G's Theatre Blog

  © Zhaolin Zhou and Tingying The wholesome feeling I have while walking home after  Walking Cats  at Camden People's Theatre is almost impossible to put down in words. As I walk home, I keep thinking about how, as a migrant, the show's themes of nostalgia and fitting in feel relevant and relatable; at the same time, it's a unique masterclass in storytelling that highlights the uniqueness of each individual experience, in all their singular beauty and vulnerability.  Walking Cats  is an intimate and endlessly ingenious exploration of two parts within the protagonist's soul, and the effort to make them coexist. On one side, we have Kilburn Cat, a grey and white cat who lives in North London, shops for groceries at the Sainsbury's down the road, and tries to get acquainted with its new home away from home; Dongfeng Cat, on the other hand, comes from a village in China, is colorful, and very in touch with its roots, strengthening that connection with food and memor...

  © Corinne Din Din Lights go up on 16 bright-coloured foam boxes. Stage center, Lila Robirosa - whose simple yet effective costume reminds of both a pawn and a bell - limpidly intones: "The first term of the first year of university gave to me...". The rest, you'll want to figure out on your own. Suffice to say, Lila's reinterpretation of the famous tune The Twelve Days of Christmas  retraces her nine terms of university and the hilarious and almost grotesque things that happened to her in those three years.  The show is a collection of comedic anecdotes candidly discussing queerness and womanhood. Since the order in which they're performed is decided by the roll of a dice, they're cleverly conceived to work both on their own and within the wider narrative - like stackable storage units. Lila's friendly and light-hearted style allows her to build rapport with the audience quickly; and we remain loyal to her all night, as she - more or less diligently, but...

© Alessandra Davison I've never liked the colour orange. In a world full of traffic cones, reflective vests, and life rafts, I've found myself overwhelmed by its loudness, betrayed by its promise of vitality that always ends in tartness.  Last night, I went to Camden People's Theatre, one of my favourite places in London, one that to me means safety, acceptance, growth. When I started working at CPT, in 2019, the dominant colour in our logo was a deep, dark aqua: a gorgeous, grounding shade I now instinctively link to creativity and family. Hence, I am taken aback when I look at the CPT stage, ready for For A Palestinian , and notice an unignorable pile of oranges on the floor. Then, rows of oranges hung from the ceiling. Then, an orange wash in the background, which, in combination with the other elements of the masterful light design (Ros Chase), fills the room with wondrous shades of magenta purple, indigo blue, and of course, an abundance of orange.  Now, it would be re...