Review: LOVE IN, VAULT FestivalFebruary 27, 2023Stepping into the VOID (a literal shipping container) for Love In is like entering another world. Once the metal door opens and you are greeted by your host, the Lover (Amanda Grace), in a gorgeous sunflower dress, you forget the outside world of Waterloo with its loud bars and graffiti.
Review: IT'S A MOTHERF**KING PLEASURE, VAULT FestivalFebruary 24, 2023It’s A Motherf**king Pleasure is a brilliant commentary on disabilities and the arts and fully deserves the recommendation made by Lyn Gardner, even though she hasn’t even seen the show. As one of the actors comments, “They didn’t know it was good, but they knew it was disabled.”
Review: THE SODOMITE, VAULT FestivalFebruary 23, 2023The Sodomite is a fun show that will amuse audience members through song and story, especially those who grew up Catholic and feel ostracised from the religious community.
Review: THE WHOREING TWENTIES at VAULT FestivalFebruary 11, 2023As someone named Kat in her twenties and living in the 20s, I thought it would be interesting to review Kat and Kat Comedy’s The Whoreing Twenties. The show is an interesting mix of pre-recorded video and live comedy presented by two women, both named Kat, who “really want to give back to the community” by giving advice about sex in your twenties.
Review: HUMMINGBIRD, VAULT FestivalMarch 6, 2023Hummingbird is a funny yet serious work that sometimes attempts to move into the world of surrealism but works better as a realistic piece. Christopher Neels writes a powerful story of grief while also including a biting sense of humour that lets the audience laugh instead of simply simmering in their sadness.
Review: VILLAIN, INTERRUPTED, VAULT FestivalMarch 20, 2023Villain, Interrupted is a fun show that gives the “villains” a chance to shine while also looking at the psychology in a world in which those who have powers are feared, separating the world into “us versus them”.
Review: CRIMINALLY UNTRUE: AN IMPROVISED TRUE CRIME DOCUMENTARY, VAULT FestivalMarch 20, 2023Criminally Untrue: An Improvised True Crime Documentary is a hilarious show that will leave you wanting more from PillowTalk Theatre. Oldfield and Treen have directed a fantastic cast of improvisers that will bring a little bit of “organised chaos” into your life, creating the crime story of the decade.
Review: FILM CLUB - AN IMPROVISED COMEDY, VAULT FestivalMarch 13, 2023Film Club - An Improvised Comedy is a show that may have been better with a more enthusiastic audience and a funnier genre of movie, as the “conmen thriller” really failed to get many laughs from the crowd. While the Film Club seemed enthusiastic, it also felt as though they failed to blend their characters together into a funny storyline.
Review: LA VOISIN, VAULT FestivalMarch 6, 2023La Voisin is a fantastic prototype of what could be an incredible show. I was in awe of the acting abilities of all four performers, who are each given their moments to shine. Becca Chadder weaves together the individual stories of each character, giving each of them their own motivations while illustrating their connections to one another.
Review: LOCOMOTIVE FOR MURDER: THE IMPROVISED WHODUNNIT, VAULT FestivalMarch 6, 2023Locomotive for Murder: The Improvised Whodunnit is a quick and funny show that will have you laughing at jokes made up on the spot. While the beginning of the show takes time to be established, especially when speaking with audience members in order to build the characters, the rest of the show flies by in an hour of delightful comedy.
Review: QUEER PLANET, VAULT FestivalMarch 6, 2023Queer Planet is a fun show that will leave audiences feeling proud to be a part of the strange species known as humanity. While it may not have had as many animal facts as I would have liked to see and a few strange guest performances, the show as a whole is delightful and a light of hope in this chaotic world.
Review: CALIGULA AND THE SEA, VAULT FestivalMarch 6, 2023Caligula and the Sea blew my expectations out of the water, pun fully intended. It is an incredibly well-crafted show that will leave you speechless in the best way possible. Director and producer Yuxuan Liu has created a tale for the ages. Everyone will adore Caligula - And isn’t that, in a strange way, what he wanted?
Review: MOHAN: A PARTITION STORY, VAULT FestivalFebruary 27, 2023Mohan: A Partition Story is a beautiful solo show by Niall Moorjani that is a brilliant mix of their own story in the 21st century and their grandfather’s story from the Partitioning of India. The live music by Dibyo Mukherjee only enhances the incredible storytelling Moorjani displays throughout.
Review: GONE TO THE DOGS, VAULT FestivalFebruary 27, 2023Gone to the Dogs is an interesting show, but difficult to understand at times, making it a struggle for me to fully enjoy what was going on on stage. It was tough to tell whether the performance was satire, poking fun at those who miss the “good old days” of England, or a genuine performance mourning the loss of what can only be remembered now.
Review: THEATRE OF GULAGS, VAULT FestivalFebruary 27, 2023Even with my desire to learn and my love for immersive theatre, the show was confusing and left me frustrated. It is one thing to have purposeful confusion, in which the audience is meant to question what they are seeing - It is another thing entirely when your audience has no idea what to do or how to even move on to the next scene.
Review: THE RENDEZ-VOUS REVUE, VAULT FestivalFebruary 26, 2023Ultimately, Rendez-Vous Revue is a fun show with some great performances that could be a little more cohesive. Sometimes the performances felt a bit low-energy, but that may have been solo performers being on such a large stage, only accompanied by loud music and the cheering audience.
Review: KATIE PRITCHARD: DISCO BALL, VAULT FestivalFebruary 26, 2023Katie Pritchard: Disco Ball is an absolute delight that will have you shaking from laughter, but it is also a powerful anthem to being yourself and not letting others tell you what to do. To quote Pritchard, “You’re a disco ball”!