The 730 Review

29/10/2021

28/12/2020

The year might have been rubbish, but the music certainly wasn't. Elliot Burr lists his 10 favourite albums from 2020.

In the first of our Albums of the Year series, Elliot Burr lists his 10 favourite albums from 2020.

17/12/2020

Ahmed Hamad opens up to Luke Prowse Baldwin about his role in 'Stay Awake, Jake' at the Southwark Playhouse: a one-person musical about a man that, at 2am, drives from the Big Smoke to Carlisle in a bid to make amends with the woman he loves.

With Pearson Theatre Productions and Damien Tracey, in association with S&S Theatre Productions.

Awake, Jake will be livestreamed on the 18th & 19th December (more information can be found here:
https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/show/stay-awake-jake/ #:~:text=Tim%20Gilvin's%20multi%2Daward%2Dwinning,bid%20to%20save%20his%20relationship.

Ahmed Hamad opens up to Luke Prowse Baldwin about his latest challenge: embodying the title character in the one-person musical Stay Awake, Jake.

07/07/2020

Elliot Burr does what few else will and pays tribute to some of the finer moments of 2020, picking out 5 of his favourite releases of the year thus far.

Elliot Burr does what few else will and pays tribute to some of the finer moments of 2020, picking out 5 of his favourite 2020 releases thus far.

22/05/2020

Nearly half of cinemas ‘will not be able to open’ with social distancing mesasures, according the latest survey from Independent Cinema Office

Nearly half of cinemas said they “will not be able to open” if they had to impose social distancing measures, according to a survey from the ICO.

07/05/2020

Luke reviews The Remote Read's "groundbreaking" inaugural production: Tom Stoppard's A Separate Peace, performed live but virtually via Zoom.

https://www.the730review.co.uk/2020/05/07/a-separate-peace-the-remote-read/

The first professionally created live production from The Remote Read, A Separate Peace marks the start of a groundbreaking initiative.

22/04/2020

Ahead of its debut on Sunday, Chris Connor gives his thoughts on what to expect from BBC Three and its adaptation of Sally Rooney's 'future classic', Normal People

Normal People has become one of the defining novels of the past few years, proving a big success on both sides of the Atlantic.

18/04/2020

Elizabeth Newman tells Luke Prowse Baldwin all about Pitlochry Festival Theatre's social media enterprise bringing a daily feast of artistic content to home-tied audiences.

Elizabeth Newman tells us about Pitlochry Festival Theatre's social media campaign , bringing daily online content to home-tied audiences.

08/03/2020

"Exceptionally strange but undeniably entertaining" Hot Cousin's Don't Talk to Strangers is a peculiar experimental journey at this year's Vault Festival about NASA's Golden Record project.

On another level of weird, Hot Cousin's Don't Talk to Strangers grapples with weighty concepts whilst exploring the tale of NASA's Golden Record project.

01/03/2020

"The Refuge is a moody escape from the jostling pub above: a bite-size thriller to chew on before another drink, to chase it down with"
Discover The Balon Rouge Theatre Company's dark and mysterious production at the Barons Court Theatre.

The Refuge: a punchy melodrama in just over an hour. This production is itself a refuge for the weary pub goer looking for a change of scenery.

27/02/2020

Zoo is a ★★★★ new play from Lily Bevan at this year's Vault Festival: "gentle, beautifully acted and pulls on your heartstrings"

Zoo by Lily Bevan is a simple, funny and delicately emotive performance about everyday heroism and a cross-Atlantic friendship.

23/02/2020

A ★★★★ slow-burning thriller, Chiswick Playhouse's production of Tryst by Karoline Leach draws its audience in and then leaves them "to play the part of an unfortunate fly, suffering slow emotional and psychological torture on the mottled wall of History"

Prepare to be charmed. You can see it coming but can you really resist? Tryst is a subtle psychological thriller that will weave you into its deceitful web.

23/02/2020

★★★★★ for Sarah Henley's uplifting new play Essence: "a must-watch piece of theatre that sets a standard of excellence for the Vault Festival"

Essence is a story in which two unlikely characters meet, but find their difference is what will eventually bring them together.

16/02/2020

Ask Me Anything from Live Theatre Newcastle and The Paper Birds at this year's Vault Festival is "a messy, fun and emotionally resonant beginning of an open conversation with young people".

Ask Me Anything from Live Theatre and The Paper Birds is a messy, fun and emotionally resonant beginning of an open conversation with young people.

15/02/2020

The First by Barry McStay is "A vivid and intelligent play about basic humanity". See it at this year's Vault Festival. (4.5/5 stars from Lauren Hurrell)
https://www.the730review.co.uk/2020/02/15/the-first-vault-review/

A vivid and intelligent play about basic humanity, which is never clearer or more tragic than when played out in the vast, alien and empty stage of space.

06/02/2020

"A definitive, contemporary production that comes for your head and your heart" Middle Child's fantastic piece of gig theatre at Arcola Theatre gets ★★★★ from Lauren Hurrell.
https://www.the730review.co.uk/2020/02/05/the-canary-and-the-crow-arcola-theatre/

02/02/2020

Chris Connor reflects on the nominees ahead of the 2020 and ceremonies https://www.the730review.co.uk/2020/02/02/oscar-and-bafta-nominations-a-look-at-the-2020-awards-season

Chris Connor breaks down the awards contenders for this year's Oscar and BAFTA ceremonies, from Joker to The Irishman, to Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood.

