American singer and songwriter Denise Marsa first came to notice in the UK as a "mystery voice" - the then unknown singer who duetted with Dean Friedman on one of the big hits of the late seventies, 'Lucky Stars'.
Her upcoming show at The Playground Theatre is something of a departure from her usual output, as it takes something of a theatrical format, blending her life story with the music.
I spoke to Denise, to find out more about the show, her career, and what the future holds. Read the interview here.
The Pass' is on at The Playground Theatre from 27-29 Sep, see the venue website here for more information and to book tickets.
TUESDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2018 >>
Tony Adigun's Fagin's Twist | The Place | 25-26 Sep
The acclaimed Tony Adigun brings his Dickens-inspired dance piece back to The Place, so don't miss your chance to see it. When it was on at The Place a couple of years ago, we spoke to him to find out lots about it - the themes explored, and to what extent 'Oliver Twist' informed the piece - and it was all rather interesting. So, take a look at that very-much-worth-reading Q&A here, and head to the venue website right about here to book.
Much Ado About Salsa | Drayton Arms Theatre | 25 Sep-13 Oct
"Down in sunny Cadiz, young Faith is due to marry Calvin, who adamantly refuses to learn to dance. Roped in by her charismatic father, Leon, to inspire Calvin onto the dancefloor, ex flames Bea and Ben re-ignite their spiky and passionate association - rather against their wills. But an unexpected turn of events brings darkness to Faith's wedding day. Will a once-solid relationship be destroyed forever, or can it be restored through the magic of love and Salsa?" A favourite Shakespeare tale, hilarity and salsa...? Um, yes please thank you. Info here.
Picasso's Women | Gallery Different | 25 Sep (pictured)
Three of Brian McAvera's 'Picasso's Women' collection of monologues, in a production that adds a very pertinent extra dimension by staging the performance in the very apt location of an art gallery. This already well-received show features the stories of Fernande Olivier, Olga Khokhlova and Marie-Thérèse Walter, played by Judith Paris, Colette Redgrave and Kirsten Moore, and was on at edfringe in August, in one of Edinburgh's nicest art galleries. Details and tickets here.
WEDNESDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2018 >>
Bring Your Own Baby Comedy | Tara Theatre | 26 Sep
I know I've recommended this regular comedy night (no, not night, it's during the day, but you know what I mean) before but a) that's entirely in line with my new policy of remembering to recommend regular events on occasion, and b) I really love the idea of a comedy session that parents of young babies can go to with said baby. I wish there'd been one back when I was toting a small baby. Anyway, the latest edition is at Tara Theatre this week, see this page here for info.
Camden Underground - Eye | Camden People's Theatre | 26-27 Sep
"Eye takes its inspiration from the exploration of the small dance - in this case the micro dances that are occurring constantly not only in the body but in the face. A lifetime of observation of the subtle dialogue of facial expressions and the reading of people's inner thoughts and feelings through it". This sounds intriguing, a one person interactive show which "sits somewhere between dance, performance, happening and theatre". See the venue website here for more.
Pot | Stratford Circus Arts Centre | 26-29 Sep (pictured)
A new thriller from Ambreen Razia, writer of 'The Diary of a Hounslow Girl' focusing on the lives of children struggling with the care system and gang culture. "16 year old Louisa wakes up on lock down surrounded by debris from last night's blow out. Josh has vanished but she's not alone and is beginning to feel the heat. She must decide whether or not to do the right thing, but time is running out and a series of revelations suggest everything is not as it seems". Details here.
THURSDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2018 >>
Dennis Of Penge | Ovalhouse | 26 Sep-6 Oct
"No matter how shit your day has been. No matter how low the world wants to make you. No matter if the money came from the back of the sofa. No matter if no-one respects you. No matter if you haven't been touched in a sex way for a while. No matter if your ideas go unheard, or even unspoken cos you're shy Fantastic Melly's Chicken is a church that welcomes all, salves all, in its delicious opiate salty battery wings". Part gig, part poetry, part theatre performance, loosely inspired by Euripides' 'The Bacchae', from the acclaimed Annie Siddons. Info here.
An Enemy Of The People | Greenwich Theatre | 27-29 Sep
Ibsen's 1882 play, staged by a highly reputable company, in a very up to date and contemporary re-imagining. "Having rejuvenated the fortunes of a crumbling town, eminent doctor Tamsin Stockmann expects to be hailed as its saviour once again when she exposes a major public health risk. But the town's prosperity hangs in the balance and opposition grows. Will she will lauded as hero of the hour or will Dr. Stockmann be declared an enemy of the people?" Head this way for details.
Mrs Dalloway | Arcola Theatre | 25 Sep-20 Oct
"On a single day in 1920s London, Clarissa Dalloway prepares to throw a party for her high-society friends. On the same day, in the same city, First World War veteran Septimus Warren Smith seeks help from the ruling class that Clarissa entertains". You've all heard of it, so I am not sure I need to explain, really, except to say that this promises to be a bold new adaptation in a fast-paced and dynamic staging. More here.
FRIDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2018 >>
Freeman | Canada Water Theatre | 28-29 Sep (pictured)
Writer Camilla Whitehill explores the link between mental ill health and systemic racism, inspired by the first man in the US to plead insanity as a defence. "Throughout time and across waters, from William Freeman to Sarah Reed, six true stories are threaded together and told through physical theatre, spoken word, gospel singing, shadow puppetry and more. History is bound to repeat itself when the thumb is permanently bearing down on the loop button, so has anything really changed?" More here.
