Dogshrine: Spirituality and the Mind/Body Divide

Anthony Kuiper sits down with writer and director Jai Leeworthy to talk about his upcoming show, Dogshrine. So I know Dogshrine is religious but what exactly is it saying about religion? I wonder what that means, for it to be religious… Revolving around some sort of content that is in itself to do with theology and explaining our existence. I have done a lot of investigating … Continue reading Dogshrine: Spirituality and the Mind/Body Divide

Mudfest: Don’t Feed The Animals

Such homage, very burlesque. The influences are transparent, but look… why not celebrate them? A show with a good range of talent and a strong theme deserves a decent audience… Everything will be better in the night-time. Dance, circus and music are fabulous. Chloe Dallas Don’t Feed The Animals is playing in the Union Theatre as part of Mudfest from Friday 21st August until Sunday … Continue reading Mudfest: Don’t Feed The Animals

A Different Avenue

Avenue Q is an amusing and cleverly written musical that covers sex, unemployment and even race with wit and daring. University College’s production, however, failed to reach the full potential of the script, as the songs and comedy often fell flat and satire was stifled by crudity. The show opened with a stumble, in part due to sound issues that lingered throughout the performance. While … Continue reading A Different Avenue

Earnestly Entertaining

There’s nothing quite like the warm, supportive atmosphere of a college-majority crowd at a college play. The opening night audience of Newman’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest fed the energy of the performers, such that an already peppy play was bouncing off the walls in a way that was wonderful to watch. The most prominent stylistic choice in this production is the heavy … Continue reading Earnestly Entertaining

McDonagh Made New

Aotu Theatre’s The Pillowman J:      The ease with which McDonagh’s vague police state in The Pillowman was re-contextualised into the setting of communist China was pretty startling, and probably one of the strongest choices made in Aotu Theatre’s production. A legitimate, contextually appropriate police state? Check. A history of police brutality, false accusations, and silencing of artistic expression? Check. Effective, culturally meaningful and politically … Continue reading McDonagh Made New

Cabaret

There were a few things running through my mind when I settled down to watch Cabaret on its third and final night of performance, in what appeared to be a full house at the Union Theatre. The Emcee (Jack Wright) jumped straight into a rendition of “Willkommen”: Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome! Im Cabaret, au Cabaret, to Cabaret. The first of these was the question: what makes … Continue reading Cabaret

Echo: Review

In her directorial debut for Union House Theatre, Petra Kalive has guided Echo’s strong cast to create a devised work that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. The performance opens with a brief retelling of the Greek myth of Echo and Narcissus before moving on to a series of self-contained scenes examining narcissism in contemporary culture. From the first scene the actors establish that high energy … Continue reading Echo: Review

Kissing Booth

Kissing Booth trails the debacles of four university-aged adults as they flock together in awkward get-togethers and interpersonal relationships, which culminate in a shocking conclusion. N.U.D.E.’s first ever production is generally well put together, with the set kept minimal but effectively dressed, and set pieces – especially the cumbersome kissing booth – used economically and cleverly. The production’s stronger moments, such as Ingrid (Rosie Yates) … Continue reading Kissing Booth

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Thoroughly Modern Millie takes us on a journey through the Roaring Twenties – a decade characterised by its cultural edge and economic prosperity. From the small town of Kansas, Millie Dillmount sets off on an adventure to find herself a job and marry her rich employer. Although an easy plan in theory, Millie struggles with choosing between wealth and love. Overall UMMTA’s revitalisation of the … Continue reading Thoroughly Modern Millie