These Theatre Thoughts

Photo credit: Mark Douet Date: 12th January 2024 Seat: A8 (Circle) Tickets: Gifted Rating: 3 Stars  What does Kim’s Convenience have in store for audiences? A lot of laughs, heart, and a story that everyone can understand, no matter what language they happen to speak.  Kim’s Convenience was originally written in 2011 by Ins Choi, and thanks to how well the one-act play was received, a Netflix series of the same name was produced, which was also hugely popular. It’s still available to watch, and it’s well worth taking a look at if you want some gentle laughs and a real story – quite different from what most other sitcoms (for want of a better word) can manage.  The story of Kim’s Convenience revolves around Mr Kim (or Appa as his family calls him) trying to deal with his fears of the future while also being a good father and husband. He doesn’t always get it right; he can be a bully, he can be rude, he borders on being racist, and he’s perpetually annoyed about some...

Date: 5th January 2024 Seat: J16 (Stalls) Tickets: Gifted Rating: 3 Stars  If you’re a fan of impressive circus acts and you’re a bit of a fan of musical theatre, Cirque: The Greatest Show is definitely going to be up your street. It’s a combination of the two things and it all blends together to create an evening of fun and thrills with some excellent musical song and dance numbers thrown in. What more could you ask for?  The songs come from various shows, and as the name suggests, there’s a fairly big emphasis on tunes from The Greatest Showman ( Cirque begins and ends with songs from that musical). Other musicals showcased included Moulin Rouge, Rocketman, We Will Rock You, and more.  The songs perform the backdrop to some excellent circus acts, including aerial acrobats, a contortionist, a fire performer, loads of gymnastics, juggling, and a set piece that included more quick changes than I’ve ever seen on stage before to finish off the first act.  Linking all t...