Reviews

Middle Temple Hall
20 August - 13 September

Steeped in history, there is an unmistakable sense of excitement and wonder at seeing Romeo and Juliet at the Middle Temple Hall, particularly as Shakespeare’s company performed here in 1602. However, as a member of the cast starts to play a medieval guitar and the audience gently bustles their way to their seats, there is a sense of calm from the knowledge of our continuity at being about to watch a Shakespeare play as our ancestors were more than 400 years ago. Read more »

New Wimbledon Theatre - Studio
26 August - 20 September

Black Mamba is a South African satirical sketch show which has come down from the Edinburgh Fringe to the Wimbledon Studio.

If Henry Fielding was right when he claimed that satire’s true purpose is to expose vice and folly, then Black Mamba does a good job. Read more »

News

Amongst the shows and seasons announced at Fringe and Off-West End theatres across London over the past week are:

Tricycle

August Wilson’s Radio Golf will receive its British premiere from 6 October to 1 November (previews from 2 October). It tells of Harmond Wilks, an upwardly mobile, charming and powerful property developer with ambitions to become the first black mayor of a decrepit Pittsburgh town. Read more »

In addition to Trevor Nunn’s planned revival of A Little Night Music at the Menier Chocolate Factory, fans of Stephen Sondheim now have something else to look forward to in London in the new year. The American composer/lyricist’s rarely seen musical Saturday Night will receive its first UK revival at the Jermyn Street Theatre for a limited five-week season from 12 February 2009 (previews from 10 February). Read more »

Interviews

Deon Newbronner is the executive director of Abandon, a professional theatre company who aim to make a real difference in people’s lives using theatre. Their latest project, in which Deon stars alongside his fellow Abandon members, sees them producing two plays, The Other Day and Connected, which will appear as a double bill at the White Bear Theatre from 11 September - 5 October. Both of the plays tackle difficult and sensitive subjects and in an unusual twist, instead of putting the plays back to back, the company will be performing them simultaneously. We talked to Deon about how the project is going and what he hopes Abandon will achieve in the future. Read more »

Ben Caplan is the director of The Collector, a dark and haunting portrayal of the kidnap of a young female arts student who is forced to live in a cellar by her agressor. The adaptation of John Fowles novel found success in Edinburgh 2007, and now transfers to the Arcola Theatre from 26 August - 20 September. Read more »