Charlie Wilks - Page 5

A piece that could easily feel out dated is anything but as Ned Bennett's production of Peter Shaffer's Equus blasts onto the Stratford stage, before going off on tour with English Touring Theatre. A twisted story of a boy's love for horses, the play asks questions of power, control and the human soul.

Following on from a traumatic incident that occurred months ago, two individuals become the best of friends, despite the unlikeliest of circumstances. Rocked by tragedy, soft animals is an in depth investigation into the many stages of grief, questioning culpability and the wider implications of our actions.

Greed can do terrible things to a person. The desire to constantly make money will inevitably lead to ethics being lost, friendships being tainted and mistakes being made. The themes of pain and mistrust are ever so evident in Ishy Din's new play, which sees a man with a dream risk it all to win big.

Willy Hudson walks onto the stage in nothing but a towel, asking a member of the audience to help him put his underwear on. The action is repeated for a t-shirt and some shorts. He continually asks, "Has he text me?" referencing a mystery dude that Hudson went on a date with the previous evening. There isn't a response from the guy yet.

A society is in ruins, and in this tale of depression, dependency and deluge, the human experience is voyeuristically examined, to reveal what happens when you leave folks behind. Focusing in on one singular place, the play goes through the motions to show how the odds can be unfairly stacked against people.

​​​​​​​Throughout this 75-minute cabaret spectacular, stars of the London queer scene come together to provide a variety show like no other. Featuring an eclectic mix of song, music and comedy, it's remarkably different to what you usually see on the London Coliseum stage.

Caning may be something from long in the past, but in Mark Ravenhill's new drama it's all anybody ever seems to talk about. Under Vicky Featherstone's direction, the narrative follows a teacher under siege from the kids he used to teach. The drama unfolds as their estranged daughter visits this world of anarchy, confusion and hostile aggression.

Natasha Gordon's glorious writing debut, under Roy Alexander Weise's direction, transfers to the West End, managing to retain all of the magic it held whilst on the Dorfman stage. Following the story of how a family grieve, it's a play full of laughter, struggle and hope.

This is a really sweet show. It's one that enchants its audience, inviting them into a story of vulnerability, queer identity and synchronised swimming.

Ellie Kendrick's writing debut is a one-hour attack on the senses. Visceral and to the point, the Royal Court Upstairs stage is alive with the anarchic cry for unity and retribution. The play is co-directed by RashDash's Abbi Greenland and Helen Goalen, and alongside a company of six they take us on a journey of physics, mythology and misogyny.

Snow isn't yet falling all around us. And I haven't seen the Coca Cola truck stopping by. But John Lewis has released their advert, so I suppose it's beginning to look a little like Christmas. Full of it's own individual kind of holiday cheer, Anthony Neilson's winter tale is revived at Southwark Playhouse.

Lucy Pearman is a comedienne that's unfamiliar to me, but after watching their stellar show Fruit Loop the other evening, they are now cemented in my brain as someone very special. The reason I like her so much is because her show feels totally unique to anything that I've seen before.

Something wicked has arrived in the West End. It comes in the form of the National Youth Theatre REP Company's production of Macbeth, which has been abridged beautifully by Moira Buffini. Shakespeare's epic tale has been condensed down to 100 minutes, and is jam-packed with lots of things that entertain and thrill.

Iona wants to be happy. After years of ridicule and childhood trauma she desperately seeks refuge in a more vibrant place than where she's at right now. She wants out. Her destination of choice: London - a place that's apparently the home to her estranged father. She's convinced that he'll put her up, and her and best mate Pingu will become celebrity radio DJ's overnight.

Made in China present their solo show about anxiety. In it Jessica Latowicki performs a monologue that quickly descends into chaos. The text, which has been dramaturged by Tim Cowbury, is a mixture of fun, comedy and intense emotion. It's solid, if a little too long, but does well to get across the point.

It's the end of the world, or alternatively, the start of a brand new one, and Mirabel seems to be the only person left. Confident and prepared, she sets off across the lonely desert to search for a grown up to make everything better.

Bush Associate Artist company Antler arrive with their Edinburgh hit Lands, a high-spirited, tender investigation into a relationship that's on its way to its end.

This is a really brilliant production, full of life, energy, exuberance, and joy. Luke Barnes' script breaks your heart in the subtlest of ways. His writing poetically tells the story of abandoned dreams, working class struggle, and the search for happiness. It's a piece that's full of hope, yet absolutely hopeless at the same time.

How do you keep everything together, when everything around you is falling apart? Life's complicated - that's for sure - and for our central character in this story, balancing teaching, romance and adulthood is just a bit too much to handle. Maddie Rice has written and performs in Pickle Jar, a multi-layered investigation into the highs and lows of being a grown up.

The second offering in this year's National Youth Theatre REP Season is just as brilliant as the earlier reviewed Consensual. In Victoria's Knickers, Josh Azouz and Ned Bennett - who previously collaborated together on Buggy Baby - have combined brains to make another bonkers piece of theatre, this time set around the love between Queen Victoria and an ordinary, yet extraordinary boy.