Off-West End Announcements – 9 Jul 2010

Shaw Thing in Greenwich
George Bernard Shaw’s The Philanderer gets a fresh airing at Greenwich Playhouse this summer, after an absence of many years. The eponymous cad is man-about-town Leonard Charteris, who wants to marry exotic Grace Tranfield despite his girlfriend Julia Craven’s understandable objections to the scheme. Directed by Bart Williams, Sell a Door’s production runs from 19 Jul – 15 Aug and promises to be suitably light fare for a summer’s evening.

BigFace Branching Out
Recently awarded Best Fringe Venue 2010, the Rosemary Branch will play host to an award nominee this month in the form of Dear Mr!, a bittersweet comedy from BigFace Theatre. The play, shortlisted for a Total Theatre Award follows middle-aged Ruth as she attempts to wrench her husband back from the petrol stained hands of Jeremy Clarkson. Monologues, clowning and strong imagery combine in this tender production, which will run from 20 – 25 July at the venue.

Sitting On The Bench
One for the journos this. Premiering at the Cock Tavern from 25 Jul – 14 Aug, Subs is the latest play from Hamish Macdougall, the theatre’s literary associate and the man behind the monthly Rogue Writers night at Canal Cafe Theatre. Set in the production office of a men’s style magazine, Subs tracks the response of the largely male workforce to their new female colleague and follows on from Macdougall’s recent directing success at the Cock: Nightsongs.

And Finally
Want to get to know the real Eastenders? Then be there to see UD Vocal Collective performing live at Theatre Royal Stratford East on 22 and 23 July as part of east London’s Create10 festival. This group of talented young singers have supported Chipmunk but this time it will be Shola Ama and Omar supporting them as they take centre stage to perform Re:Definition, an original musical score exploring London heritage from the backstreets to the bus routes. Mikhill Pale narrates.