Blog

Audience Development

Audience Development & Play Readings

BY
Josey De Rossi

Play readings within theatre companies are a vital part of successfully producing plays. They often signal the beginning of the creative process, with the first assembly of the cast and the artistic director laying down the foundations of the interpretation of the play.

Black Lives Featured First Nations

Namatjira at the Southbank Centre, London

BY
Josey De Rossi

This play, which tells the story of Albert Namatjira, the first indigenous Australian painter to win international acclaim, premiered in Alice Springs in late 2009 and has since toured Australia. Now, this fascinating story comes to London. At the Southbank Centre

Children's Theatre

Told by an Idiot’s Get Happy at the Barbican

BY
Josey De Rossi

Our reviewer Josey takes eight-year-old Henry to Told By An Idiot’s latest production, a collaborative adventure-cum-panto-cum-circus show, with a giant ...

Children's Theatre

Circtacular at The Drum Theatre Dandenong

BY
Josey De Rossi

Look at how much the children are enjoying what they're doing. They delight in what they're doing...in doing their best.  They're not following what someone said, they know what they're doing.  They own what they're doing! Even the mistakes were beautiful mistakes.  They are glorious.  They are proactive.

Featured Into Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s Tempest On The Gold Coast

BY
Josey De Rossi

I have just viewed a great production of Shakespeare’s Tempest. I don’t say that lightly since the last time I ...

Children's Theatre

The Jungle Book at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre

BY
Josey De Rossi

Our reviewer takes Alannah (aged ten) and James (five) to a new version of The Jungle Book, with wonderful wild animals and a pretty convincing jungle above a pub. At the Lion and Unicorn Theatre.

Children's Theatre

The Gruffalo at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue

BY
Josey De Rossi

Julia Donaldson's story about a little mouse on an epic journey returns to the West End stage, with lively performances all around. Eight-year-old Henry helps our reviewer dish out the stars for this recommended Christmas treat for young families.

Black Lives First Nations

Masi Maidens at the Bargehouse

BY
Josey De Rossi

Theatre historian Josey De Rossi, who has studied the effects of European cultural imperialism on indigenous art forms, guides us through some of the themes raised by this unusual cross-arts project. At the Bargehouse.

Comedy and comics Commedia dell'arte

Francis, the Jester of God at Anglican parish of St Francis of Assisi, West Wickham

BY
Josey De Rossi

Mario Pirovano’s welcomes the audience to his one-man performance of Francis, the Holy Jester as a politician on the hustings. Launching the show with the promise of overturning centuries of misconceptions, he springs into the story of Francis, emphasizing that the real stories of the thirteenth century Italian saint are uniquely wonderful because they show how it is Francis the ‘holy fool’ who realises his life as friend of the poor, champion of the persecuted and heroic worker for peace and justice.

Theatre of Realism

Billy the Girl

BY
Josey De Rossi

Katie Hims' Billy the Girl presents superbly drawn characters, faced with the paradox of living ordinary lives through times of big change. Direction, design and sensitive portrayals of difficult characters combine in a moving story of about starting again.

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