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No country for old women: Old Ladies - at Finborough Theatre

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The day after seeing The Old Ladies at the Finborough Theatre , I was describing the play to someone in great detail: about three old ladies who lived in a rickety house in southern England in 1935. Based on Hugh Walpole’s novel and adapted by Rodney Ackland, it is the sort of story with enough believability, humour and mild thriller to stick in your mind. Perhaps it is the lure of this dark, forboding tale of a life without money, to be alone and to be old, that makes you feel attracted to this poverty porn. But then again, given the state of the world, the cost of living, an ageing population, or just the fact that it’s a dog-eat-dog world, it might as well be an every little old lady-for-herself, too. It’s a well-acted and staged piece that moves at a brisk pace, so there isn’t much time to think about it too much. And in the intimate (or should that be claustrophobic?) space of the Finborough, there’s nowhere to avert your eyes. Even if you wanted to.  The scene is a grim Cathe...

Essential music: Life of the Party @MenChocFactory

For the next couple of weeks, The Life of the Party - A Celebration of the Songs of Andrew Lippa, is playing at the Menier Chocolate Factory. For anyone with the slightest interest in new musical theatre this is a show not to miss.

While Andrew Lippa's shows have not had big West End or Fringe productions (yet), the evening is an opportunity to savour the best of all of them.  

He is joined by Caroline O'Connor, Damian Humbley and Summer Strallen, and it is an opportunity to hear and appreciate his songs, in a more intimate setting and savour the music and intricate lyrics.


The evening ranges from quiet reflection to rolling in the aisles hilarity. But each of the songs are delivered with passion and inventiveness. Over the course of the evening you also get the chance to see Summer Strallen in a dominatrix outfit and Caroline O'Connor playing a jaded lesbian in the show stopping "Old Fashioned Love Story" from The Wild Party.

Lippa's shows include John & Jen, The Wild Party, The Addams Family and Big Fish. There is also an excerpt from his new oratorio I Am Harvey Milk, which was premiered by the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus.

It also seemed quaint for the Spotify / digital download era we live in, but for anyone that still has such a wonderful contraption for playing music, he signs his CDs after the show as well...

A clip from YouTube where he performs his opening song "Mashall Levin" (albeit in less snazzy attire than at the Menier). The show runs until 14 June.

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