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Brief awakenings: White Rose The Musical @MaryleboneTHLDN

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A fascinating and daring act of defiance in Nazi Germany by a group of university students in Munich is given a slightly perplexing rock musical treatment in White Rose, the musical. Something seems amiss in this earnest and occasionally tuneful show. It lags more than it inspires, which is surprising given the tragic and compelling history of the real-life characters the show depicts. Given that young people are increasingly likely to vote for far-right parties across Europe, it’s an opportunity to look at a time when they had a different perspective on the future. Perhaps something has been lost in the translation or the larger space of the Marylebone Theatre where it plays.  The White Rose were a group of university students in Munich who sought to undermine the Third Reich through publication of a series of pamphlets urging passive resistance to the Nazi regime. Over a brief period between June 1942 and February 1943, they distributed their pamphlets across campus using ...

Waiting for Sandy: Milked @WhiteBearTheatre

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Two lads looking for meaning and lots of time on their hands are at the heart of Milked. Simon Longman's play first premiered in 2013. While it may not capture the latest malaises and anxieties affecting post-pandemic youth, it has enough of a familiar ring to it for anyone who has eavesdropped on the thoughts and musings of young people when out and about. And with some lively performances by the two young men, you feel drawn into their bizarre little world as the conversation runs from the routine to the ridiculous. It's currently having a short run at the White Bear Theatre in Kennington. 

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The premise is that Paul (Iwan Bond) is searching for a job that becomes increasingly desperate. He wants to find a job in media (whatever that is) but has neither the skills nor the experience to do it. And being based in Herefordshire rather than London makes it a stretch to be considered for anything. His mate, Snowy (Evan L. Barker), seems to be on a journey of self-discovery. His father has a sheep farm but doesn't seem bothered by doing much. Amidst all this idleness and fruitless job searching, Snowy stumbles upon a distressed cow trapped in a local field and enlists Paul's help to lend a hand. At first, to improve things for the cow, but then find the most implausible ways to end the cow's suffering. 

From suffocating the cow in a large plastic bag to chopping down a tree to crush it, it's probably a good idea that there is no real cow featured here. We are left to our imagination about the animal's state. It's like Waiting for Godot if Godot was bloating. But between all the ideas of knocking off Sandy (as they refer to her), a compelling story emerges about why these young men are lost and adrift. The two leads' performances make you feel sympathetic to their cause, even if it doesn't seem plausible (or humane) not to call for help. 

There is also something nice about a production that manages to throw everything on stage - clover, chopped trees, a mountain of job applications and a sofa that looks like the production team might have found on a street nearby. 

Directed by David Bond, Milked is at the White Bear Theatre until 25 January. It's billed as a play with a big cow, two guys and some music. If you ask me, it seems like a good way to start the year. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Photos by Craig Sugden


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