this evenings performance and gave a stellar performance – for me it was this performance that turned this review from a two star to a three star to me. So if you’re a die hard EstaFAN then get on your feet for this nostalgic performance, but if like me you remember the music but didn’t buy the records first time round, maybe give this one a miss.
BY THE MULTI AWARD-WINNING WRITER AND THEATRE MAKER
RICHARD FOREMAN
DIRECTED BY PATRICK KENNEDY
RUNNING AT THE STUDIO AT NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE FOR A STRICTLY LIMITED SEASON FROM 2ND – 7TH DECEMBER
ONLY BEING A TOURIST CAN ONE EXPERIENCE A PLACE
Davey Green (Ben), Tommy Papaioannou (Max), Georgia Small (Hannah) and Nikitas Stamoulis (Karl) will star in the eagerly awaited European premiere of ZOMBOID! by the multi award-winning stalwart of the New York avant-garde, Richard Foreman.
The film-performance theatre project plays at The Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre from 2 – 7 December with press night on Tuesday 3 December. It is the third and final part of the year long season of work Foreman At Fifty exploring Foreman’s 50 year career as a theatre maker. Originally staged in 2006 at the Ontological-Hysteric Theater in New York, ZOMBOID! is one of Foreman’s final theatre pieces and once again smashes theatrical conventions to smithereens with its use of filmed footage and live stage action.
ZOMBOID! is directed and designed by Patrick Kennedy and is produced by Patrick Kennedy Phenomenological Theatre.
Combining filmed footage with live stage action, five lost souls wander through an otherworldly landscape surrounded by stuffed donkeys, blindfolds and giant eyeballs.
ZOMBOID! is a deeply shrewd, multi-layered radical art experience which covertly opens a peephole into modern life and the effects of mass communication and information. It tells you more than any possible news bulletin about the secret forces at work in the depths of our live experience.
