Off-West End Announcements – 24 April 2009

A Stirling response to Churchill
Evergreen Theatrical Productions bring Richard Stirling’s Seven Other Children, a ten-minute theatrical response to Caryl Churchill’s controversial Seven Jewish Children, to the New End Theatre in May. Using Churchill’s format, Seven Other Children (5-16 May 2009), provides context to the debate and a different view of the situation in Gaza.

Doors open and shut at The King’s Head Theatre
Directed by Candida Benson Tartuffe Productions present a rarely-preformed revival of De Musset’s classic A Door Must Be Open Or Shut (29 April-24 May), Musset’s last work for the stage written in 1845, is a comedy of manners set in the sophisticated and passionate world of 19th century.

The Dog in The Manger at Hoxton Hall
Rogues’ Gallery Theatre Company, directed by Oliver Rose bring to the stage a play for anyone who’s ever fallen for someone they shouldn’t have. The Dog in The Manger (5 – 9 May) at Hoxton Hall is a play of love and jealousy translated by David Johnstone and set in the house of Countess Diana on the Italian Riveria in the 1950s.

A taste of the Irish at The Old Red Lion Theatre
Written and directed by John Dunne the London Irish Theatre present this play in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the ending of the Great Hunger in Ireland. Famine (5-23 May) takes a family is crisis and turns it into a microscopic segment of those turbulent times.

Good Company
Based on a book by George Furth and with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Company (20 May – 13 June) was the first non-linear ‘concept’ musical. It follows five couples and one bachelor in a memory play set in, and often about the humour and pitfalls of living in New York and is being performed at the Union Theatre.

If these doors could talk…
Adapted from Andrew Losowsky’s book and directed by Tom Wright The Doorbells of Florence (12-31 May) at The Rosmeary Branch Theatre is a performance of raw storytelling. Two unnamed storytellers take you on a journey through the doorways of Florence to the stories behind them.

They call this the Blues
Continuing their interest in 21st century blues Inspector Sands and associate director John Nicholson present their follow up to their hit debut Hysteria. At the Lyric Hammersmith, and inspired by Peggy Lee’s version of the song ‘Is That All There Is’ by Leiber and Stoller, Is That All There Is(12-16 May) explores the longing to feel alive and the effort invested in seeking fulfillment.

– by Laura Norman