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Two shows written by the same writer are minutes away from each other. There’s the one that is super gripping, superbly written and witty called Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (review here) and then there’s the other one that will have people flinching within the first few minutes and rolling their eyes after the first hour.

As many theatre lovers will know, the theatre is that special place where there are no rules. There are no expectations, guidelines or laws to govern how the storytelling should go. The stage is a blank space where great ideas are discussed, audiences learn something new and grapple with concepts and subjects they wouldn’t come across in their day-to-day; perhaps it would be too inappropriate for the workplace or even the family table. Edward Albee’s Goat is a fabulous example of that – the limitless possibilities of theatre, which may involve provoking and shocking audiences.

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At the Savoy Theatre, director-choreographer Michael Bennett sees his 1981 Tony award-winning hit get a UK premiere. Anyone who loves musicals and strong vocals shouldn’t hesitate to see Dreamgirls. It is without question that lovers of Motown and soul music will also be more than satisfied with what Dreamgirls has to offer.

Loosely based on The Supremes, Dreamgirls is a reminder of the struggles of the music industry during 1960’s America – a time when blues and jazz music were once described as ‘race music’, and only then had the uprising of the African-American Civil Rights movement just begun.

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‘Better late than never’, as some may say or in my case, better to find out for yourself than depend on two-star reviews. The time came to see Ivo van Hove‘s production of Obsession with its lead protagonist performed by film and stage actor Jude Law, and one would think that given Hove’s international reputation and Law’s virtuoso acting the show would be a big hit, yet instead this is perhaps one production that meets a degree of anti-climax.

At the main stage of the Barbican Centre, theatrical technicalities and marvellous acting are worth the bite, yet the writing is basic, dry and stale. Yet, what creative device or person(s) do we blame for the production’s flaws?

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Last time I hit the Bush Theatre was back in 2015. (I know, bad!) I recall the reception area being cosy, yet in some need of an update, pronto. Nevertheless, the theatrical space was a decent one. It was a good enough space for new writing and stage worthy performances, even if they were brand new and off the fringe. I had seen tweets about #GuardsattheTaj on my twitter feed and many positive reviews had been released, though I never read them in depth. When I spoke to my colleagues at work about Bush Theatre, some of them already knew that it been newly developed.

To my surprise, it had been completely revamped. A new signpost, a brand new cafe, a welcoming reception with seats outside for those sunny days. In fact, it was a place for people to chill even if they weren’t there for the theatre.

As far as theatre engagement goes, the cafe, named ‘The Library Bar‘, was quite an adventure for those seeking caffeine fuel and possibly, or unintentionally, coming across the theatre posters and seeing what was currently showing. A Saturday morning latte at The Library may mean a curious visit to the Bush in the evening and seeing the wonders of the newly renovated theatre.

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Totally last minute! I got word from Fran (@Crosseyedpiano) about 7 Star Arts’s concert taking place not too far from me. It was their Sweet Harmony concert which focused on the genius of Shakespeare through music, words and art. The event took place at Chiswick’s quaint St Michael’s Church with a small and intimate audience, yet the performers and artists were far from amateur. This was an special occasion to get up close with accomplished, talented and professional artists who had graced the stages of The National Theatre, performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and released classical music albums.

The evening was a feast for the senses. Shakespeare’s writings, from his diverse plays, and romantic sonnets were confidently and passionately narrated by Susan Porrett. After each reading, it was an immediate escape for the eyes and the ears.

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Shakespeare wrote many plays – 38 to be exact – and only now can I confess that I’ve seen his psychological, semi-comedic drama, The Winter’s Tale. That may sound pretty shocking for a theatre enthusiast, but I am glad I waited for Cheek by Jowl’s production, presented at the Silk Street Theatre of The Barbican, for a brilliant and insightful undertaking.

Declan Donnellan has directed Shakespeare’s imagined world of jealous kings, angry gods and unconditional love at the kingdoms of Sicily and Bohemia and transferred them onto a contemporary platform. Cleverly done, I managed to understand the threads of each plot without having studied the sophisticated dialogues, previously. It is to the masterful cast, too, that brought their characters to life and made every moment engaging and entertaining.

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Brace yourself for a dialogue of quick-wit and verbal interrogation. Imelda Staunton and Conleth Hill go at it full of guts and poise in Edward Albee’s 1962 play, ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? I mean, that’s what I saw when I sat in the front row of the Harold Pinter Theatre.

Hill and Staunton are accompanied by Luke Treadaway and Imogen Poots for a sweeping display of word wars and mockery, set in the living room of a home in New England. Both leads perform as married couple George and Matha in what appears to be a life consumed of fickle domestic fights which get louder as the hour moves on.

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Could this be an insight into the future of where theatre and digital technology come together? The Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) 2016 winter production of The Tempest has completely sold out, yet tickets to see the first glimpse of RSC’s collaboration with Intel and The Imaginarium Studios is still possible, however, as cinema audiences got to see the performance live from their local cinema last night. **

The merging of Shakespeare’s masterful play with the intelligent use of holograms and digital motion-capture technology has brought the wizardry and magical spells of Prospero’s island to life. It is an interesting time for the RSC as they welcome the return of Simon Russell Beale after twenty years absence and continue to take on new challenges, from broadcasting theatre live to several countries, including Russia and USA, and experimenting with digital enhancements.

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Ed Fringe – Dave Malloy – Photography by Ryan Jansen

A 9pm showing of Ghost Quartet, by Ghost Quartet, was how I spent my last night at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Set at the Roundabout, a large tent at the back of Summer Hall, encased musical curiosities and explorations of ghost stories read to fringe audiences in a spectacular blend of music styles. Jazz, slow rock, gospel, ballad or emo, call it what you want, but one thing’s for sure and that’s that the music is a collection of crafty creativity you’ve never heard of before.

Lizi Breit (Ava) and Julia Vaarsdale Miller (Ada)

Ada/Ava by Manual Cinema is a quirky presentation of shadow puppetry and emotional sentimentality, and there’s no hiding from its creators; they reveal the creative process live to the audience as it happens. Manual Cinema takes you on a surreal journey of two elderly twins, close as best friends, ever since childhood, until one of the sisters dies.

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