TodayTix Social Ambassador Party – Hackney House

Thursday 27th June 2017

 

Written by Jade Prince

On Thursday night I was invited along to a party hosted by TodayTix in order to celebrate the newly selected Social Ambassadors for 2017/2018.

This is the second year of the program after a very successful first year. After opening the application submission in late May/early June, a select team (including Paul Taylor Mills, Tim McArthur and Nathan Matthews) whittled it down to the final six on the Judge’s Day at The Other Palace.

It was revealed on Thursday night that this years new Social ambassadors are: Amy Lovatt, Yolanda Mercy, Bradley Escorcio, Jess Sykes, Kimmy Kimani and Aeron James. It was a wonderful chance to get to know them and their own different backgrounds, some are currently studying theatre, some produce and some love to bake! I wish them all the best for the next year packed with very stagey things!

As well as a chance to get to know the social ambassadors, TodayTix spoke briefly about their latest campaign #whytheatre. Everyone at the event was given their chance to write down their thoughts on #whytheatre on a huge canvas. It was great to see everyone come together and fill the space with their love for theatre. I personally view theatre as therapy. It’s a place for me to escape for a few hours and forget the world. Some people see therapists on a weekly basis, I see theatre!

 

But to top the evening of we had a very special Q&A with the wonderful Diana Vickers. It was great learning about how theatre changed her life but also the transition from a reality TV show to the stage.

The rest of the evening was spent absorbing the stagey love in the room, drinking, chatting and having our own private photo shoots in front of the TodayTix banner.

 

Thank you TodayTix for organising such a lovely event to celebrate theatre and young people! (Photo credit to TodayTix)

So, #whytheatre?!
(Pop your answers in the comments below)

Don’t forget to head over to the TodayTix app for seats to a whole range of shows at great prices! 

The Little Beasts (Workshop Production) – REVIEW

The Little Beasts (WORKSHOP PRODUCTION)

The Other Palace, London

 

Seen on July 15^th, 2017

Reviewed by Jade Prince

★★★★

I’m sure we have all wondered at some point ‘what happens to naughty children?’. Well, we may be one step closer to answering this as a new musical has put forward a possible suggestion, in the form of animals! The Little Beasts tells the story of a little girl called Sam (Laura Baldwin) who’s been overcome with selfishness and has a track record of running away. It only takes one coincidental meeting of the man in black (Sebastien Torkia) to highlight the error of her ways. His magical menagerie is filled with animals. But where did these animals come from and why is it a ‘magical’ menagerie?, linking back to our first question – ‘what happens to naughty children?’

 It is important to remember that this is a work in progress so my experience may be different to others and this review will look at the concept of the show as a whole. Straight away I could see that this show has incredible potential! A great concept, with good staging and something that is enjoyable for the majority of the family. From the onset there is catchy music. Sometimes repetitive (especially with some numbers) however it will definitely leave the audience humming the tunes on the way home. I know I certainly did! I also found it really refreshing to see that the score was not filled with ‘children’s songs’ normally with the generic and predictable rhyming. This had some really clever rhyming system throughout.

Despite this work in progress being described as dark, the music definitely provides a different sound. Bar a few songs, the score had a jolly, upbeat feel. The show also proves to be very educational for younger audience members. Not only are they being shown the (imaginary) consequences of being naughty but there are also a few potentially unfamiliar words thrown in. What I really loved was how the definitions of these words were blended so seamlessly into the script.

All the way through, the show remained very engaging. I personally get very worried about going along to children’s theatre because if a child is not entertained it can become rather disruptive but all of the children in the audience seemed mesmerised by the show. I feel this is helped with some of the staging and use of The Other Palace. It was not just restricted to the stage. We had cast members coming down the stairs, actually sitting down in empty seats on the front row and even climbing over the rows! That part was very unexpected! I personally think that engaging with the audience is an important part of theatre (if appropriate for the show) and it was nice to see it in The Little Beasts but I feel it was overworked  especially within the first part of act one. This was mainly by the man in black whose character gave me the impression of being a little over the top and almost like a ring master; this made it slightly more forgivable. The magical menagerie is his show and needs everything to be perfect whilst also remaining in complete control but you could see a few soft sides to him. He genuinely does want to help the children, in a slightly dark way.

