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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

Grand designs: The Garden of Words @ParkTheatre


The Garden of Words explores what it is like when you're alone but surrounded by thousands of people. Projections, music and an engaging cast tell a unique story about an unlikely bond between a young boy and an older woman. The bond leads to a thoughtful and emotional journey about discovering yourself and being okay with that. After all, as the play reminds us throughout, people are indeed weird. Although being surrounded by peculiar people is probably good, it might make you feel a bit more normal. But that's not quite how the story pans out here. It's currently playing at the Park Theatre. 


The piece introduces us to Takao (Hiroki Berrecloth) and Yukari (Aki Nakagawa). They first meet one day, escaping from the rain in a Japanese Garden. He's skipping school, seeking solace among the birds and the trees, and she is missing work. It's a chance encounter that, over the seasons, becomes a friendship bonding over poetry, shoemaking and exciting choices in cooking and why eating beer and chocolate isn't such a great idea. And the events in their lives over the season bring them closer together.

While unfamiliar with the source material, this piece captures the time and place beautifully. It's at its strongest, exploring the relationship between the young student and the mysterious older lady. Berrecloth, as the young man, is mesmerising as we follow his journey. There's a nice touch where his drawings are on an old-style overhead projector, long disused as a teaching aid in schools here but seemingly pertinent as he learns from his older tutor.

Nakagawa, as Yukari, the lost woman with the red umbrella, is equally compelling as she moves from mystery to form a tentative relationship with the young Takao. 

Heightening the drama is the gorgeous use of projections to evoke the changing of seasons and the city of Tokyo. And a music score by Mark Choi helps maintain the atmosphere and focus. 

The Garden of Words is at Park Theatre until 9 September, directed by Alexandra Rutter. Worth a look, even if you're not too weird. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️



Photos: Piers Foley Photography


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