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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

Donkeys have fun too: My Son Pinocchio Jr @SWKPlay

The British Theatre Academy, which provides theatre training and performance opportunities for young people is back at the Southwark Playhouse for the summer for a series of shows, including My Son Pinocchio Jr. It’s a condensed version of the 2006 musical, My Son Pinocchio: Geppetto’s Musical Tale. This was based on a television movie musical Geppetto.

The show is a retelling of the Pinocchio but from Geppetto’s perspective. It opens with the ever cheery Blue Fairy telling everyone that she is going to celebrate the story of one of her wishes that came out perfectly lovely. Only for Geppetto to appear and say he wants her to take him back. 

It turns out that Pinocchio wasn’t all that lovely after all. And not what he expected. Mainly because he did boy things like ask the wrong questions, gets in a fight at school and then runs away to a puppet show. Which is fair enough, but then again Geppetto was forcing Pinocchio to be a toy-maker rather than a train driver. The story in its shorter format focuses on the expectations of parents and how adults in general can be intimidating for them (and a bit creepy when wearing masks). As a kid you just want to have fun, even if it does mean you turn into a donkey.

 This particular version is intended to be performed by children. Composer Stephen Schwartz doesn’t make it any easier for young people since many of the songs require sustaining high notes. But the cast of young and very young people attack the material with endless enthusiasm and look like they’re having a great time, particularly when they have to play animals. And at around an hour-long, it’s an enjoyable summertime diversion for little (or not so little) people with short attention spans. 

Directed by Séimí Campbell, My Son Pinocchio Jr is at Southwark Playhouse until 14 August. Once On This Island is next. Along with Dogfight (more on that later in the month). 

⭐️⭐️⭐️


Photos by Eliza Wilmot

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