The Snowman is back at the Peacock Theatre on its annual run marking its 23^rd year. A magical precursor to the festive season, it is a fantastic adaptation of the children’s book by Raymond Briggs and the film directed by Dianne Jackson. The show is a feast for both children and adults, who together can enjoy interacting with all the Christmas characters. Along with the little boy, there is, of course the Snowman with a whole bunch of other snowmen and snow-women, a very flamboyant Father Christmas in his glistening red attire, and there are penguins, reindeers and the snow princess. There are other animals like the cat, squirrel, badger, rabbit and fruits too, popping out of a gigantic refrigerator- all in their brightly coloured costumes, creating a bright and playful ambience. Everyone on stage is simply happy! They reflect pure joy, lifting the spirit and swooshing the audience off to a magical world where life is all sparkling and fun.

As the show is about to start the children in the auditorium drift into silence. From a quick glance around I could see a very eager young audience, almost counting down to the stage brightening up – 3,2,1-and the show begins! With its snow-covered Christmas trees standing tall on either side, the stage is a world covered in a white blanket of snow. The boy is still in bed, while Mum and Dad are busy with their daily chores in the living room. He wakes up to this beautiful snow-filled morning and goes out to play.  He makes his customary snowman who comes to life that night when the whole world is asleep. The boy sneaks out of his bed and goes out to check on his Snowman. Magically the Snowman comes to life. He takes a bow and shakes hands with him. The awe and wonder of the boy at this sudden surprise reflect on the junior members in the audience! The boy and the snowman bond and the journey of experiencing each other’s worlds begin. Martin Fenton’s performance as the Snowman is eerily like that of a snowman. His movements mimic the soft weightless glide of an actual ball of snow. They are frictionless with no sign of conscious effort.

Throughout the first half of the show, the boy takes the Snowman around his house where he is amazed at his discoveries in a human household. The Snowman’s explorations have been wonderfully portrayed through the choreographies and theatrical elements of the show. The humour in the story is perfectly wrapped in choreographic sequences when the audience cracks into laughter – the Snowman lazes on the sofa next to a fireplace and he almost begins to melt. The boy rushes to switch it off and restores the Snowman back to shape. The boy leads him in front of the kitchen fridge. Opening it brings a cool breeze of relief for the Snowman and out comes a giant banana, coconut and pineapple. The dance of the three fruits is one of the highlights of the evening. The Snowman meets the household pet cat and ends up ruffling him out of his cosy corner.  He then goes on to ride a motorbike with the boy seated on the side carrier. This untimely night ride drives out a squirrel, a fox and a rabbit from their slumber. This leads to another memorable dance sequence under a starlit night sky.

Ready for a rest after their exploration, the Snowman gets in the freezer -and what happens now is jaw-dropping for our little spectators. The snowman starts to fly! And he also whisks James with him, finally landing in the North Pole! A real flight across the stage – can it really get any more magical! The children follow the gentle, dreamy take-off without a blink. The very little ones arch and drop their heads back, almost touching the roof with their chin. There is a unified gasp across the house and waving of hands at the Snowman and his little friend. The Snowman introduces his friend to his other snowmen and snow-women friends who have gathered from around the world to party. Guess who is also at the party- Father Christmas himself! There is a cheer from the audience as he enters in his sledge. Beautiful dance sequences unfurl in this section as there are more characters adding in, typical to the land of Father Christmas. The reindeers, penguins, the Snow Princess and the wicked Jack Frost. What ensues is a fun-filled second half with more dance numbers, mime and drama to the original score by Howard Blake.

Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s recreation of The Snowman is a beautiful translation of the book into this stage presentation. The format is simple yet catching. Very colourful and bright, even when it’s all white. The use of bright colours, crisp direction, flawless performance by the cast and the magical bond between the snowman and his little friend, together, creates the ideal treat for all in the build-up to Christmas. The snowfall on the audience at the end when James is tucked back in bed by his buddy, adds in a winter wonderland feel to the show. He wakes up the next morning only to find his Snowman is all but melted, leaving behind his hat and scarf lying on the snow. Our young audience would have been sad at this ending but there is the finale dance to cheer all up. The entire cast gushes in on stage along with the Snowman and the boy and Father Christmas. They dance under the light shower of snowflakes. It’s a party! It’s a joyous festive finish to the show sending smiling faces back home!!

