Review: The Spoils at Trafalgar Studios

The Spoils
Trafalgar Studios
Reviewed on Thursday 2nd June 2016
★★★

Jesse Eisenberg is a man of many talents - it's quite something to make your West End debut in the European premiere of your hit off-Broadway play. The Spoils centres around Eisenberg's character Ben who, despite having had a lot handed to him on a plate, is deeply unhappy with his life. 

He treats his roommate/best friend Kalyan poorly, constantly battles with Kalyan's partner and reaches new lows when he tries to win over his now-engaged school crush. The piece takes a long time to set up and establish itself; I found the first two (of three) scenes in the first act slow paced and a little tiresome. However, as a dinner party erupts at the end of the first act things get a little more exciting.

Eisenberg gives a strong performance. He provides a real insight into Ben's twisted mind - he's a fascinating character. The entire ensemble are on top form; original U.S. cast members Annapurna Sriram and Kunal Nayyar bring an exciting spark to the stage, Alfie Allen proves himself as a capable character actor with good comic timing and Katie Brayben reminds us just how versatile she is. 

Off-Broadway comedy The Spoils transferring to the West End

It has been announced that The New Group’s off-Broadway comedy The Spoils will receive its European premiere later this year.

Written by and starring Jesse Eisenberg, the show opens at Trafalgar Studios on 2nd June (previews from 27th May) for a limited run to 13th August 2016.

Marking Eisenberg’s third play, The Spoils originally ran off-Broadway in 2015 at The Pershing Square Signature Center. This piece cements his reputation as a talented playwright whose tragicomic work explores questions of American privilege and the nature of family and relationships. 

Interview: Zawe Ashton & Laura Carmichael, starring in The Maids at Trafalgar Studios

Zawe Ashton and Laura Carmichael are currently starring alongside Uzo Aduba in The Maids which is running as part of Jamie Lloyd's third West End season at Trafalgar Studios. Jean Genet’s powerful psycho-drama centres around two maids (Ashton & Aduba) as they fantasise about violently murdering their mistress (Carmichael).

Zawe is best known for starring as Vod in Channel 4's Fresh Meat whilst her recent stage credits include Splendour at the Donmar Warehouse and Narrative at the Royal Court. Laura famously played Lady Edith Crawley in all six seasons of Downton Abbey and in 2012 she made her West End debut in Uncle Vanya at the Vaudeville Theatre. On Monday (3rd March) I sat down with Zawe and Laura after the play’s opening night. 

The Maids is a gruelling show to watch as an audience member and I can’t imagine how draining it must be to perform. “It’s completely exhausting” Zawe admitted. “It’s mental, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from Jamie Lloyd. I’ve worked with him before on a really high octane reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s Salome. By the end of the play I was half naked and drinking blood – so this is actually tame in comparison [laughs]! I couldn’t be more proud of the girls I get to share the stage with.”

Interview: Uzo Aduba, starring in The Maids at Trafalgar Studios

Two-time Emmy winner Uzo Aduba is currently making her West End debut as Solange in Jean Genet’s powerful psycho-drama The Maids.

With the cast also including Zawe Ashton and Laura Carmichael, the production is helmed by Jamie Lloyd as part of his season at Trafalgar Studios. 

Uzo is best known for starring as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren in Netflix series Orange Is The New Black, a role which has won her countless awards (she is the only actress to win Emmy awards in both the comedy and drama genres for the same role). Orange Is The New Black’s 4th season is set to premiere later this year.

Uzo recently starred as Glinda The Good in NBC’s The Wiz LIVE, appearing alongside Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige, Ne-Yo, Amber Riley and David Alan Grier. She is currently in production for Ewan McGregor’s American Pastoral alongside McGregor, Jennifer Connelly and Dakota Fanning. 

Having made her Broadway debut in Coram Boy (Imperial), Uzo’s subsequent theatre credits include: Godspell (Circle in the Square), Translations Of Xhosa (Kennedy Center), Dessa Rose (New Repertory Theatre), Turnado: Rumble For The Ring (Bay Street Theatre) and Abyssinia (Goodspeed Theatre).