The set was kept very simple but conveyed the different scenes well. We, the audience, could see the ‘stage’ setting for the magical menagerie but then with a few minor adjustments we were presented with cages. Another child-friendly element was the use of puppets. These are not your classical puppets though, they are a little grotesque! But this was very in keeping with the show by visually showing how naughty these children were. I thought it was very clever how each little beast represented a different ‘naughty’ behaviour which matched the typical stereotypes given to those animals (The pig was greedy). A great form of association for children.

Overall, I was really impressed with The Little Beasts and can see it going very far. I look forward to seeing how it progresses in the nearby future.

The Little Beasts is running at The Other Palace until July 29^th. For more show and ticket information: https://www.theotherpalace.co.uk/whats-on/the-little-beasts

Genie’s Cave Afternoon Tea

Genie’s Cave Afternoon Tea

Cutter & Squidge, Brewer Street, London

 

Tuesday 4^th July, 2017

By Jade Prince

I had the privilege of attending the press launch of the Genie’s Cave Afternoon Tea and what a wonderful experience it was! From the moment I saw the initial promo I decided that I HAD to go (especially after experiencing the ‘normal’ afternoon tea at Cutter & Squidge) and this one did not disappoint. It felt like I was transported to an Arabian Night the moment my foot hit that bottom step. I was greeted with the friendly faces you always get in Cutter & Squidge and led down into the cave where my table was located. It was absolutely beautiful heading down the stairs and seeing the décor change from the very sleek, aesthetically pleasing image of the main shop floor to dimmed lighting with a purple undertone and all that glitter! Their basement is most definitely a chameleon of rooms. The transformation from its original secret garden to the Genie’s cave was magical!

 

As you reached the bottom of the stairs you are met with a stunning chest displayed in all of its glory, finished with all the shine expected (including a lamp!), and the appropriate C&S logo. Turning that corner into the main cave was magical. The chest display did not prepare me enough. Floor-to-ceiling, covered in glitter, even the tables. Everything was beautifully laid out and not a single detail was missed. I don’t think I saw anything that looked out of place!

Once we were seated the themed menu was revealed which not only included…well…the menu, but also a little back story of the genie’s cave, which was a really nice touch. It wouldn’t be C&S if their dreamy tea wasn’t served and it sure was, including a huge array of flavours with a few limited edition flavours too helping to add to the more inclusive feel.

The first food item you are presented with was visually stunning and the taste most certainly matched its appearance; appropriately titled ‘A Genie’s Welcome’ – your journey has well and truly begun. The flavours of the raspberry and pomegranate worked so well together and the candyfloss was a brilliant unexpected surprise. For me personally, it added to the magical element.

The main part of the afternoon tea was brought down and presented on dainty three tire cake stand, with the finger sandwiches on a separate tray which was in keeping with the gold cutlery and table wear theme. The three layers included some of the  many different wonders C&S have to offer, starting with savoury ‘wishes’ including Dessert Rose Tarts, Savoury Scone swirls and Golden Cheese. There was, also, a lot of choice to satisfy that sweet tooth, from a mini version of their signature dream cake, Macarons and even a magic carpet cookie. The whole thing was topped off with a Biskie. Those who haven’t been to C&S will be asking “a Biskie? But what is that?” Well, let me tell you, they are the most gorgeous things in the world! Go try one, ASAP. But back to the afternoon tea, sitting top and centre of the cake stand in all its golden glory was the Golden Treasure Biskie. A Biskie actually covered in 24 carat gold. I didn’t think Biskies could be made any more fabulous than they already were, but I was evidently wrong!