Running at Sadler’s Wells until 2 January 2022! For tickets visit The Snowman – Peacock Theatre – Sadler’s Wells (sadlerswells.com)

Written by Protima Chatterjee who is the Founder and Creative Director of Abundant Art

Strolling along the main collection at the National Gallery, I admired a thousand masterpieces displaying the most well-known European artists. In a room full of portraits of wealthy elites representing their greatness and wealth, I was amazed to discover a section of work on display by Kehinde Wiley.

Kehinde Wiley is a Black American artist who reproduces well-known masterpieces. His objective is to highlight the absence of Black figures within European art. His aim is successfully achieved. Wiley’s paintings are in contrast to the other works on display in the rest of the gallery, pointing out the lack of diversity within European galleries. The exhibition displays five of his works, in which he refers to artists of European Romanticism such as Caspar David Friedrich and Winslow Homer. In those paintings, he questions our link with nature and race by giving a large place to the landscape in which he only represents one or two human figures. His realistic style bears an uncanny resemblance with the original work, such as Caspar David Friedrich’s ‘The traveler contemplating a sea of clouds’.

The masterpiece of this exhibition is The Prelude, a film Wiley made this year featuring Black Londoners he met in the streets around the National Gallery. The fact that he sets them in a powerful backdrop of the Norwegian landscape of the fjord, shows the depths of his imagination. It also forges a realistic connection with the existence of societal disparities across ages, to the current times. Kehinde Wiley plays with the contrast created by the whiteness of the snow, generating a beautiful metaphor concerning race and identity. The interesting choice for the setting across the film is one of the key factors of its success. At the National Gallery the film is being shown on six screens displaying different scenes, immersing us into this awe-inspiring landscape. Though set in an inhospitable environment, the sheer strength of the people in the film, walking and bonding with each other, stands out, and is thought-provoking. The classical music used as background score adds a layer of grandeur and enhances the impression, that they are the survivors of the world.

This powerful exhibition is an amazing opportunity to discover Kehinde Wiley’s work and to approach the question of racial diversity within art. It will run until 18 April 2022 at the National Gallery, London. Learn more about it and get your free tickets at https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/kehinde-wiley.

Reviewed by Alix Berthelot–Moritz- Alix is a volunteer writer for Abundant Art. Originally from Normandy, France, she follows her passion for journalism and art by studying at the European Political and Social Sciences of UCL, London. As an international student living in London, she is determined to fully experience and discover the entirety of the city’s vibrant arts scene and share the beauty of it through her writing.

Throughout the Christmas holidays, the Battersea Arts Centre is hosting the new Holidays Pantomime “Sleeping Beauty and the Beast”, directed by Kerry Frampton. The play is a feel-good family show that puts on stage everyone’s favourite characters from our childhood fairy tales, adding on a pinch of humour, parody and Christmas spirit.

The beloved trio Sleeping Trees (James Dunnel-Smith, John Woodburn and Joshua George Smith) are back on stage, accompanied by Juliana Lisk and Jamal Franklin who are ready to embark on a new adventure. The five friends are having a slumber party when James realises that someone stole the script of their play. In order to change his mood, his friends improvise a story that they invent as they play along. They start acting the story of Goodie-versity, a university presided by Beauty and The Beast for recovering bad guys who want to become good. One day, the school receives a surprise visit from an inspector who menaces to close the school if their graduation doesn’t go smoothly. However, everything turns to catastrophe when the Beast is put to sleep by a sleeping potion, which highjacks the graduation. Belle turns to her friend detective Sleeping Beauty to solve the case of who poisoned her husband, and to bring him back from Dreamland.