After last night’s gala performance of The Maids, I sat down with Uzo for a quick chat about what made her say yes to this show, what it was like to meet her two co-stars and why she wants to do more theatre in London…

As an audience member The Maids is so exhausting to watch – I can’t begin to imagine how you’re feeling right now?!

It’s funny because after doing the show I stay up until pretty late into the night. It’s very hard to unwind; my body is exhausted but my brain is still ticking away. I’m not playing back the show, but the frequency my brain was on is still there.

Review: The Maids at Trafalgar Studios

The Maids 

Trafalgar Studios

Reviewed on Monday 29th March 2016

★★★★

There's no stopping Jamie Lloyd who has staged yet another unbearably intense production at Trafalgar Studios. With petals covering the stage, Jean Genet's play centres around two maids who truly have no boundaries as they fantasise about violently murdering their mistress.

Casting announced for Firebird at Trafalgar Studios

Callie Cooke, Tahirah Sharif and Phaldut Sharma are set to reprise their performances in Phil Davies’ debut play Firebird.

Following its run at Hampstead Downstairs last autumn, Firebird opens at Trafalgar Studios 2 on 22nd February (previews from 17th February) for a limited season to 19th March 2016. 

Running in association with The Children’s Society, Firebird is directed by Edward Hall, artistic director of the Hampstead Theatre.

Firebird marks Callie Cooke’s theatrical debut, having recently graduated from the Arts Education School. Tahirah Sharif's credits include Moon on a Rainbow Shawl (National Theatre) and Waterloo Road (BBC) whilst Phaldut Sharma has appeared in Ramayan (Lyric Hammersmith) and EastEnders (BBC).

Review: The Homecoming at Trafalgar Studios

The Homecoming 
Trafalgar Studios
Reviewed on Monday 23rd November 2015
★★★★★

It has been ten months since a new Jamie Lloyd production opened at Trafalgar Studios, and it wasn't until last night that I realised just how much his work has been missed in the West End. We've seen a variety of plays open their doors to West End audiences in recent months, but nothing as bold or dangerous as Lloyd's revival of The Homecoming by Harold Pinter.

Jamie Lloyd to direct Uzo Aduba, Zawe Ashton & Laura Carmichael in The Maids

It has been announced that Jamie Lloyd will direct Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black), Zawe Ashton (Fresh Meat) and Laura Carmichael (Downton Abbey) in the UK premiere of The Maids next year,

The play will open at Trafalgar Studios on 29th February (previews from 20th February) and run until 21st May 2016. Tickets are on sale from Tuesday 10th November 2015. Design is by Soutra Gilmour.

Uzo Aduba said: "I wanted to be a part of The Jamie Lloyd Company because they’re interested in doing exciting work that is new, with a twist to it. It's work with a fresh edge. Jamie reinvents classic plays in a way that we’ve never seen before or have explored before. That's exciting as an actor. To be part of a play that allows for three women to mine such complex characters inside of an already rich and thrilling story, is the stuff that acting dreams are made on."

Review: Oresteia at Trafalgar Studios

Oresteia 
Trafalgar Studios
Reviewed on Monday 7th September 2015
★★★★

Time takes centre stage in Robert Icke's three and a half hour long production of Oresteia by Aeschylus. With clocks on screens positioned around the auditorium, as well as in the bars, audience members are strictly told to be in their seats by the start time. During the ten minute pause and fifteen minute interval a countdown is displayed, after which the play resumes regardless of whether the audience are ready or not. The concept is brilliant, before the show even begins questions are being asked and the intensity begins to build.

Constellations starring Louise Brealey & Joe Armstrong announces West End transfer

The Royal Court's production of Nick Payne's Constellations is transferring to Trafalgar Studios for a limited run following its current UK tour.

Louise Brealey (Sherlock/The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) and Joe Armstrong (Happy Valley/Robin Hood) star in the play which runs in the West End for three weeks only between 9th July and 1st August 2015. 

Design is by Tom Scutt with lighting by Lee Curran, music by Simon Slater, sound by David McSeveney and movement by Lucy Cullingford. Tickets are on sale from tomorrow (24th June 2015).

Interview: Pickpocket extraordinaire James Freedman, star of Man Of Steal

Following a run at the Menier Chocolate Factory, pickpocket extraordinaire James Freedman has transferred his show Man Of Steal to the West End.

