739 stories by "Susan Elkin"
Unicorn, London: In effect this one woman show, aimed at over 4s, is a two-hander with Verity Quinn's witty set as the second actor. Dora is an elderly lady waking up to her sea of clut…
Unicorn, London: Unless you caught it at The Globe or the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year, this glitteringly energetic all-rapping version is Othello as you've never seen or heard i…
Rose, Kingston: This moving, rather charming, lyrical three hander for early years audiences makes imaginative use of puppetry, shadow puppetry, physical theatre, music, song, comedy and poi…
Criterion Theatre, London: I often criticise showcases for trying to be unnecessarily arty. This one is so commendably straightforward that it almost errs towards being dull. Sandwiched betw…
Scoop, More London: The plot is familiar and timeless but in Lisa Kuma's seamless translation/adaptation the text sounds so fresh and modern it's as if you've never heard it b…
Scoop, More London: An irreverent, pantomime-style musical theatre take on the youth of Oedipus sits happily in The Scoop which is about as close to a Greek amphitheatre as London gets.
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Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London: The Sound of Music set has sprouted some cheerful, green, giant stalks wobbling in the wind and there are hay bales on stage. The scene is set for a w…
Hever Castle, Edenbridge: It is fun to see a version of The Wind in the Willows featuring a villain as entertaining as talented Benjamin Lawlor's Weasel. Played like a cross between a n…
Science Museum, London: This show is an enjoyable but faintly valiant attempt to create dynamic, vibrant live theatre out of an introduction to the nine different forms of energy.
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Mulberry and Bigland Centre, London: This colourful, musical, exotic reduction of the play to "the one hour's traffic of our stage" for eight actors in NT's Primary Theat…
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London: This exuberantly energetic version of Shakespeare's bittersweet story of jealousy, loss and reconciliation is described as "re-imagined for …
New Ash Green Primary School field, nr Maidstone: Whited faces, exaggerated gestures, high flown language, musical instruments, songs, farce, slapstick, mime and a daft plot with underlying …
Last week's The Stage (July 4 2013) published the result of a piece of research by casting director Jane Deitch for Drama UK. The thrust of it was that vocational drama schools could do more…
Belmont House, Faversham: I'm not sure Stevenson would have recognised much of his famous tale in this upbeat, irreverent, musical account which owes more to pantomime than to serious s…
Criterion, London: Coloured lights, dry ice and angular music are an overture to the stage filling with 18 impeccably drilled and choreographed dancers, twitching and shivering with striking…
Little Angel, London : It's probably as good a success indicator as any if you come out of a mini-musical humming the songs. Barb Jungr's haunting, accessible melodies - many cheer…
Criterion Theatre, London: This succinct showcase would benefit from being a little longer and allowing its 22 students more chance to show what they can do. As it is we see them only once a…
Criterion, London: It's a bit odd, and arguably gratuitous, to open an acting showcase with literal smoke and mirrors and a spiky dance sequence by a physical theatre ensemble. The proj…
Tristan Bates Theatre: This tight, exceptionally well directed showcase really gives 13 students the chance to show what they can do. For once, careful choice of material and casting allows,…
Polka Theatre, London: This sequel to Charlie and Lola's Bestest Play is more three-dimensional amd ambitious than the earlier show. It takes part of the action out of Charlie and Lola&…
Criterion Theatre, London: This showcase features just 12 scenes from modern plays, each with four or five roles. In this way we see 50 students in action in just 55 minutes which is quite a…
Little Angel, London: This glitteringly good show is billed "for adults" but actually would appeal to anyone over, say, nine. It retells a dark, Nordic version of Beauty and the Be…
Gulbenkian, Canterbury : This enjoyable, imaginative show consists of two short dance pieces for children aged 7 and over, separated by an interval. Tamsin Fitzgerald's The Rock uses mi…
I make no secret of being more drawn to classical and choral music than I am, in general, to other genres, although it's a very personal thing and I do my best to be open-minded...
Soho Theatre, London: Although this is a rather large and long showcase featuring 40 students in 41 items it does manage to give most participants the chance to show what they can do in seve…
