Drama – The Orbital

31Oct

By Isobel ClarkeNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

Junk Junk Junk: A Review

Junk Junk Junk, the latest Student Workshop production, featured a quirky ensemble of cardboard box millennials in a gloriously abstract performance. The cast were extremely entertaining to watch, with their personalities shining through with each turn in the performance, particularly with their wildly personal conversations and stories. The production set out with a mission statement, ‘In a time of ecological crisis, what role can theatre practices play in sustainability?’ The production process certainly achieved this, as the company scavenged for any materials they could get to create this piece of theatre. The use of the cardboard box as their focal point, combined with the performers bodies created a visually aesthetic performance that adhered to their goal of sustainable pr...

7Feb

By Noelle SpillmannNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

Horses, Brains and Apples at Midnight

Having had mixed experiences with Midnight At The Boilerhouse in the past, I found myself feeling a cocktail of excitement and dread attending this term’s Student Workshop’s Original Theatre Night. Should you have never attended a MATB – as it is so lovingly called - it is in essence a night of original, student written theatre performed in the Boilerhouse theatre by students for students. Pieces range between five to ten minutes and cover a variety of genres - from conventional comedy to thought provoking physical theatre pieces. That being said, from my own experience there tends to be a slight focus on theatre of a certain nature every MATB. The last one I attended (which was not last term’s I must confess) heavily leaned towards physical theatre whilst this MATB seemed more inclined to...

13Dec

By Insiyah AdamjeeNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

When The Clock Strikes 00:00

Engaging, thought-provoking and transparent are some of the adjectives that come to mind thinking back on the brilliant performance at The Packhorse, ‘00:00’, a play put on from the 7th to the 9th of December by ‘from (a)basement theatre collective’. The plot involves an exploration into the lives of employees of the Network Rail and is a conversation starter for tough and heavy topics such as mental health, suicide and social conventions. The small cast of four manage to tackle these serious and controversial topics in an empathetic yet frank way, unapologetically showing the audience the truth of the lives and struggles of those who run the behind-the-scenes of England’s Rail system. The cast are not given names, but instead letters of the alphabet, which further reiterates how unreco...

25Nov

By Samantha DavisNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

You’d Be Wilde To Miss It

With a pre-existing collection of beautiful and comedic Wildian plays to choose from, I can’t deny I was surprised to hear that these options had been axed for the adaptation of the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. However, upon leaving the performance I can without a doubt understand the decisions that compelled this magnificent choice. The Picture of Dorian Gray stands alone as Oscar Wilde’s only novel and tells the tale of the conflicting relationship between morality and pleasure which aids to the corruption of the the once beautiful soul of Dorian Gray. It is clear that the production team had this complicated motif in mind and executed it fantastically. Upon entering the hall, Basil Hallwood (Sean Simmons-Barry) is rotating between admiring his artwork and dabbing at the canvas w...

Mind the Gap: Good Enough to Make Even a Londoner Smile

19Nov

By George WhiteNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

Mind the Gap: Good Enough to Make Even a Londoner Smile

It's easy for an abstract drama production, while aiming for a profound, almost philosophical execution, to slip unwittingly into turgid verses of stilted disarray. Entering the Student Workshop’s latest production, Mind the Gap, whose social commentary, I had heard, bubbled at the surface of the show, I was convinced it would follow the same conceited creed. While watching the opening scene, I chuckled sombrely to myself, having found another esoteric piece to lambaste relentlessly. However, come the dropping of the figurative curtains, I had come to the resolute conclusion that my initial interpretation was entirely and profoundly incorrect. Anton Ego had his taste of ratatouille. The cast radiate a comforting exuberance throughout the show, allowing it to narrowly avoid the classic t...

21Oct

By Lina PlamenovaNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

A Truly Amazing Night At The Theatre

Ever imagined, even in your wildest dreams, seeing Morticia Addams, Dorian Gray, and Romeo and Juliet all in the same place, at the same time? No? What if they were accompanied by wild dancing performances, amazing musical numbers and sketches that make you laugh so much that your stomach hurts? Then apparently, you have never been to A Night at the Theatre (ANATT). If you have never even heard of ANATT (where have you been all this time?!), it is an event that features performances by more or less all the creative societies at Royal Holloway, varying from dance, drama, musical theatre, fashion, pole dancing and the works of some independent artists. It is an excellent way to spend an evening, leaving all your worries behind, while watching your fellow students express their creativity...

22Feb

By George WhiteNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

Three Fish in a Tree: Review

“If you forever judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its life thinking that it's stupid”- Albert Einstein. This quotation is the foundation on which the Student Workshop’s recent production, Three Fish in a Tree, is based. I’m not normally one to endorse the use of Instagram-bio pseudo-philosophical quotes, however I would argue that in the context of this production the quotation is actually quite profound. Three Fish in a Tree is a celebration of originality: following the story of three characters whose lives have been affected by Dyslexia, Autism and ADD. The charming nuisances were at first completely lost upon an uncultured swine such as myself, as the abstract script is ambiguous towards the concept of time and space, which was somewhat confusing. However, onc...

15Feb

By George WhiteNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

Review: Three Fish in a Tree

“If you forever judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its life thinking that it's stupid”- Albert Einstein. This quotation is the foundation on which the Student Workshop’s recent production, Three Fish in a Tree, is based. I’m not normally one to endorse the use of Instagram-bio pseudo-philosophical quotes. However, I would argue that in the context of this production the quotation is actually quite profound. Three Fish in a Tree is a celebration of originality; following the story of three characters whose lives have been affected by Dyslexia, Autism and ADD. The charming nuisances were at first completely lost upon an uncultured swine such as myself, as the abstract script is ambiguous towards the concept of time and space, which was somewhat confusing. However, on...

“boys wear their hats backwards so they can kiss other boys” – Review

14Nov

By Rachel McDermottNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

“boys wear their hats backwards so they can kiss other boys” – Review

I did not know what to expect going into “boys wear their hats backwards so they can kiss other boys”. A theatre piece based around the collective ideas and experiences of the LGBTQ+ community; it was so perfectly shown in the selected music and pieces of writing on the strengths and pitfalls of emotional relationships. It was a wonderful and emotional piece and all the more impressive for how quickly it was put together. The slightly scattered quality of the performance only added to the overall feeling, embodying the idea of how no form of love is quite a straight road. The setting, though sparse, took a backseat in comparison to the clear amount of effort from the actors, chosen music, and writing. Intersecting with dance was an interesting way to show different emotions. In particu...

31Oct

By Josip MartincicNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

The Nether – Review

Bethany Wilkinson set herself a very difficult challenge – to direct a complicated, dark play in a very limited rehearsal period and present it in the, frankly, bare setting of the rehearsal room in the Drama department. She succeeded in completing this challenge and this can be vouched by the audience members who were lucky enough to witness this show (only 30 tickets per show for 2 performances were available). The Nether by Jennifer Haley is a look at a dystopian not-too-distant future where the internet grew into what is referred to as The Nether, a virtual reality system where users can live a consequence free existence and they can choose to transition into Shadows, living out a fantasy while their actual bodies wither away. The lead character, Detective Morris, is after a specifi...