James describes himself as an honest pickpocket, educating people to avoid them becoming victims. Directed and co-written by Edward Hilsum, Man Of Steal runs at Trafalgar Studios for a limited run until 4th July 2015.

Man Of Steal sees James exposing how the bad guys really work. James reflects a lifetime spent studying hustlers, street criminals and con-men. Fuelled at an early age after falling victim to muggers and further inspired by watching child pickpockets on the streets of Paris, he began a lifelong study of stealth crime and the psychology of thieves. 

James is the only man to have picked the pockets of The Mayor of London, The Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Governor of the Bank of England. With his hands having been insured for £1m, his expertise is courted by the entertainment industry with his consulting on the film of Les Misérables, and Roman Polanski’s Oliver Twist, the BBC’s Hustle and as The Real Hustle’s ‘pickpocket expert’. 

He also works alongside the Police Forces and other security professionals as an advisor, speaker and educator on the subjects of crime prevention, social engineering and fraud – particularly the growing areas of bank card fraud and identity theft. He has recently appeared in a regular slot on the Channel 5’s series Police 5, demonstrating the latest scams and how to avoid them.

I recently spoke to James about why he's one of the good guys, what happened when someone tried to buy a ticket to the show using a stolen debit card and being kept on his toes each night by different audiences…

You must be thrilled to have brought Man Of Steal to the West End following your sell out run at the Menier?

I’m massively excited! It’s great to be sharing it with a wider audience. It was originally written entirely as an entertainment, but part of my natural character is to want to share safety tips and advice with people. It’s always really nice when people say they enjoyed the show, and they’re also saying “I will never carry my car keys in that way again, I’m not going to put my credit card in my wallet that way and I’ve changed my pin number” – it’s just fantastic that it’s making people safe too. Because of that the police are interested in using the show to get the message out there as well which is really good.

Review: James Freedman - Man Of Steal at Trafalgar Studios

James Freedman: Man Of Steal

Trafalgar Studios

Reviewed on Friday 29th May 2015

★★★★

Following a run at the Menier Chocolate Factory, pickpocket extraordinaire James Freedman has transferred his show Man Of Steal to the West End. I've never seen anything like it; Man Of Steal is a piece of factual entertainment, it’s just as impressive as a magic show but the experience is also remarkably educational.

Review: Golem at Trafalgar Studios

Golem
Trafalgar Studios
Reviewed on Thursday 23rd April 2015
★★★

Presenting some very accurate observations surrounding our obsession with technology, 1927's latest production Golem has transferred to the West End following a run at the Young Vic. The satire aptly combines live theatre with animation, setting it apart from anything else currently running in London.

Young Vic's Golem transfers to Trafalgar Studios

Following its run at the Young Vic, theatre company 1927 are transferring Golem - their visually arresting and satirical take on our misuse of technology - to Trafalgar Studios. The production opens on 22nd April (previews from 14th April) and runs until 22nd May.

Mixing live performance and music with film and animation, Golem follows the life of extraordinarily ordinary Robert Robertson, whose life is irrevocably disrupted when he buys a golem – a creature who will improve the efficiency of his daily affairs. But when Robert upgrades to superior model Golem 2, the show questions what happens when man is no longer in control of machine.

Golem is directed and written by Suzanne Andrade, with film, animation and design by Paul Barritt – who jointly won Best Designer at the 2014 Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards for the production. Music is by Lillian Henley and associate direction and design is by Esme Appleton.

Review: The Ruling Class at Trafalgar Studios starring James McAvoy

The Ruling Class
Trafalgar Studios
Reviewed on Wednesday 28th January 2015
★★★★

James McAvoy

The Ruling Class premiered in 1968 at the Nottingham Playhouse before transferring to the West End. Although Peter Barnes' play was adapted into a movie a few years later, the piece was never revived... until now. 

Wild and unpredictable, The Ruling Class is a crazy play - it is probably the most bonkers show I have ever seen. Countless times I found myself taken aback by just how far it dares to go; there are absolutely no boundaries. 