Grey (First Bite) | Ovalhouse | 27-29 Sep
The brilliant Koko Brown returns, with this early look at new work 'Grey', the second instalment of a trilogy, performed using spoken word and vocal looping, and focusing on depression and black women's mental health. "Koko is a strong, independent, black woman. She has a roof over her head. She has food in her fridge. She lives a good life. She's also a little bit sad, a lot of the time. She doesn't understand why". Head this way for details.
The Lesson | The Hope Theatre | 25 Sep-13 Oct
"When an enthusiastic young student arrives at The Professor's house for her lesson, she is wide-eyed and ready to learn. But no amount of studying can prepare her for the odyssey that lies ahead". A staging of Eugene Ionesco's excellent comic drama about "the tyrannical nature of power, the dangers of enforced education and how words can be used as weapons". Info right about here.
SATURDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2018 >>
Conseqüències | Stratford Circus Arts Centre | 29 Sep (pictured)
We're all about the dance today, not least because there are three different dance performances going on at Stratford Circus Arts Centre today. And as you might imagine, I rather struggled to choose which one to recommend and in the end did it in a kind of picking-out-of-a-hat manner. Anyway, there's this one, a humorous dance performance looking at the boundaries between reality and fiction, but there's also 'KoKERS' (for little ones) and 'D-Construction', a hip hoppy piece. Head to this page here for 'Conseqüències', but scroll down to the black box at the bottom for more on the other two.
Confessions Of A Cockney Circus Dancer | The Place | 29 Sep
More dance, but also funnies: award winner Shane Shambhu combines Indian dance and laugh-out-loud comedy to take audiences on a revealing journey, following the stages of his career through from unlikely dance student, to 'rude boy', to international performer. Expect a humorous, honest and charming show, and a wide range of characters and stories, all exploring how race, language, identity and cultures have defined him and his career. Info here.
Camden Underground - Witch Witch Witch | Camden People's Theatre | 28-29 Sep
"A riot grrrl ritual. Two witches show a wronged woman how terrible her boyfriend has been - they want her to be happy and they want her to join their coven. They use magik to show her what he's done, and the magik is the audience". Join award winning collective Live Beasts who "do stories and rituals for lively audiences - it makes us try harder, and nobody gets left out". Part of Camden Underground (you may know that already, as you can read), see the venue website here for details.
SUNDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2018 >>
Thanks But No Thanks | King's Head Theatre | 30 Sep
Lesley Lightfoot recounts tales of working in theatres across the land, in what I think might be a lightly dramatised version of her own story: "Lesley Lightfoot has had her nose pressed up against the theatre world window for longer than she'd care to remember. In this warm, witty, slightly caustic show she recounts a glitzy career from her side of the glass. A nostalgic trip of family life in a tale of a North London Jewish girl growing up in the 60s 70s and on". See this page here for details.
Ventoux | Greenwich Theatre | 30 Sep
"Ventoux is the most fearsome mountain encountered on the Tour de France. It is also the story of Lance Armstrong and Marco Pantani - whose drug-fuelled race there in 2000 was the greatest cycling had ever seen. 'Ventoux' charts the parallel lives of these champions who overcame great adversity in tandem, and the mountain that cast them in opposing directions". 2Magpies bring their 2015 edfringe hit to Greenwich Theatre for just the one night, head this way to find out more.
Taramandal | Cockpit Theatre | 30 Sep (pictured)
"Meet the nervously enthusiastic Patol Babu as he prepares for his first film appearance. Sneak a peek into schoolboy Madhav's hilarious audition and lovergirl Reba's rooftop drama Find out what about Dushyant's science plays and Vicky's world of Bollywood and much more..". A bittersweet comedy combining personal anecdote with an iconic Indian tale. See this page here for info.
MONDAY 1 OCTOBER 2018 >>
Adam Kay - This Is Going To Hurt (Secret Diaries Of A Junior Doctor) | Greenwich Theatre | 1 Oct
Back over to the Greenwich Theatre (we were there yesterday for 'Ventoux', if you recall) for a date with award winning, much loved and oft-well-reviewed-by-our-Edinburgh-writers comedian Adam Kay. If you're aware of his work, it's highly likely you already want to go. If you're not, take it from us, he is worth seeing. Take a look here.
Big Bang | Camden People's Theatre | 1 Oct
Another of CPTs brilliant Big Bang Nights, in which you get to see a line up of new in-progress works, and this one includes work by the latest recipients of the venue's seed commissions for artists from BAME backgrounds. I won't try and tell you more about each of the different things you'll see in this show, as it would take to long, but I'd urge you to head to this link here and have your interest piqued.
Exit Number 8 | King's Head Theatre | 1-7 Oct (pictured)
"It is 8.13am and I am stood on platform 2, Central line, one foot in front of the yellow line and one foot behind it. I am quite literally straddling danger". Lucy has taken the day off and she isn't going to waste it. No time for quiet. She's taking back control. But what is Lucy running from and why can't she return to Exit Number 8?" An interesting-looking comedic solo play written and performed by Katie Sherrard, book your tickets here.
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