We've Moved!...

... to a brand spanking new website!

You may have been directed to this Blogspot page through one of our old links, but to check out our brand new website with all of the latest updates, offering a whole lot more, than head to http://www.whatspeenseen.co.uk straight away.

Ballet Revolución - review

Written By: Anna Jones (@Now4567Anna)

Sadler's Wells, London
****

Ballet Revolución is described as dance theatre in the programme forward from Lise Smith, but it's not really dance theatre; it's a dance bonanza demonstrating all that these exceptionally talented Cuban dancers can do. A fusion of ballet, contemporary, hip hop, Samba, and rumba which is linked by the overall theme of sensuality and celebration thereof. The choreography by original Tap Dog dancer Aaron Cash and Roclan Gonzalez Chavez is extremely crowd pleasing and their fusion of classical ballet with hip hop and contemporary causes many a gasp from the audience.

Lysistrata - review

Written by: Andrew Crane (@AndrewRCrane)

Riverside Studios, London

***

It’s every serious theatergoer’s nightmare; turning up to the theatre only to find that you’re sharing the experience with a gaggle of giddy GCSE Drama students. Fortunately this particular group seemed well trained in theatre etiquette and they were perfectly amicable throughout the performance – well done to whichever school they were from. As much dread as they instilled it quickly became evident that they were the target audience for Theatre Lab’s musical and modernised adaptation of Lysistrata, an entertaining and raunchy affair that opts out of substance in favour of low-brow comedy. 

Making Dickie Happy - review

Written by: Jessica Lorimer (@JessLorimer3)

Tristan Bates Theatre, London
***

Plenty of long stemmed cigarettes, bourbon on the rocks and bed-hopping contribute to a world of 1920’s glamour for Jeremy Kingston’s Making Dickie Happy. A tentative exploration into the meeting of Agatha Christie (Helen Duff) and Noel Coward (Phineas Pett) on the cusp of their subsequent stardom awaits avid fans of both authors.

Dracula - review

Written by: Tom Woods (@Thomas_E_Woods)

Where did Woods watch it?
Fairfield Halls, Croydon
Was Woods won over?
**

Vampires have become something of a hot topic in recent years, and with the tagline ‘The Original Twilight’, Ninon Jerome’s production of Dracula sounds keen to put all these new vampires in their place by bringing Bram Stoker’s original bloodsucker to a modern day audience. Sadly, any clever exploration of themes, and how they relate to the 21st century, is lost in the confusing direction and a myriad of poor design decisions.

Black Pudding - review

Written by: Kirstie Ralph (@kjralph)

The Bussey Building, London

****

The first night of Wind-Up Collective’s quirky cabaret Black Pudding is a triumph, striking the right balance between the entertaining, thought-provoking and simply bizarre. The company succeed in bringing to life the fairy tale stories of childhood, with an extra helping of silly audience interactions and melodrama. References range from Made in Chelsea-type shows to general pop culture, to add some 21^st Century spice to stories we think we know. The Bussey building café, located in Peckham Rye, is a gem of a location for this show, providing the informal atmosphere needed to stage a performance of this nature.

Mydidae - review

Written by: Peeny (@AdamPeeny)

Where's Peen been?
Trafalgar Studios, London
Was Peen keen?
*****

There must be something in the water at Trafalgar Studios – that’s right, the actual, flowing water that they use in this production – to help make it so damn brilliant. It’s a good job it is so fantastic, to make all of the plumbing work worthwhile.

Purple Heart - review

Written by: Anna Jones (@Now4567Anna)

Gate Theatre, London

*****

Bruce Norris is a master manipulator of language; his play Clybourne Park won every drama prize available to it (including a Tony, Olivier and the Pulitzer Prize), and Purple Heart exhibits once again his deftness and skill. Superb performances from Nathan Kiley (Thor), Rosemary Prinz (Grace), Christopher Evan Welch (Purdy) and Laurie Metcalf (Carla) bring to life this twisted, traumatic tale of mishandled and misplaced love. All set against the oppressive backdrop of 1970’s Vietnam disillusionment and domesticity.