The play offers a hilarious situation of meta-theatre where the story of Sleeping Beauty and The Beast is constantly interrupted by the actors coming back to reality and adding other elements to their adventure. Their tale starts to become more and more extravagant as the friends decide to add random characters such as a scary ghost, a flying lobster, a talking box of cereal or even Santa Claus (“to make it more Christmassy!”). The set of characters who follow each other on stage are all priceless and showcase the range of the actors, who are able to change characters with extreme fluidity. We meet Captain Hook, Gaston, The King of Rats, a mummy, the big bad wolf, the dwarf Sleepy, and many more. And in typical pantomime fashion, the stage (designed by Emily Bestow) is as colourful and bizarre as the story.

The audience is enthusiastically engaged, as they are drawn in by the actors to participate in helping detective Sleeping Beauty find clues.  It was heart-warming to see the investment of the younger public, who exulted at every discovery, gasped at every plot twist and laughed at every joke. In an age where kids are likely to be desensitised to theatre and other forms of art, it is more important than ever to provide a sensibilisation to art from a young age, and the children in the audience seemed delighted to be there. Everything in this play, from the charismatic quintet of actors to the fun storytelling aspect will charm kids, families, or even fun-loving adults. Get your tickets at https://bac.org.uk/whats-on/sleeping-beauty-the-beast/

The Big House is without a doubt Islington’s hidden gem: the former frame factory hidden in a residential side street is currently hosting Redemption, a play directed by artistic director Maggie Norris about the everyday struggles of London’s abandoned youth. Music becomes their only way of expression, an aspect which is perfectly conveyed through the musical score composed by The Last Skeptik and written by James Meteyard. Norris paints a landscape of the harsh reality of these precarious lives who, at the brim of adulthood, are lost in a quest for a brighter path where redemption seems impossible.

We follow the story of Maz (Renaya Dennis), a young woman who uses her tough exterior and a constant mean frown to hide her deep vulnerability. As she flees her dangerous care home, she tries to find success as a singer in a recording studio where she meets Tayo (Shaquille Jack), a shy young man with an angelic singing voice. Together, the pair navigates a world of bitterness, violence and grief in a desperate search for identity and hope.

The Big House’s uniqueness as a theatre company is that it offers opportunities and mentoring to young people from difficult backgrounds. It gives them a space for artistic expression allowing talents to bloom. The portrayal of underprivileged environments isn’t always represented so accurately in the media, but “Redemption” offers a totally natural rendering of the slang, attitudes and relationships typical of rural areas. The more emotional moments are also very well expressed, as one can imagine that they hit familiar buttons for the actors. Ranaya Dennis is spectacular, and gives her character the perfect balance of likable vulnerability and bitter toughness, like a wounded stray animal that defends itself by growling at anyone who approaches it. The story entirely revolves around her character and her internal monologues, and yet her performance was flawless and strong enough to carry the whole play. A rather arduous task for such a young talent, but she manages to execute it perfectly. Similarly, Shaquille Jack gives a very touching performance despite the quiet nature of his character, and his singing moments are incredibly moving. The supporting cast is also extremely believable and genuine, offering very natural performances and flowing dialogue.

The immersive aspect of the play is also primarily due to the creative use of space: each scene is set in a different room of The Big House, and the public is invited to walk to the next room every time a scene ends. One discovers the recording studio, Maz’s friend’s house, the care home, Tayo’s favourite bridge, and many other places that all hold the same slightly abandoned and neglected look. The absence of a proper stage has the actors play a few centimetres away from the public, which gives an impression of being part of the conversations between the characters. Whilst classical theatre estranges the audience from the stage, Redemption plunges you into the action, thus stimulating and engaging thoughts on the social problems that are being represented.

In their brutally harsh world, music seems like the only window of hope for Maz and Tayo, an interesting analogy on the role of art in difficult times, which is particularly relevant today. The music of the play has range, going from rap to club music. Maz’s and Tayo’s duet on the bridge was hauntingly beautiful, and many audience members were still humming the tune whilst leaving the venue.

