Ida Rubinstein: The Final Act. Playground Theatre, London, matinée performance 9th October 2021 – Maggie Watson reviews

The play opens with a projected image of Ida Rubinstein’s grave, which morphs into mysterious and exotic visions of Naomi Sorkin, who slowly unwinds and removes one veil after another.  She is at once Cléopâtre, Salomé and Rubinstein, gradually revealing her body, as she prepares to disclose layer upon layer of her past.  Sorkin’s compelling performance exudes magnetic power, as she plays an ageing femme fatale telling her life story to journalist Edward Clement (played by Max Wilson). 

 

Swing – Fishamble at Oxford Playhouse 16th April 2016 – Emily May reviews

“Swing is a comedy about dancing”. Fishamble’s international hit refreshingly explores the nature of dance comically through the eyes of a different art form, reminding the dancers and dance enthusiasts among us of the true values of movement. Not a perfectly aligned arabesque, but communication, escapism and fun.

The play begins suddenly and humorously, as the double act (Arthur Riordan and Gene Rooney) enter through the audience, asking spectators “is this Swing?” subsequently unloading their bike helmets and bags onto the stage from their supposed commutes. This opening sets the tone for whole production, as throughout the performance the actors involve and directly address the audience. In their roles as the larger than life hosts of a Swing Dance society, they welcome the audience with black humour – “we’re all swingers here!” – and perform demonstrations of humorous dance steps, including monkey walks and “fish bums.” This use of direct address is engaging and transforms audience members from their status as theatre-goers in the Oxford Playhouse, to attendees of a swing dance class in an unspecified area of the Republic of Ireland.

 

Fishamble present Swing at Oxford Playhouse 16th April 2016

Not a dance show but a play that gets to the heart of dancing… Fishamble, Ireland’s premiere new writing company, brings their international hit to the Oxford Playhouse, fresh from New York, Paris, Edinburgh and New Zealand.  Swing is a comedy about dancing.  And music and love and feeling like an eejit and being brave and having doubts and trying your best and trying new things and thinking outside the box and seeing things clearly and living as well as you can and giving it a lash.  With rock ‘n’roll music.

Highly recommended, this hugely heart-warming tale is sure to make you want to put on your dancing shoes…

Written by: Steve Blount, Peter Daly, Gavin Kostick and Janet Moran
Directed by: Peter Daly
Cast: Arthur Riordan and Gene Rooney
Produced by: Eva Scanlan
Lighting by: Mark Galione
Sound by: Ivan Birthistle
Stage Manager: Marella Boschi

Performance:  Saturday 16th April, 7.30pm

Venue: Oxford Playhouse, Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2LW

Age Guideline:  12+

Tickets:  £13, £11 concessions

Book tickets online here  or call the Box Office on 01865 305305

Find out more about Fishamble here