Children's Shows Comedy Musicals Theatre ThisWeek In London

Threes To See 16-22 Apr: Runs Starting This Week, Short Runs, Funny Short Runs, Shows For Kids

By | Published on Friday 12 April 2019

THREE RUNS STARTING THIS WEEK

Ain’t Misbehavin’ | Southwark Playhouse | 19 Apr-1 Jun
Ah, Fats Waller makes me so nostalgic. Not because I was alive in his heyday, obv, I’m not a hundred years old, but I was really keen on listening to his music in my oddball late teens and early twenties. Anyway, the musical revue, first staged back in the late seventies in New York, gets a rare revival, following a 25 year gap since the last London production. So go on, take advantage, take a step back into a brilliant and experimental period in the history of music, the 1920s and the nightclubs of New York. Click here for more.

Tumulus | Soho Theatre | 16 Apr-4 May (pictured)
“When Anthony’s one-night stand is found dead on Hampstead Heath, everyone assumes that he is another casualty of London’s chemsex culture. When a second body is discovered, Anthony suspects foul play and is thrust into a heart-pounding journey to uncover the truth.” You may have seen it during its successful run at the 2018 Vault Festival, though if you didn’t, lucky you: you get to see it at Soho Theatre instead, this week maybe. Head this way for info.

Other People’s Money | Southwark Playhouse | 17 Apr-11 May
And now we’re going back to Southwark Playhouse for lo, they have two great looking shows starting this week. You already know the name of this award winning Broadway play, and subsequent film, and if you’re not sure what it’s about, here’s an idea: “The Wire and Cable Company of New England is a sleepy family-run business – that is until Larry-the-Liquidator threatens to bring a little corporate pillage to the village. With a jam-today approach to both doughnuts and investments, Larry is accustomed to grabbing life by the assets. But CEO Jorgy has a different approach. Will his small town ideas stack up against booming Wall Street?” Details here.


THREE SHORT RUNS

Voices Of War | Drayton Arms Theatre | 14-15 Apr
“A series of short scenes uncovering the true accounts of people influenced by global conflict in the last 100 years. Based on the stories of real people caught up in the horrors of war around the world, using verbatim interviews and factual research into their lives, we have recreated key moments in their pasts to witness these ordinary individuals overcome such extraordinary times.” Serious stuff and important that we listen. See the venue website here for more.

Almost Paradise | The Bunker Theatre | 21-22 Apr
Another interesting sounding two night run for you, this time at The Bunker Theatre. “With Britain’s exit from the EU imminent, the seaside holiday camps have an opportunity to fight back against the once cheap European holidays and claim their place as a top choice destination. A young dad, in a desperate attempt to save their family, treats his 18 year old nightmare of a daughter to a weekend at Paradise Camp Pakefield. All is to play for this Easter break!” Info right about here.

Brawn | King’s Head Theatre | 21-22 Apr (pictured)
Here’s one tackling an important subject, body image in a world obsessed by beauty and appearances. The world we live in, if that’s not abundantly clear. “Once a smart kid in the classroom, Ryan is trapped in a life he doesn’t want to lead. He feels increasingly suffocated in a world obsessed by self-image and measures his self-worth in muscle mass. Ryan spends every day in the gym, but what began as fitness-based self-improvement has has transformed into dangerous self-destruction.” Click this link for details and to book.


THREE FUNNY SHORT RUNS

Kemp’s Jig | Tara Theatre | 22-23 Apr (pictured)
Well, I was sold by the words in the blurb that implied that this show will be just super for fans of ‘Upstart Crow’, and I am very much a fan of that TV programme. But I am also a lover of history so it might have jumped out at me anyway. Anyway, this show is about Will Kemp, “celebrity comedian and superstar of the Elizabethan stage” – he created many of Shakespeare’s comic roles – and his sponsored Morris dance from London to Norwich. For all the details, head right this way.

Flim Night | Camden People’s Theatre | 22 Apr
Not sure whether this is supposed to be funny, to be honest, but it certainly looks like fun, and a host of some of my favourite theatre types are involved as the very excellent ‘Matilda’ gets the Flim Night treatment: Sh!t Theatre, Paula Varjack, Clumsy Bodies and Liberty Hodes. “What would Matilda look like chewed up and spat out by theatremakers, writers, comedians and musicians?” Only one way to find out, see the venue website here.

The Interdimensional ABK | The Bill Murray | 18 Apr
I know this is supposed to be funny because ABK is a comedian and that’s what they are supposed to be. “The multi-award-winning Alasdair Beckett-King returns to this timeline with a dimension-hopping stand-up comedy show. Is a better world possible? Yes! It already exists, but you don’t live there. ABK makes the best of a bad timeline in this ramshackle jaunt through a multiverse of wonders.” All the info is right about here.


THREE SHOWS FOR KIDS

Sourpuss | Canada Water Theatre | 16-17 Apr
By my calculations (and bitter experience), at least some of you will be on the lookout for useful things to entertain children this week, as it’s the second week of the Easter holidays for many, and they’re probably a bit fractious and all played out by now. Hence this section of shows for younger audiences, starting with this, a fab looking puppet show for kids aged 3+, about a grumpy ginger cat who goes on a journey of discovery and learns all about the great outdoors. Info here.

Out Of This World | Little Angel Theatre | 15 Mar-15 May
If your charges are a bit older, this interactive and immersive show aimed at 7-11 year olds should be just the ticket: “The Little Angel Space Agency (L.A.S.A) is having a rare Open Day and you’re invited. This TOP SECRET space exploration and communication centre has been set up by local astronomer and space fanatic Astrid. It is an exciting time at L.A.S.A as Astrid and her friends Mercury and Hub have built a space rocket, and their dream of being astronauts is about to come true.” More details here.

The Show In Which Hopefully Nothing Happens | Unicorn Theatre | 21 Mar-28 Apr (pictured)
“Welcome to the most boring show in history: an actor who never gets to perform and a security guard who just hopes nothing will occur.” I think this one is a 6-10 years sort of show, but I really want to see it myself. Created by Jetse Batelaan in The Netherlands, it’s described as a “carefully crafted, absurdist masterpiece of hope, humour and failure”, and has been delighting critics and audiences in Europe and North America for more than a decade. Head to this page here for more.



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