Overall, the play offers a raw and emotionally charged insight into the reality of London’s struggling youth. Maz’s struggle for survival and her attempt to find a purpose in a system that is constantly trying to crush her leaves us with a hanging question: is there any chance for redemption? Or is everything just part of an endless loop that is impossible to break?

Have a look at The Big House and Redemption at https://thebighouse.uk.com/#!/.

There is no better way to celebrate Christmas in theatre than with a traditional pantomime. This year, Aladdin Pantomime lives up to the task by delivering a bizarre, fun and colourful adventure that will delight audiences of all ages. The hilarious modern take on the tale directed by Abigail Graham and written by Vikki Stone stars a talented cast whose performance is full of charisma, energy, witty improvisation, and singing talent.

The story takes place in Hammersmith, where one day the street boy Aladdin (Qasim Mahmood) falls in love with Princess Jasmine (Ellena Vincent), who dreams of becoming a graphic designer for comic books instead of being a princess. As he attempts to impress her, things take a wrong turn and Aladdin gets arrested by the King (Kate Donnachie) and his malefic advisor Abanazer (Irvine Iqbal). This provokes a series of events that Aladdin will have to face with the help of his sister Wishy (Gracie McGonigal) and his new friend, the Genie of the lamp (again played by Kate Donnachie).

A fantastically bizarre adventure full of songs, gags and costumes, and yet quite anchored to reality: the magic city of Agrabah from the original tale is turned into the streets of London and Hammersmith; there are countless mentions of Covid and the uselessness of the NHS app; and the pop culture references are endless. This modern aspect is ground for some social commentaries: Jasmine is turned into a feminist icon, Dave Twankey (Stephan Boyce) breaks gender codes by proudly wearing a dress and the King’s comically large blonde wig and blue costume resemble a certain British Prime Minister, who is thoroughly mocked through the whole play.

Satire is indeed a primary component of the piece, as every character is turned into clownish versions of their original counterparts in the tale. Abanazer is an exaggeration of the classic dramatic villain, always accompanied by thunderstorms and giving expositions of his evil plan on a PowerPoint. The King, as indicated by his oversized clown shoes and costume, is a literal clown who is constantly outsmarted by everyone because of his outrageous stupidity. Aladdin is turned into a douchebag that only wants “the bling” and uses the genie solely for materialistic purposes, although he learns his lesson throughout the story. Furthermore, the original cast is joined by two new extravagant characters: Wishy, Aladdin’s sister, whose only dream is to have a friend, and Dave Twankey, the flamboyant owner of a laundrette that is turned into a microbrewery.

However, the most striking aspect of the play is the set design and the special effects designed by Lily Arnold, as is often the case in Pantomime. The colourfulness and bizarreness of the play are creatively embodied by the various settings such as the Cave of Wonders and the magic carpet ride, where the carpet literally leaves the stage to float over the audience. This plunges you into an immersive world of glitter, colours and cheerfulness that guarantees two hours of pure laughs and cheers.

Get your tickets at https://lyric.co.uk/shows/aladdin-2021/

I went to see Interruptions wondering how the subject of leadership would be treated and how Director Guy Woolf had managed to transform Stephen Jeffreys’ play for twelve actors into one for only six actors. I left the theatre with a smile on my face saying ‘It was amazing, powerful… questioning both our history and reality.’ I ended up being impressed by the pertinence of the actors and the relevance of the questioning the author raises. Guy Woolf directed the play and managed to keep the audience out of breath for two hours. The cast is from represent, a theatre company with six actors who all complimented each other. Their symbiosis can be admired throughout the whole performance.

Interruptions is a play originally devised by Stephen Jeffreys and Annabel Arden. They used an impressive process to create this play. He chose to represent seven essential human activities taking place in very different locations, applying the same scheme of proceedings starting with an introduction, continuing with a development, and ending with a conclusion. Annabel Arden was working with a company of twelve actors and in the morning they were improvising on one human activity in which Stephen Jeffreys had written twenty-seven actions. In the afternoon Stephen Jeffreys was writing the play getting his inspirations directly from the morning’s exercises. From this collaborative work, he made a powerful play in which we are never at rest, waiting for the next Interruption to strike.

