Circus Comedy Dance & Physical Theatre ThisWeek In London

Three To See 1-7 Feb: Funny Things, Theatre Things, Fab Things

By | Published on Friday 28 January 2022

THREE FUNNY THINGS

Live At The Chapel with Ardal O’ Hanlon | Union Chapel | 5 Feb
Okay, so who out there needs a bit of a laugh? Well let me tell you, I do, even though the seemingly never ending dark and dull month of January is more or less over. No-one ever thought February was a month of joy though, I suppose, so let’s begin it as we mean to go on, by leavening it with a dose of comedy. And let us begin with a trip to the Union Chapel where veteran comedy star Ardal O’Hanlon appears alongside a fabulous line up – Sindhu Vee, Ivo Graham and MC John Robins. For more info and to book head right this way.

Kerry Godliman: Bosh | Bloomsbury Theatre | 5 Feb
And now let’s head to the Bloomsbury Theatre to see the excellently funny favourite Kerry Godliman, who will be performing ‘Bosh’ there for just one night. “Kerry’s back on tour after what she thought would be a little ‘she’ time. No chance. Her bosh-like nature will never let her rest. Well, that and a needy cat, a constantly disappointing camper van, ever-raging feelings of mum guilt and bewilderment at the phasing out of thimbles. All will be explained”. All the details are right here.

Bad Clowns: Invasion | Drayton Arms Theatre | 4-5 Feb (pictured)
And finally it’s time to head over to the Drayton Arms Theatre where they’re staging a string of shows that would have been on at Vault Festival, had that esteemed event not been forced to cancel. The first is ‘Invasion’, from Bad Clowns, a troupe that impressed us mightily at the old edfringe a few years ago with a show called ‘Hostage’. This one’s about aliens taking over the minds of earthlings and one of them just so happens to be sitting in the audience. Find out more here.


THREE THEATRICAL THINGS

The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me | Studio at New Wimbledon Theatre | 3-26 Feb
On to some theatre, specifically in the Studio at the New Wimbledon Theatre, where John Bell (who you may well have seen most recently playing Ian Murray in ‘Outlander’) tackles one man play ‘The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me’, a semi-autobiographical piece by Obie-winner David Drake. First staged back in 1994, it’s a coming of age story documenting a young gay man’s journey of self-discovery and also addressing the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. Read more about it and book tickets here.

Hedda (After Ibsen) | Soho Theatre On Demand Film Festival | 4-13 Feb
Soho Theatre have an On Demand Film Festival beginning this week and running until early March, which is great for those of you who enjoy taking your culture in at home. The first offering is ‘Hedda’, which stars David Hoyle, is created and directed by Jen Heyes, and is described as a “cinematic theatrical reimagining” of Henrik Ibsen’s ‘Hedda Gabler’. “Hedda is beautiful, aristocratic and intelligent, loaded with social grace and a steely, clear, dispassionate charisma. Life really isn’t good enough for Hedda. Like any of us, in life there are moments when we feel that this frustrating business of existence – as lived on our darkest days – really isn’t good enough for us either”. More here.

The Life Of Olu | Soho Theatre | 4-5 Feb (pictured)
And from a virtual visit to Soho Theatre to an actual visit to Soho Theatre for a live in person performance of ‘The Life Of Olu’ by Temi Majekodunmi: “Navigating teenage life is hard when you’re on the cusp of manhood (sort of). Imagine having to decide between a packet of Monster Munch or a carton of Sun Exotic before bossman kicks you out of his shop for taking too long. Olu’s got a lot on his plate; no TV on weeknights, no idea how to talk to his crush Karina and no facial hair in sight…yet. Welcome to Olu’s world; a world beyond the walls of the Roundwood Estate filled with dreams of getting into Oxford University, panic attacks and the goddess Kelly Rowland”. Read more about it here.


THREE MORE FAB SHOWS

An Evening Without Kate Bush | Soho Theatre | 7-26 Feb (pictured)
Right, three more shows, all fabulous, but not necessarily connected in terms of genre or theme. This first one is another Soho Theatre show (may as well just set up a tent nearby) by one of my favourite artists that revolves around the music and mythology of another of my favourite artists. The creatives in question are acclaimed cabaret star and TW award winner Sarah Louise Young, and the one and only Kate Bush, one of the most influential voices in British music. Mmm, it’s just a recipe for deliciousness. Hurry up and book tickets, especially for the early dates of the run, which look close to selling out. Head to the venue website here.

The Chosen Haram | Jacksons Lane | 4-6 Feb
The London International Mime Festival draws to a close this week but there’s still plenty of shows to see, including this one, ‘The Chosen Haram’ at Jacksons Lane, which is a circus show from Sadiq Ali, performed on two Chinese poles and dealing with themes of faith, addiction and connection. “It tells the story of two queer men and their chance meeting through a dating app, portraying the highs and lows of their relationship and the barriers they face, both social and cultural, in seeking happiness and personal fulfillment”. See the venue website here for more on this show and the Mime Festival website here for other shows on this week.

Riot Act | Stream.Theatre | on demand 1-28 Feb
The last tip of the day is for another show for you to take in on your own sofa. Or on a hard chair in your dining area, if that’s what you really want. Or even in bed, I suppose. That would be even more comfortable than the sofa potentially. Anyway, you may hardly even notice how comfortable you are because you will be so taken up by watching this enthralling piece from Alexis Gregory. We’ve tipped it before, and it’s been playing live shows recently, so perhaps you have seen it already, but if not, you are in for a treat. It’s a verbatim exploration of the history of the LGBTQ movement, drawn from interviews with Michael-Anthony Nozzi, one of the only remaining Stonewall survivors; Lavinia Co-op, a 1970s London radical-drag artist; and Paul Burston, a prominent 1990s AIDS activist. For more info about this digital re-imagining, and to watch, see this page here.



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