MONDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2019 THISWEEKLONDON.COM
NIR PALDI: NO KIDS
Theatre-goers are probably well aware of the work of Theatre Ad Infinitum, because of their absolutely brilliant track record of producing amazing shows like 'Translunar Paradise', 'Bucket List' and 'Ballad Of The Burning Star'.

Company founders Nir Paldi and George Mann are currently performing their co-created show 'No Kids' at Battersea Arts Centre, and I highly recommend seeing it. But perhaps before you do that, read this enlightening Q&A I did with Nir, to find out more about the piece and how it came together. Read the interview here.

'No Kids' is on at Battersea Arts Centre until 23 Feb, see this page here for more information and to book.


THREE PRODUCTIONS OPENING THIS WEEK>>

Agnes Colander | Jermyn Street Theatre | 12 Feb-16 Mar 
"Three years after leaving her unfaithful husband and striking out as an artist, Agnes receives his letter ordering her home. But Agnes married young; her innocence has gone and her ambition is growing. Fleeing to France to find a new future, Agnes is pursued by the besotted Alec and worldly-wise Otho.  Beset on all sides, can Agnes seize the chance to shape her own life?" A staging of a "long-lost masterpiece" from Harley Granville Barker, written in 1900 and discovered a century later. You're no doubt aware of some of his other fairly frequently produced works, such as 'The Voysey Inheritance' and 'Waste'. Click here for info.

Keith? | Arcola Theatre | 13 Feb-9 March 
And now for something a bit more recent, a new Moliere-inspired comedy about "the head-spinning madness and recrimination of life in modern Britain" from Patrick Marmion. "A South African gunrunner turned Buddhist monk. A gullible startup millionaire. His radical feminist ex wife. Their aid worker daughter. The young British Muslim she met in Syria. An ethical Serbian hitman. And an unstable Brazilian cleaner. Modern Britain. Moral chaos. Total nightmare". See this page here

The Paper Man | Soho Theatre | 12 Feb-9 Mar (pictured)
"In 1938, Austrian football star Matthias Sindelar humiliated the Nazi regime by refusing to throw a match. A few months later he was dead. Accident, suicide or execution? Inspirational little guy or yet another man and his ego? Who cares? Middle aged, white British, football addict-in-recovery, Lee Simpson wants answers. He hires some women to make a show about football, Nazis, and our future". This sounds amazing, and is from a brilliant company, Improbable. More here.


THREE SHORT RUNS>>

All About My Mother | Arcola Theatre | 14-16 Mar
A theatre piece based on Pedro Almodovar's much loved 1999 film of the same name. If you haven't seen it: the story follows Manuela, heading for Barcelona in search of her son Esteban's missing father. "From camp theatrical melodrama to gritty realism, we meet a riotous gay transvestite prostitute, a young nun who explosively rejects her order, a starry diva and - at its heart - a mother struggling with truth and love". Head this way for all the info.

Seeds: The Round Shape of All Things Red | Arcola Theatre | 18-22 Feb 
Yes, it's another one from Arcola, because beginning over there this week is their Creative/Disruption season of productions from the venue's community companies. This play, from the The Arcola Women's Company, is based on real stories from contemporary women and promises to be "a visceral and compelling piece exploring the multi-faceted, ever-evolving 'female experience'". See the venue website here for more.

Polyester | King's Head Theatre | 17 Feb (pictured)
We've tipped this before, but it was a short run back then too, so I thought we'd also flag up this one night stand at the King's Head Theatre. "What do a measuring tape, a priest with a clamped car and a polyester frill have in common? They all mean something to Emily. Follow her on a heart-warming story of love, loss and laughter to find out what that is. She will take you on a journey back to Dublin, back in time, to the week her father died. In her own words; "some of the most fun 5 days of her life". Click this link to book tickets.


THREE COMEDY SHOWS>>

Rosie Jones - Fifteen Minutes | Soho Theatre | 14-16 Feb (pictured)
If you've been around the comedy scene lately, you're probably aware of the rise of Rosie Jones, which seems (and we hope is) inexorable. In Edinburgh last summer, she performed this show, which considers who she might have become if she hadn't developed cerebral palsy as a result of being starved of oxygen during the process of her birth. We talked to her about it then, so maybe you'd like to read the Q&A here? Or alternatively just go straight to the venue website here and sort out your tickets. 

Daniel Cook - Carpet | Battersea Arts Centre | 14-15 Feb 
And this is another show that was on in Edinburgh last summer, to lots and lots of critical acclaim, so if you're not aware yet of what to expect from Daniel Cook, don't let that stop you. Because if you let that stop you, you will miss out on a clever, energetic and fast paced set "all about death, memories, and his brand new pet cat". For more information and to book, click on this link here.

Emma Sidi - Faces Of Grace | Soho Theatre |12-16 Feb 
Yes, yes, yes, okay, this is yet another show that was on at the Edinburgh Fringe in the summer of 2018. But you know, it's another goodie, so I am quite happy that it's become the theme of this section. Emma Sidi's another fabulous act who seems to be on the up and up, delighting audiences with her weird and wonderful collections of characters. See this page here for info.


THREE THEATRE EVENTS WITH A DIFFERENCE>>

The Justice Syndicate | Battersea Arts Centre | 11-23 Feb 
This sounds incredibly interesting and offers a very intriguing opportunity for those of you who enjoy all things interactive. In 'The Justic Syndicate' twelve audience members to be jurors in a trial, to look at the evidence and hear testimonies, and struggle with the moral quandary of how to respond to a crime committed by someone whose day to day work is vitally important... Should be a fascinating experiment, looking at how people make decisions, alone and as a group. See this page here for details and to book.

Rattled | Old Red Lion Theatre | 12 Feb-2 Mar (pictured)
"Em never meant to get married. She didn't mean to be unhappy. It all just sort of happened by accident... like running over your neighbours cat. Things always seem to just happen to Em. Now standing alone on the edge of a train station platform, she just wants to know... whose baby is this?" This sounds like an interesting piece of new writing about childhood trauma, and I'd be keen to see it in any case, but the reason it's in this section is the fact that the theatre company have arranged free childcare with a proper childcare agency if you go to their Sunday matinee. Look at this page here for more.

Fight Night | Vault Festival | 30 Jan-17 Feb 
"It's FIGHT NIGHT. Two will enter the ring, one will leave victorious. But which one? That's up to you!" The excellent Exit Productions return with this ambitious immersive experience, in which audiences view a new fight every night, but also get to influence the outcome, viewing the glamorous front end, but also being party to what's going on behind the scenes. See the festival website here for all the info and to book.
At TW:CULTURE we champion the best in culture.

ThisWeek London is your guide to culture in London.

ThreeWeeks Edinburgh is your guide to Edinburgh's festivals.

TW:DIY is your guide to doing cultural stuff.



© UnLimited Media, a division of 3CM Enterprises Ltd

UnLimited Media, Kemp House, 152 City Road, London EC1V 2NX
t: 020 7099 9050 (editorial) 020 7099 9060 (sales)

Send Edinburgh press releases to TWedinburgh@unlimitedmedia.co.uk

Send London press releases to TWlondon@unlimitedmedia.co.uk

You can read our Privacy & Data Policy here

publishing@unlimitedmedia.co.uk | complaints@unlimitedmedia.co.uk