We are directly immersed in a pre-election time where a group of communists wonder if they should re-elect the same left party which did not do anything, but is still better than the other parties. As a French native, I cannot but relate to the present political situation in France where presidential elections are coming up in a few months. This first scene talks about why the people don’t want to get involved in politics: they used to believe in change but it did not bring about anything great and the state never cared about their lives. In each scene, we follow new characters evolving into very different atmospheres, and every time the political creeps in: everything is political. The transition from one place to another is always powerful, taking place under a bombardment, a shooting, or in song. There are only six tables on stage, but the emotions conveyed by the actors and the music reflect tension and suspense so strongly.

This play is bringing back political theatre to the stage after a long period of Covid and it feels good to be questioning our social reality. Written in 2001, this play could not be more relevant and accurate to the current time, echoing the recent political events. Stephen Jeffreys is playing between the macro and the micro-level, looking at how political decisions can affect people’s lives and how each individual is part of society and thus can act upon, in their individual capacity for change. Annabel Arden explained that the play carries a political message of non-violence and emphasizes the importance of open discussion.

This powerful play is a gem of accuracy both in performance and approach of major societal subjects. If you have the opportunity go watch it, you won’t regret it, Guy Woolf’s and the actors’ work is forceful.

All performances, classes and courses at Jackson’s Lane Theatre can be found here: https://www.jacksonslane.org.uk/whats-on/

Cast of represent performing Interruptions – Photo © Guy-Bell

Reviewed by Alix Berthelot–Moritz- Alix is a volunteer writer for Abundant Art. Originally from Normandy, France, she follows her passion for journalism and art by studying at the European Political and Social Sciences of UCL, London. As an international student living in London, she is determined to fully experience and discover the entirety of the city’s vibrant arts scene, and share the beauty of it through her writing.

Tate Modern presents Lubaina Himid’s largest solo exhibition to date, showcasing six new unseen paintings, as well as some of her more prominent work. Across her career, Lubaina Himid’s powerful contemporary art has made its mark in the British Black Arts movement, winning her the Turner Prize in 2017. This colourful, contemporary exhibition is one which not only catches the eye, but leads us to question how the built environment, history, personal relationships and conflict shape our lives.

The whimsical, theatrical nature of this exhibition reflects Himid’s interest in opera and theatre. Each installation draws our attention to everyday moments, each telling its own story. Collectively, they act as starting points for conversation, for taking action and for making changes. Himid’s paintings capture both moments of power and of struggle – from the difficulties of migration to women coming together in solidarity. What I found most fascinating were the vibrant patterns and fashionable designs throughout. Influenced by her mother’s career as a textile designer, Himid’s use of East African kanga textiles is prominent in her paintings. It is a perfect intertwinement of fashion and culture.

A key feature of this exhibition is the use of sound installations, including Blue Grid Test 2020, a collaboration between Lubaina Himid and Magda Stawarska-Beavan. This 25-metre-long painting includes 64 patterns from all over the world, each painted a different shade of blue. Paired with the paintings, the sound installations allow the visitor to immerse themselves into the exhibition and deeply ponder the questions which Himid is asking us.

This vibrant, contemporary exhibition combines politics and culture, asking an important series of questions as you pass through each room. Featuring famous works such as A Fashionable Marriage, and new unseen paintings, this exhibition is one that captivates both the mind and the eyes. The final question reads ‘Do you want to live an easy life?’ – it allows the viewer to reflect upon the exhibition and reminds us of Himid’s message. It is up to us to build a world that fits our own needs.

Book your tickets now at: https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/lubaina-himid

Reviewed by Ridha Sheikh – Ridha is a volunteer writer for Abundant Art. She is a recent History and Politics graduate from Queen Mary – University of London. Ridha is excited to explore and share her strong passion for London’s art scene.