Be prepared to see James McAvoy as you've never seen him before. The actor - who returns to Trafalgar Transformed following his acclaimed performance in Macbeth - stars as Jack, a paranoid schizophrenic. Following the death of his father, the character becomes the 14th Earl of Gurney and finds himself well and truly out of his depth. 

The Ruling Class can be viewed in many different ways as there is so much to be dissected and evaluated; I can't even begin to imagine the post-show discussions audiences will be having as they leave the theatre each night. At the play's heart is a big power struggle, but that is only scratching the surface.

Sneak peek at... Jamie Lloyd's production of The Ruling Class starring James McAvoy

Pictures of James McAvoy and the cast of The Ruling Class rehearsing the production have been released. Directed by Jamie Lloyd, The Ruling Class runs at Trafalgar Studios, marking McAvoy's return to Lloyd's Trafalgar Transformed season. 

The show also stars Ron Cook, Kathryn Drysdale, Joshua McGuire and Anthony O'Donnell and features Michael Cronin, Serena Evans, Paul Leonard, Elliot Levey and Forbes Masson. The ensemble includes: Rosy Benjamin, Andrew Bloomer and Oliver Lavery.

The Ruling Class opens on 27th January (previews from 16th January) and runs until 11th April 2015. Design is by Soutra Gilmour, with lighting by Jon Clarkand and sound by Ben and Max Ringham. Choreography is by Darren Carnall with musical direction by Huw Evans.

Review: East Is East at Trafalgar Studios

East Is East
Trafalgar Studios
Reviewed on Thursday 16th October 2014
★★★★

A hugely iconic play about growing up in multiracial England, East Is East is a tremendous piece which perfectly slides into Jamie Lloyd's second Trafalgar Transformed season. Sam Yates directs the production, marking his West End directorial debut, and has done a fine job.

East is East to tour following West End run

It has been announced that Sam Yates' production of East is East (which begins previews at Trafalgar Studios on Saturday) will embark on a short tour after its West End run concludes on 3rd January 2015.

The production, which runs as part of Jamie Lloyd’s second Trafalgar Transformed season at Trafalgar Studios, will tour to the New Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham (14-17 January), Richmond Theatre (19-24 January) and Manchester Opera House (26-31 January).

East is East stars the multi award-winning stage and screen star Jane Horrocks as Ella and the award-winning playwright Ayub Khan Din himself, as her husband George.

Full casting announced for Trafalgar Transformed's East is East

Full casting has been announced for Trafalgar Transformed's production of East is East at Trafalgar Studios. 

Amit Shah (Abdul Khan), Ashley Kumar (Tariq Khan), Darren Kuppan (Maneer Khan), Nathan Clarke (Saleem Khan), Taj Atwal (Meenah Khan) and Michael Karim (Sajit Khan) join the previously announced Jane Horrocks (Ella Khan) and playwright Ayub Khan Din (George Khan) to complete the casting of the Khan family.

The Khans are joined by Sally Bankes (Auntie Annie), Rani Moorthy (Mrs. Shah) and Hassani Shapi (Mr Shah/Doctor). Ash Rizi, Karl Seth, Deepal Parmar and Pamela Bennett (Ensemble) complete the cast.

Review: Richard III at Trafalgar Studios (Trafalgar Transformed)

Richard III 
Trafalgar Studios (Trafalgar Transformed)
Reviewed on Tuesday 8th July 2014
★★★

Following the huge success of its inaugural season last year, Trafalgar Transformed is back. Last year's season opened with James McAvoy starring as the title role in Macbeth, and now Martin Freeman is making his Shakespearean stage debut as the title character in Richard III.

It seems everybody has an opinion as to how Richard III should be portrayed. He may be a power seeking, ruthless, delusional monster, but the character has complex moments and shouldn't just be hated throughout.

Freeman's performance is interesting as the character's ruthlessness doesn't dominate; instead it is the subtleties in his performance, and the evil twinkle in his eyes, which highlight Richard's twisted mind. 

Freeman dares to be different which some may not like, but his portrayal enables you to look at Richard in a new way. The quirks in Freeman's performance are evident from the start, but perhaps this uneasiness could be held back at first to enable the character to eventually unravel further. The only other element of Freeman's performance which doesn’t feel right is his lack of unpredictability.