These Theatre Thoughts

  Photo credit: Pamela Raith Date: 7th June 2024  Seat: E5 Tickets: Gifted Rating: 3 Stars Marie Curie , written by Seeun Choun (book and lyrics) and Jongyoon Choi (music), made its English-language premiere at London's Charing Cross Theatre after seeing plenty of success in its native South Korea and elsewhere. But does the translated version at the Charing Cross Theatre work? The answer is more complicated than you might think.  There are some major strengths in Marie Curie, and the cast's performances were definitely a big highlight. Ailsa Davidson's portrayal of Marie Curie was particularly compelling, and her emotional depth and fantastic vocal abilities brought something special to the role - Davidson managed to convey Curie's intense passion for science and her personal struggles, helping the audience get a little more insight into her as a woman and a scientist.  The set (Rose Montgomery) and lighting design (Prema Mehta) were also fantastic, especially c...

Photo credit: James Findlay Date: 10th June 2024  Seat: E5 Tickets: Gifted Rating: 4 Stars Adrian Lukis' Being Mr Wickham is a lot of fun, inviting the audience to find out more about one of Jane Austen’s most interesting characters – George Wickham from Pride and Prejudice. Co-written by Lukis and Catherine Curzon, this one-man show is a delightful, insightful exploration of the dashing cad Mr Wickham, giving him a platform to wax lyrical about his past misdeeds, lost loves, and the lessons learned along the way.   What’s great about this play is that it cleverly balances humour and pathos, as Wickham, ever the charming rogue, regales the audience with tales of his youthful exploits and their often calamitous consequences – and some rather shocking and upsetting ones. Through witty wordplay and poignant soliloquies, Lukis breathes new life into the character, making him both relatable and reprehensible.   The set design by Libby Watson is at once both simp...