Theatre as Therapy!
What to see in London & NYC right now.
As I took my seat amongst the (largely) pensionados in the stalls of the Royal Court Theatre for a 2.30pm showing of Krapp’s Last Tape last week (indulgent; but somehow get to call this work?), I let my mind wander. The thought I landed on was this: isn’t it truly remarkable and completely mad that at any time of the day in any given place, there are people creating, performing and making art? Art that after just 90 fleeting minutes (in this case) can leave your mind completely altered. That’s not to say this was the best play I’ve ever seen, by no means. But it gave me food for thought. And that’s all we can really hope for from a piece of art. The sweet serenity of escaping our earthly realities upon descending into a theatre… it’s something I readily dish out as a form of therapy (hopefully my sister who is a therapist agrees). My reverie was abruptly ended as the lights dimmed and a fellow audience member had an exceptionally loud sneeze, forcing everyone (including the actor on stage) to giggle. Reminding us all of the human contract that is theatre. Anyway, I’m off to Shakespeare’s Globe tonight, let’s see how my contemplation fairs against her rock-hard wooden benches.
— Editor’s Note
On right now!
London
[THEATRE] An Ideal Husband at The Lyric Hammersmith. We are (Oscar) Wilde stans here at Melodrama. And gosh, here is a marvelously campy update on his delightful farce. The play presents the ludicrousness of the aristocracy with the perfect amount of pomp to deliver zingers like: “‘I love London Society! It is entirely composed now of beautiful idiots and brilliant lunatics.” On through June 6. Book Now.
[THEATRE] 1536 at The Ambassadors Theatre. Thanks to Margot Robbie throwing her starry weight behind the young playwright Ava Pickett’s play, opening night last week was a glittery affair. And a successful one too. It’s set against the impending execution of Anne Boleyn and its subject matter seems to have far-reaching appeal (my parents loved it and so did the young student we discussed it with on the Bakerloo line). A bold and ballsy play, which asks the question: just how much have things really changed for women today? On through August 1. Book Now.
[MUSIC] Classical Pride: London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican. The way I found out about this concert was through some top-tier advertising. Shout out to the person who came up with the tagline ‘Firm Beat’ for an image of conductor Oliver Zeffman wielding his baton. That image aside, there is much to enjoy in this program of 20th-century music by LGBTQ+ composers; divine tenor Freddie Ballentine sings Samuel Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 and the evening will be concluded with Boléro by Maurice Ravel - perhaps one of the most tranfixing melodies ever written which is repeated against the beat of a snare drum for 15 minutes until finally reaching an orgiastic climax. June 14. Book Now.
[MUSIC] Classical Monday’s Upstairs At Ronnie’s. We spent last Monday tucked into a velvety booth at the new(ish), and very welcomed, addition to Soho’s cultural offerings: Upstair's At Ronnies (above the institution that is Ronnie Scott’s). Because of the sacred ground it literally stands on (if walls could talk), this clandestine cabaret-turns-classical is potentially the perfect date night. Experience classical performances in relaxed and glamorous fashion with a martini in hand. Every Monday. Book Now.
[OPERA] L’Orfeo at Glyndebourne Festival. Ok, so, this clearly isn’t for everyone, but bear with us. For anyone unfamiliar; Glyndebourne is a grand estate stood in the rolling hills of the South Downs. Its divine pastoral setting serves as the backdrop for a glorious summer festival of opera. You do have to wear black-tie, but you are supposed to picnic in it. Not sure if anything more British exists than those two things co-existing? L’Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi (1607) is called the first great opera and this production is directed by the completely extraordinary South African artist William Kentridge. His operas are completely unique, known for their incredible visual language of live and filmed elements. His own hand-drawn charcoal animations (see below video) are projected into the theatre. Read our interview with his long-time collaborator, set designer Sabine Theunissen. June 14-25. Book Now.
[DANCE] This isn’t a recommendation per se, but more of a PSA that booking for the Sadler’s Wells Autumn season opens next week on May 26, and should you want to catch the best bits, you’ll have to be quick. On our line up: DEEPFAKE—a new piece by the hot & terribly cool choreographer duo Jess & Morgs, The Last Hamlet—a new piece which is an imagining of the question: ‘What if this was the last performance of Hamlet ever’ by the epic company Lost Dog & Cuban Baroque—a new piece by Acosta Danza which intersects Baroque with the energy of Cuban dance. Surely an exhilarating combination?
NYC
[MUSIC/CONCERT] Animal Wisdom at Signature Theatre. If you don't know Heather Christian, then get to know. She's the tour de force composer/librettist/performer who created this magical musical séance. Prepare for a journey into the haunted spaces of memory and loss. Directed by Keenan Tyler Oliphant (read our interview with him here), this will be a heavenly evening of mystical music and storytelling fusing blues, gospel and folk. To harken back to our intro, this will be a cathartic experience. On through June 14. Book now.
[OPERA] El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego at The Met Opera. A new opera about Mexico’s painterly power couple Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera you say? Well, say less. A magical-realist portrait of Frida, sung by sensation Isabel Leonard, who leaves the underworld on the Day of the Dead to reunite with Diego (baritone Carlos Álvarez). For Under 40’s: the tickets for the show on June 5 are discounted, meaning you can see this for $50! For those seeking full immersion; visit the Frida and Diego exhibition at MoMA. Opera is on through June 5. Book now.
[THEATRE] KENREX at Lucille Lortel. This true-crime thriller cleaned up at the Olivier Awards in London last month; largely lauded for its lead Jack Holden who masterfully plays all 35 roles in this western bonanza. The show picks apart the details of a notorious small-town murder in 1980s America with total swagger and style. It’s fantastic. On through June 27. Book now.
[THEATRE] Every Brilliant Thing at The Hudson Theatre. Playwright Duncan Macmillan's one-man play about depression features just one star. A pretty starry star at that... Enter stage left Daniel Radcliffe who is so perfectly, charmingly brilliant in this. A heartwarming story of a boy’s life as he transitions from a hopeful young boy to faltering and thoughtful man. Music plays a central role and the show often invites the audience in to interact. On through June 28. Book Now.
[SCREENING] All My Sons at NYU Skirball. Arthur Miller’s play, as directed by the unanointed ‘King of Miller’ Ivo Van Hove, swept through London this winter leaving its audiences completely spellbound. It’s is being live-streamed for New Yorkers on May 31. Book Now.
[THEATRE] Fallen Angels at The Todd Haimes Theatre. First performed exactly 100 years ago, Noël Coward’s outrageous comedy (which caused total chaos at the time: drawing a rebuke from the theater censor office of the Lord Chamberlain) remains one of his funniest creations. A night out with the words of Coward's sparkling wit will never be a wasted evening. Brought to life by Hollywood royalty Rose Byrne (fresh off her Oscars race) and Kelli O’Hara. At 90 minutes and no intermission, this makes for a corking night-out to be accompanied by dinner and/or drinks. On through June 7. Book Now.
Further reading for those who can’t! get! enough!
Sam Moore weighs in on the many Arthur Miller revivals currently dominating the London and New York theatre scene.
Cats, The Jellicle Ball is currently on in NYC. It’s a radical reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical as an event on the queer, largely Black and Latinx ballroom circuit (if you haven’t seen it, what are you waiting for?). Read our interview with its heavenly costume designer Qween Jean.
Our Interview with the Burton-meets-Bauhaus designer Teresa Vergho.