performance – The Orbital

Through The Lens of a Camera: Comedy Virgins

30Nov

By Lina PavlovaNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

Through The Lens of a Camera: Comedy Virgins

On Thursday November 15, Royal Holloway’s very own Comedy Society had their first show of the year, and what a blast it was! Going to a comedy show is always exciting, and a great night full of fun and laughter is almost always guaranteed. But what happens when you’re not just there as an audience member? I attended as a videographer to film the event, and while you might assume the excitement would be pretty much non-existent due to the mere fact that I was there to do my job and be ‘professional’, this was not the case! Just seeing the enthusiastic faces of the people performing on the stage, even if only from behind my camera, was enough to make me happy for days and days to follow. From the name of the performance itself - ‘The Comedy Virgin Show’ - which immediately stirs up cur...

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...

2Apr

By Josip MartincicNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

An UnScene History

Fresh off their win for Society of the Year at this year’s Socs Ball, Drama Society puts on their termly inclusion event demonstrating creative works in progress. Drama Society markets this event as an opportunity to celebrate new writing by bringing together creatives from all over campus. This UnScene, more than any other, truly illustrated just how varied the mediums in which budding artists of our campus work in are. The theme of history, conceived by the 1st Year Representative and co-organiser Sorel Wilson, was explored in the festival through a variety of genres. The audience was treated to a full visual and aural experience. Although I personally feel that last term’s overall execution showed more of a commitment to the theme of ‘Apocalypse’ through the aesthetic, including...

12Nov

By Michele TheilNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

Life is a Cabaret, Old Chum

Saturday 11 November saw the opening night of Musical Theatre Society’s (MTS) show, Cabaret. It was held in the SU Main Hall and despite a slightly delayed start to the evening, it opened with pomp, circumstance and a bang. The hall was set up with a thrust stage, meaning the cast performed in the centre of the room, with the audience settled in three sections around the stage area. The 26-piece band was placed up on the stage, in full view of the audience, conducted by Musical Director Flynn Sturgeon. Tom Holmes was the ‘Master of Ceremonies’, or Emcee, who provided an entertaining commentary throughout, peppered with nuanced jokes and cheeky double entendres. Because of the way the staging area was set up, there were many opportunities for the cast to interact with the audience throug...

RHUL hits the Fringe: Singing on Skid Row

15Sep

By Michele TheilNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

RHUL hits the Fringe: Singing on Skid Row

Ethereal Theatre Company held auditions at Royal Holloway months ago, choosing the best of the best to go with them to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to perform the cult classic ‘Little Shop Of Horrors’. As the other audience members and I stood in line to enter The Grand Theatre at Surgeons Hall in Edinburgh for their last performance, two of the show’s crew greeted us in hazmat suits and stamped us all with Skid Row barcode ‘tattoos’, a key component of the direction in which the production has gone in. Director Mahmoud Zayat took Howard Ashman’s script and incorporated dystopic themes of “control”, “surveillance” and “innovate science”. This production thus has Skid Row under surveillance, as they are an experiment in determining a person’s level of greed. For those who don’t know,...

23Mar

By Michele TheilNo Comments

Sports & Socs

Raise Up Your Talents

Michele Theil reviews the Raise-And-Give Talent Show, an event raising money for three excellent charities. The Raise-And-Give society’s charity event, aptly named ‘Royal Holloway’s Got Talent’ was hosted in the SU Main Hall and allowed students and parents to see a wide variety of talents and acts. The show aimed to raise money for Action Against Hunger, Meningitis Now and The White Lodge Centre. Action Against Hunger is “a global charity committed to saving the lives of malnourished children in over 40 countries”. Meningitis Now is a global charity that researches for and supports sufferers of Meningitis and The White Lodge Centre is dedicated to “supporting disabled people of all ages”. Each charity supports extremely worthwhile causes that RAG is dedicated to raising money for. T...

21Nov

By Susanna clarkNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

Never Swim Alone – Review

Image by Sophie Morgan Susanna Clark reviews The Student Workshop's production of Never Swim Alone. The Student Workshop’s production of Never Swim Alone is, simply put, a triumph. Frank (played by Jack Read) and Bill (played by Azan Ahmed) are two adult men who were once childhood friends and maintain a façade of the continuation of this friendship, despite their destructive rivalry. The play is structured as a competition with 13 rounds, each of which is judged by the referee (played by Tabatha Gregg). In each round the men attempt to prove their superiority over each other: whichever man argues his case best is awarded a point by the referee. The points are recorded on a whiteboard in a prime position for all to see: a reminder of the constant struggle amongst men to prove the...

MTS showcases talent with Summer Cabaret

16Jun

By Jessica Beach-ThomasNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Theatre & Performance

MTS showcases talent with Summer Cabaret

With its annual show, MTS kicks off the post-exam term of Pimm’s drinking in Founders quad with their ‘Summer Cabaret’. Orbital sends its resident photographer Jessie Beach-Thomas to investigate the action and interviews Violaine Brunelin, a member of the production team. Jessie’s take: ‘Colourful, glittery- everything you would expect from a musical!’ From watching Summer Cabaret, a show directed by Max Harris and presented by both Pippa Gentry and Matthew Siveter, I was very impressed. It is clear to see why so many of MTS’s shows have been sold out throughout the year. MTS take pride in their inclusivity, with both auditioned roles and full cast numbers that do not require any auditioning. If you aren’t into the performing side of things, there is plenty of opportunity for students to...

28Jan

By Alana GradyNo Comments

Culture & Literature, Music

Holloway’s Music Scene…

With the arrival of Rebecca Miller, the music department has seen a great many changes and the forthcoming term is no exception. To start the term we have the second in our celebrity masterclass series, a flute masterclass with Juliette Bausor. Principal flautist of the London Mozart Players and of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Juliette will be giving a masterclass to some of Royal Holloway’s flautists. This is generously supported by the Alumni Fund and is free to students. After their first term as Ensemble in Residence, the Badke Quartet are returning in a variety of events. They will be doing two masterclasses, one an open event to the public, coaching student chamber ensembles. Any group can take part and it is a wonderful opportunity to be coached by professional musicians. The Badk...