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My week in theatre
A busy week has seen me gad about all over the place, with trips to London, Brighton and Shoreham to catch up with friends and clients.
As mentioned last week, I went to Jermyn Street Theatre to see Being Mr Wickham, Adrian Lukis’ one-man show that looks at Wickham’s life post-Pride & Prejudice. Although it’s had a bit of a mixed reception reviews-wise, I enjoyed it – it’s a pleasantly undemanding hour of theatre. It was also nice to be reminded of how much I love The Jermyn Street Theatre, a tiny gem in the heart of London (right next to the giant Waterstones at Piccadilly). The theatre is small, the toilets are at the back of the stage (!) and it only opens 20 minutes before the show so there’s no point arriving too early, but it’s also only 6 quid for a glass of wine (SIX QUID! IN LONDON!) and boasts a ramshackle charm that is very, very winning.
Speaking of being reunited with old friends, I was also excited to go to one of my favourite cocktail bars – The Plotting Parlour in Brighton. An eclectic and extensive range of cocktails, a laid back but slightly fancy vibe and great service make this a gem. My favourite drink? The ginger and chilli margarita…
[Image description: a chilli and ginger margarita]
Jam-packed July at Live
Live Theatre has a busy July, with touring and homegrown shows, as well as some Ed Fringe previews.
I’ve heard good things about Wreckage, Tom Radcliffe’s moving gay love story which is on this weekend. On a very different theme is Kemi-Bo Jacobs’ All White Everything But Me, which I mentioned already but is worth another shout out. The story of Wimbledon winner Althea Gibson, it is a strongly written and performed solo show by an award-winning artist.
Vincent Gambini’s This is not a magic show looks at the sleight of hand behind magic, and people I know who’ve seen me tell me it very good, while Boff Whalley’s We’re Not Going Back looks at three sisters whose lives are affected by the miners’ strike.
Fringe preview wise, the theatre is hosting Mark Hannah’s Athens of the North, which looks at a changing Edinburgh, while Buried Alive (and loving it) is comedian Tom Lawrinson’s show about “about family and growing up in a Spanish subterranean cave”. Still on the comedy side, Larry Dean is doing both a Live Encounter and a work in progress show.
Should queer cabaret be more your speed, you can also check out House of Love’s All You Need is Love.
Most of these shows are short-run / one night – so get booking! You can see the full calendar here.
Other shows to book now
One of the advantages of having two big touring theatres in the region is the chance to double dip a show. If you can’t wait till next year to see hit musical & Juliet at the Theatre Royal Newcastle, you can catch it at the Sunderland Empire this autumn. I’ve heard good things about this show, so I’ll definitely try to catch it.
The lovely Rosie Bowden – the sunshine force of nature behind the ‘Lasses’ nights at Alphabetti – is bringing her first solo show to Gosforth Civic Centre in July. A mushy, soppy show where we all get to be friends promises to use pre-obtained questions from the audience to create something that encourages us to share our similarities and differences and find connection in a hostile world.
An often-overlooked Newcastle gem, the Lit & Phil’s new season offers a packed schedule of lectures, talks and concerts. While many of the evening events are paid-for, a lot of the lunchtime classical and jazz concerts are free, and I can attest it’s a rather lovely way to spend an hour. Booking is advised for all events, even the free ones, so do check out their calendar here (note, members priority applies for some events until mid-July.) Even if you don’t go to any of their events, it’s worth checking out – and supporting, if you possibly can – the lovely library, which is a rare haven in the city. (Buy a card or a tote bag!)
What I have been reading
My train read for the trip was Library of The Dead by T L Huchu, the first of the Edinburgh Nights series. Set in an alternative Edinburgh where magic is commonplace and the city is riven in the aftermath of some undisclosed catastrophe, this boasted excellent world-building and vivid characters, although the plot took a little too long to kick in for my tastes. But if you like fantasy books that feel grounded in the everyday (and especially if you are at all familiar with Edinburgh), this could be the series for you.
Thanks again for reading – please do share with your friends! Every new subscriber really does give me a boost. And remember if you want to support my writing but a paid subscription isn’t for you (times are hard, I get it!), you can buy me a one-off Ko-fi or buy one of my books.
Signing off with this photo that I took at the foot of my old street in Brighton and which nearly scared the beejesus out of me. Any explanation, do offer it…
[Image description: two red phone boxes, one labelled Rosie and the other McGinn, each featuring life-like mannequins dressed in hazmat suits]
Remember: everything included is my personal preference / opinion, and while I strive to be accurate, I always advising checking with the relevant venue.