01/02/2020

2019 was so last year. Better late than never, Tom Geraghty lists his top 10 albums from the year just been.

Tom Geraghty details his favourite albums of the year 2019, which - as you've come to expect - includes a smorgasboard of the eclectic and the sad.

30/01/2020

★★★★ "It’s dark and tempting; like the desire to discover your future in a pack of cards". This fabulous burlesque / cabaret / circus performance from Feathers of Daedalus Circus is nearing the end of its run at the Vault Festival. Catch it while you can!

"Like a piece of dark chocolate: a treat dripping in decadence" – Tarot is an atmospheric temptation of cabaret, burlesque and circus performance.

23/01/2020

"Original and thought-provoking" – Us Two is a work in progress by investigative journalist Lucinda Borrell running at , about the relationship of two women in a world.

This work in progress written by investigative journalist Lucinda Borrell, offers an original and thought-provoking exploration of the movement.

08/01/2020

Need a ★★★★★ way to cheer yourself up this January? The Bridge Theatre's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a "not-to-be-missed magical experience".

A not-to-be-missed, magical experience awaits you at The Bridge Theatre. This is the perfect antidote to a gloomy January day.

29/12/2019

In the first of our Albums of the Year series, Elliot Burr takes us on an eclectic journey through his favourite 10 releases of 2019.

Elliot Burr runs us through his top ten albums of 2019, with a selection of the year's finest records that are as weird as they are wonderful.

27/12/2019

"One of the most moving pieces of theatre you'll find this winter", Liam Steel's iteration of J.M. Barrie's classic tale from the Birmingham Repertory Theatre is sure to get you thinking those merry little thoughts.

A heartwarming piece of seasonal theatre, this Peter Pan will give you rhythm and send you flying off to a never-ending land of delight. Luke Prowse Baldwin reviews Liam Steel's take on JM Barrie's classic.

14/12/2019

With the ever-increasing popularity of the biopic in the world of film, Michael Maitland-Jones discusses Lucy Prebble's 'A Very Expensive Poison' and what theatre can offer when presenting a true-life story.

Could Lucy Prebble's A Very Expensive Poison be considered more successful in it's representation of real life people and events than Bohemian Rhapsody?

03/12/2019

.'s production of A Bench at the Edge at is "Touching, jarring and deeply empathetic"
https://www.the730review.co.uk/2019/12/02/a-bench-at-the-edge/

A dark and touching hymn to simply being "alive", but A Bench at the Edge falls short of embracing the true depth of its subject matter.

14/11/2019

Our reviewer Lauren Hurrell was 'subsumed by the bizarre logic of a party in crisis, sustained only by an adrenaline high' when experiencing Parabolic Theatre's immersive production: Crisis? What Crisis? running at the COLAB Factory.
★★★★★
'Do you think, when push comes to shove, you could do better than the politician when it comes to a crisis?'

Parabolic Theatre's high-tempo, interactive, political piece was an engaging – if exhausting – experience worth shouting about.

31/10/2019

'Double, double, toil and trouble' this Halloween as we review 's touring production of Macbeth.

Proteus' touring production of Macbeth unfortunately proves that too many ideas spoil the potion and that muddy communication of the text befouls this play.

31/10/2019

This Halloween, soundtrack your scares with our selection of spooky songs

Tom and Elliot take on Halloween with their scary selections for a special spooky songs we like, providing some brilliant (and awful) scary sounds.

28/10/2019

"Two women, one stolen life, and one life built in the shadows of another". Amy Rosenthal's short play Henna Night ran at The Cockpit theatre in London for two performances.

Henna Night is an engaging and touching show that avoids the pitfalls of cliche when exploring the relationship between one man's girlfriend and his ex.

12/10/2019

Chris Connor reviews the love-it-or-hate-it supervillain film Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix

Chris Connor reviews the controversial superhero adaptation Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix as Batman's notorious enemy-to-be.

11/10/2019

More reviews from LFF 2019, including a rave for 'The Lighthouse', and Adam Driver's CIA procedural 'The Report'

Louis Chilton reviews three films from the 2019 London Film Festival, including Robert Eggers' follow up to The Witch, and J.M. Coetzee's forray into cinema

06/10/2019

Three more reviews from the BFI London Film Festival - Darius Azadeh talks about the brilliant CLEMENCY, surreal comedy DEERSKIN and the disappointing doc RECORDER.

Darius Azadeh reviews three more titles from the 2019 London Film Festival, including the brilliant death row drama Clemency and surreal comedy Deerskin.

05/10/2019

A ‘pivot between a consistent symbol of comfort and a destination of destruction’, We Anchor in Hope proves to be quite the experience for Bethan Pitts. Written by Anna Jordan (Killing Eve, Succession, Yen), Bunker Theatre UK transforms into a fully functioning pub and plays host.

The Bunker has been transformed into a London local. Experience this 'unique performative space, full of masculine energy' and all the thoughts it provokes.

05/10/2019

Don your mask and ballgown and enter the The Vaults and the mysterious and immersive world of Shotgun Carousel's Red Place where 'glamour is served cold with a side of danger'.

Immerse yourself in a scintillating and sensual fairy tale feast, but be careful you don't find yourself sucked into the Red Palace's cracks and pitfalls.

04/10/2019

Darius Azadeh kicks off coverage of the 2019 BFI London Film Festival with three positive reviews - Monos, The Peanut Butter Falcon and Little Monsters

Darius Azadeh reviews three promising films from the 2019 London Film Festival, in the first of The 730 Review's review roundups.