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One hundred people’s ninth favourite thing: [title of show] @swkplay

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[title of show] takes you back to a time before the fast paced social media where word of mouth for a positive show came from chat boards, video diaries or (god forbid) blogs. A simple staging makes it an ideal (and economical piece to stage), but it’s sweet and earnest take on just putting on a show, and putting it out there and taking a chance gives this show its heart. With a strong and energetic cast and endless musical theatre references, it’s hard to resist and it’s currently playing at the Southwark Playhouse .  It opens with Hunter (Jacob Fowler) and Jeff (Thomas Oxley) as struggling young writers in New York City. An upcoming New York Musical Theatre festival, inspires them to write an original musical within three weeks to make the deadline. As they discuss ideas, writers block, distractions and endless other good and bad musicals, an idea for a show emerges. Which is about writing a show for a musical theatre festival.  Their friends Heidi (Abbie Budden) and Susan (Mary Moor

Game play: Lamplighters @ORLTheatre

The world of spies as depicted in John Le Carre novels seems to be an unlikely source of amusement. All that drinking, bureaucracy and lying. But in Lamplighters it’s really a backdrop for some inspired improvisation and audience participation. 

Led by Neil Connolly as the spymaster, he’s living out a childhood dream to play spies... With a bunch of random audience members. 

It’s an immersive theatre experience. Which means that when you enter The Old Red Lion Theatre you can expect to be part of the entertainment.  But only if you want to. 

After he’s finished chatting you up at the start (and sizing you up), there’s a slightly unconvincing mystery to solve, villains to find and stop. And a secret briefcase. And he needs the help of the audience to make it happen. And get laughs.

This concept works well in making the ordinary seem hilarious. Assuming there’s always the right balance of weird and adventurous audience members to make the show hilarious every night. 

On my night the audience member enlisted as the “lamplighter” was the best. The role entailed leaving messages in chalk to signal all was okay. He kept drawing surreal chalk messages on the wall and didn’t see why they were funny. Most of us were expecting him to draw a penis or some other naughty part of the body. 

The show was first seen at London’s VAULT Festival in 2018, where it won the festival’s People’s Choice Award.

Directed by Dean Rodgers, Lamplighters is at the Old Red Lion Theatre until August 18. And they’re keeping the air conditioning on during the performance so the only one who has to sweat is Connolly. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Photos by Birdman Foxglove Photography 

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