Adapted by Matthew Spangler Based on the Novel by Khaled Hosseini Directed by Giles Croft ★★★★★ Initially staged in 2009, the adaptation of Afghan-American novelist Khaled Hosseini‘s 2003 novel wanders through an ashen timeline of which many of us may claim some understanding but frequently fail to recognise the extent. Set over twenty-five years of Afghan history, from pre-Russian … Continue reading Review: The Kite Runner – Theatre Royal, Glasgow
Written and Directed by Kirin Saeed and Charlie Houston ★★★★ It is no secret that Westernised cultures (primarily the UK and US) struggle with the concept of the inevitable: death. They may meet the reaper without fear, but for those left behind, the process of grief can be one of isolation and pain when it … Continue reading Review: Sense of Loss – Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh
Written by Mojisola Adebayo Directed by Matthew Xia ★★★★ If the name Henrietta Lacks isn’t familiar to your tongue, research her. She’s more than deserving of your time. The concept of a human body as a ‘farm’ may seem uncomfortable to some, repulsive even, but it's precisely (and accurately) how Henrietta Lacks refers to herself … Continue reading Family Tree – Traverse Theatre
https://youtu.be/wGcvwDs4XMw Written by Nicola McCartney and Dritan Kastrati Directed by Neil Bettles ★★★★ We hear about it; those fleeing war-torn nations across channels and open bodies of water. We hear the twisted propaganda regarding small boats, dinghies and rafts. We sometimes even see the people or their bodies washing up on our shores. But we … Continue reading How Not To Drown – Traverse Theatre
Written by Aodhan Gallagher Directed by Irene Macdougall ★★★★ Sensitivity readers. A job title unheard of in the past. Everyone has one now, even colossal writers who have graced us with scenes of intense violence, sexual assault, and a soupcon of scatological discomfort. But not everyone feels their necessity. The world of theatre, literature, film, … Continue reading Write-Off – A Play, A Pie, And a Pint
https://youtu.be/_CE-2H-a62A Directed by Yvan Attal Written by Yaël Langmann, Victor Saint Macary, Yvan Attal, et al. ★★★★ t’s pretty easy to offend someone these days, isn’t it? For the past few years, an age of resentment has simultaneously grown as a counterculture against elitism, prejudice and right-wing media. It’s a complicated issue; when do free-speech … Continue reading Le Brio – French Film Festival
Music & Lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb Book by Joe Masteroff Directed by Rufus Norris Madame’s & Monsieur’s you are cordially invited to Berlin’s it Kit Kat Klub, a den of iniquity, vice and never a virtue. Life has always been a Cabaret: it’s bombastic, emotional and contains just a few surprises, with fewer … Continue reading Cabaret – The Festival Theatre
https://youtu.be/awH3QVBJiTs Writer: Inua Ellams Director: Bijan Sheibani We incessantly talk to three people; the barman, perhaps a priest, but always your barber. From the outset, there’s catalytic energy bouncing around, flinging us from Africa to the barbers of Catford, Lewisham or Brixton in a showcase of sensational world-building. Poetic in construct, Inua Ellams’ Barber Shop Chronicles is … Continue reading Barber Shop Chronicles – The Royal Lyceum
