Hello, and welcome to this week’s Substack. I realise the fact that I am moving this about from day to day and often sending it out on a Monday is probably not the way to build a readership, but hey! Think of it as proof in action of the eternal freelancer dilemma: gotta fit stuff in when you can, around the other work that you have.
Which leads nicely to my opening plea: if you want to support this lovely little Substack, please consider becoming a paid subscriber (no extras, as yet, just lots of kudos and a warm feeling in your heart), buying me a one-off Kofi or buying one of my books. The latter comes with the bonus that they are really good reads!
This week in theatre
I had a full-on week last week, with two press nights (I missed the third, as I was in Edinburgh). But the fact that there were three press nights in one week has to say something about the wealth of culture we are blessed with here, right? Most of the shows below run till the end of September(ish) so give you plenty of chances to catch them!
First up was Subterranea at Laurels. Peachplant’s post-apocalyptic drama swings big for a fringe show, boasting great design and ambitious storytelling, though centred on a very personal story (I had more than one person tell me it made them cry!). The theatre has a range of ticket offers, too, though TBH full price tickets at Laurels are very reasonable, so you should definitely check it out.
Next was The Nurse’s Station at Alphabetti, a low-key but lovely musical based on real life experiences of being a nurse. Featuring great performances by Luke Maddison – an actor I have really warmed to, having seen him in a few things now – and an equally good Rosie Stancliffe, this has gorgeous songs by Ruth Lyon and is also very worth your time.
The press night I couldn’t make was Love It if We Beat Them, which returned to Live Theatre after a successful run last year. I saw this first time round and liked it a lot, and it will be interesting to see how this story of football and New Labour hits post-election.
Keeping my press night groove going, this week is Abigail’s Party at Northern Stage, and I look forward to seeing what they do with this Mike Leigh classic.
And because I do actually pay to go see shows, honest, and don’t just swan about in sequins at press nights, this week’s ‘I paid cash money for this’ purchases were tickets to see Doomgate at Laurels, ‘an anthology of darkly comic plays’, and Gerry & Sewell at the Theatre Royal. I figure having seen two iterations of this latter play, including its original outing, I need to see how it has been developed for a much bigger stage. (Tickets are selling fast for this, especially for the weekend, so I’d advise you to get booking!)
[Image description: Style and Substance by Bay Garnett]
You know, for kids*
I admit the majority of kids’ theatre passes me by, because, childless-cat-lady that I am (in spirit, at least – I don’t even want the responsibility of owning a cat in real life), I am obviously not the target demographic.
But I’d be remiss not to point out that the North East has some great shows for the littlies (and not-so littlies) coming up over half-term (I’m guessing, I have no idea when that is) and the festive season.
Raven got great feedback when it premiered at Alphabetti, so it’s nice to see it getting a longer life with a trip to Northern Stage in October. Storytelling featuring live music and puppets, this show is aimed at 5–11-year-olds and tells the tale of one girl’s journey to her ‘wild-hearted self’.
Now there are two versions of Ballet Lorent’s Snow White coming to Northern Stage, one family friendly and one… not so much, so make sure you book the right one!
While I will be talking more about Christmas shows nearer the time, the theatre also has its usual festive fare (this year it’s A Christmas Carol, which currently has some good offers for taking the kids), while Kitchen Zoo’s Wolf is aimed at a very young audience.
Over at Live, the festive show for kids is Blitzen on The Tyne, which has been created in collaboration with North East primary school kids.
Alphabetti’s Picture Palace Live definitely sounds like one of those ‘you have to go along to fully appreciate it’ events, but the website says it offers children the chance to see their pictures brought to life on stage, which sounds like it could be enormous fun. It’s just one of the theatre’s family friendly events, which also include a regular Family Disco. It’s also worth checking out their Film Club screenings, as they have some family friendly ones lined up, including Wallace & Gromit. Check out their schedule here.
The Customs House in South Shields offers some great family fare, including The Tiger Who Came to Tea, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, Six: Teen Edition and the splendidly named Dennis and the Franken-Tyne Monster.
I mentioned The People’s Theatre last week, but their family friendly shows include Collected Grimm Tales and Alice in Wonderland.
Over at ARC Stockton, they have a wealth of family shows, including The Witch and The Egg, which features storytelling through shadow puppets, Halloween fun with Club Groovy: Not So Spooky Monster Mash, a fun retelling of a classic with Little Red Riding Could and more from Kitchen Zoo, The Three Bears.
Laurels meanwhile has Whitley The Witch, billed as a fun Halloween treat for kids, with the bonus you can take them to the beach afterwards! (You should always make time to go down to the sea if you go to Laurels).
Important note: While I always make a point of saying you need to check things out rather than relying on me - frankly, even I wouldn’t rely just on me - this is especially important here as I have no concept of what age-appropriate entertainment for kids is. Also, I grew up when we were all watching video nasties in secret in our bedrooms at 13, so what do I know?
*I am reliably informed the kids won’t get this reference.
What I have been watching
It’s always slightly weird to start watching a show after you know it’s already been cancelled, so I went into My Lady Jane on Prime with my expectations managed. While I don’t love it quite as much as its most ardent fans – who even now are campaigning for its renewal, a campaign I would like to see succeed – it definitely has enough charm that it deserved a longer run. A fun historical romp set in an AU where the Tudors live in a world that includes a race of people who can turn into animals, this boasts a diverse cast, a host of familiar character actors having the time of their lives, and some very solid chemistry between its leads.
[Image description: The Garden Against Time by Olivia Laing]
What I have been reading
I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Olivia Laing as a writer. In part because The Lonely City is one of my favourite ever books, and so I have constantly been chasing that same high, which none of her subsequent (or indeed earlier) tomes have reached, at least for me. Still, I find her an interesting enough writer of non-fiction that I tend to buy her books when I see them (I admit, I’m not a fan at all of her fiction). So I am curious as to how I will find her latest, The Garden Against Time, her tale of restoring a garden in the house she moved to in the middle of the pandemic. So far it’s engaging, but I do spend a lot of time being baffled about plants.
The challenge for me, of course, is I know even less about gardens than I do about children’s taste in theatre, so I am slightly worried the majority of it will go over my head…
Another book I am very much enjoying dipping in and out of is Style & Substance: Why What We Wear Matters. Edited by Bay Garnett, it mixes a series of interviews with snippets from books and articles, discussing clothes, style and how these tie in with themes like culture, heritage and even social change (a piece by ‘Blaxploitation’ superstar Pam Grier talking about the first time that, as a Black woman, she was allowed to try on clothes in a shop instead of being barred from the changing rooms is as powerful as it is shocking). There are also some very funny bits: Sebastian Horsley’s assertion that the same outfit that would get you hit with a fish supper in Edinburgh wouldn’t raise an eyebrow in London did make me laugh out loud…
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.
Remember: everything included is my personal preference / opinion, and while I strive to be accurate, I always advising checking with the relevant venue.