Even the Genie himself (Trevor Dion Nicholas) came down for the event and to see how it compared to his home cave. I had the perfect position to see his face, as he walked in and it was the most wonderful thing to see. His face lit up like a little child’s proving that magic is forever, no matter how young or old.

“What an incredible experience the Genie’s Cave was at Cutter & Squidge! The atmosphere alone is worth a second visit, but the menu was really where my preemptive excitement was validated. An impressive mash of savory and sweet items that truly compliment but never overshadow each other stuffed me full to bursting. The entire affair has been engineered to carry you to flavors that are familiar but still expressed in detailed and thrilling fashion.” – Trevor Dion Nicholas

 

My taste buds were taken on a magical carpet ride and they were not ready to land. Everything was just perfect: the atmosphere, background music (Disney instrumental tracks, of course!), food, and the service. Never pestering you, but always making sure you have everything you need and that drinks remain topped up. My friend and I spent a rather long time in the Genie’s Cave soaking up the surroundings and taking in every single detail, but we never felt rushed or that we over stayed our welcome. Abby (hope that’s the right spelling) was brilliant at explaining everything being served thoroughly and in such a calming voice. Little things like that really brought the whole experience together and transported you to another land. I’m still impressed how she was able to memorise all they things served and all of their individual details.

I really enjoyed the whole experience and am seriously contemplating going back already!

If you want to jump on the magic carpet and head to the Genie’s cave you haven’t got long to wait as this opens in store on July 6^th. Be sure to book in advance though, https://cutterandsquidge.com/pages/genies-cave-afternoon-tea

tick, tick…BOOM! – REVIEW

Tick, tick…BOOM!

Park Theatre

 

Seen on May 18th, 2017

Reviewed by Jade Prince

★★★★

With a limited run at Park theatre Tick, Tick…BOOM! Most certainly did not disappoint. From the Pulitzer Prize winner, Jonathan Larson, the story follows three friends (Jonathan, Susan and Michael) during the 1990s as they arrive and start their journey through their thirties. While Jonathan spends the eve of his thirtieth birthday contemplating his career choices, his girlfriend (Susan) dreams of being married and venturing out of the city and his best friend (Michael) is achieving huge success in business. This sweet and intimate show takes you on a journey of self-discovery with the strong reminder of never letting go of your dreams no matter what life throws at you.

All three cast members were strong performers, but Jordan Shaw really stood out. Naturally funny when delivering his lines and was super at switching between drastically different minor characters at various point during the show. Despite the fact that there were only three cast members, the hustle and bustle of New York was still so clear on stage. Small things like the stage transitions really helped: the three actors moving props whilst noticeably changing characters. Heading into “Sunday” I was really given the feeling of being sat in the middle of a café in SOHO! In total there were 7 other characters split wonderfully between Gillian Saker and Jordan Shaw alongside their main roles of Susan and Michael. Chris Jenkins gave the audience a real feeling of empathy towards Jonathan as he pursued his dream of becoming a composer.

Superb vocals from all cast members although it was difficult to hear during some songs, as the main keys were very loud and seemed to drown out the vocals. This was more prominent at the start of the show and did not really pose an issue when the three characters came together for certain numbers. The majority of the songs were very engaging (helped by the intimacy of the venue) even the solos had a real connection to them. Gillian Saker’s performance during “come to your senses” was mesmerising! The three came together so well during the larger numbers such as “30/90” and there was never a moment I questioned the friendship portrayed.

Park 90 is a very intimate theatre auditorium which initially caused me doubt, but worked well in the favour of the show. The set, designed by Nik Corrall, was a fabulous use of space with simple but brilliant transitions.

Initially I was slightly unsure as I walked in however, a few numbers in, my mind was put at ease and I came out loving the show and believing that my own personal dreams are not too far out of reach.

Playing at Park Theatre until May 27th, 2017. Tickets: https://www.parktheatre.co.uk/whats-on/tick-tick-boom