Speak Frog

Sappho is coming to London

Posted by Admin in Blog, London, Music, News, Theatre

Wendy Beckett’s Sappho is a new play inspired by the famous Greek poet, integrating the original poetry with contemporary music and dance. It will première in its English version at Southwark Playhouse Elephant from 3 May 3 to 25 May. The original Greek production was created in Hydrama Theatre in August 2022 before touring to Andros, Delphi and Rhodes. Wendy Beckett and Adam Fitzgerald co-direct, both making their UK directorial debuts. They lead a multi-national creative team with Halcyon Pratt, Fotis Diamantopoulos, and Mehdi Bourayou all transferring with the production from Greece. INTERVIEW…read more

Sep.03

The Son

Posted by Admin in Blog, London, Theatre

The Son opened last night at The Duke of York Theatre in London. Written by French playwright Florian Zeller, whose play The Truth I had reviewed a couple of years ago, ’Le Fils’ was first performed in Paris at the Comédie des Champs Elysées with Yvan Attal, Anne Consigny, Elodie Navarre and Rod Paradot as the son. This English version is directed by Michael Longhurst in another translation by Christopher Hampton. It transfers to the West End, following a run at Kiln Theatre in Kilburn. The play kicks off with…read more

Feb.01

Songs For Nobodies

Posted by Admin in London, Music, Theatre

La comédienne et chanteuse australienne Bernadette Robinson interprète en solo Songs For Nobodies, une pièce musicale écrite pour elle par Joanna Murray Smith et mise en scène par Simon Phillips Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday, Maria Callas, Judy Garland, Patsy Cline … cinq légendes de la chanson et icônes féminines. Songs For Nobodies explore la vie des ces divas à travers le regard de cinq autres femmes qui les ont un jour croisées. Dans les toilettes publiques, lors d’une répétition avant un concert… cinq inconnues ont été touchées par leur rencontre…read more

Apr.11

Pericles, Prince of Tyr

Posted by Admin in Blog, Language, London, News, Theatre

Cheek by Jowl is a multilingual theatre company with a truly international reach and three companies of actors (UK, France and Russia). I first discovered them in France in 2004. The play was Othello, the place : the Theatre de l’Odéon at their ‘ateliers Berthier’ venue. I was so impressed by the level of acting and the vitality of the staging… and also struck by Nonso Anozie in the title role. He was extraordinary. Back then, I was a first year acting student at the Central School of Speech and Drama and had heard about Nonso, who had…read more

Jan.18

Marchland

Posted by Admin in History, Literature, London, Music, Theatre

Franco – British theatre company Théâtre Volière is coming back to London with Marchland : a season of performances from the edges and in-between places of Europe. Based in Alsace, Théâtre Volière have always been fascinated by the turbulent history of this border region between France and Germany. Marchland is their response to the crisis of identity currently sweeping Europe. A recurring ‘rendez-vous’, Marchland will run each February from 2018 to 2020 at the historic Bridewell Theatre turned into a unique pop-up space. The former swimming pool will be transformed into a central European café and fitted…read more

Nov.02

Suzy Storck

Posted by Admin in Blog, Language, Literature, London, News, Theatre

Suzy Storck, by French playwright Magali Mougel, directed by Jean-Pierre Baro, recently opened at the Gate Theatre. The play plunges us into the title characte’s life. Literally. Watch your step as you make your way through the toy-littered floor of Cecile Tremolière’s set. Performed by the magnetic Caoilfhinion Dunne, Suzy Storck carries the weight of the world. She lives with a man (Jonah Russel is utterly believable as Hans Vasilly Kruez) who doesn’t take ‘NO’ for an answer when she claims not to want children. He makes her give up her…read more

Mar.10

Francophonie

Posted by Admin in Language, London, Theatre

The French are so passionate about their language that they have made up a word to describe the act of speaking it: ‘francophonie‘. Made up of the word ‘Franc’ (the ancient tribe that gave its name to modern France) and the greek ‘phono’ (meaning ‘sound’ or ‘voice’), francophonie is a non-exclusive club open to any country or person who speaks French. As every year, London will join the French-speaking world in celebrating the week of francophonie. And on this occasion, we will be heading to the fourth edition of the International Improvisation Match on March 22nd in the beautiful Clapham Grand, just across from Clapham junction. Last…read more

Jun.29

The Truth/ La Vérité

Posted by Admin in Blog, Humorous, London, Theatre

Florian Zeller is French theatre’s enfant chéri and he is taking the UK and the world by storm. Following the success of his play The Father (Le Père) the most acclaimed new play of the past decade (2014 Molière Award for Best Play, Olivier nomination and currently nominated for Best New Play at this year’s Tony Awards) Zeller’s latest success The Truth (La Vérité) transferred last week to the Wyndham’s Theatre. This elegant and slick take on boulevard comedy tackles hypocrisy and unfaithfulness: two favourite French themes since Molière and Feydeau. It is seamlessly…read more

Jun.14

Haim – In The Light Of A Violin

Posted by Admin in Blog, Language, London, Music, Theatre

Last night, I was lucky to see Haim – In The Light Of A Violin (or Haim – A La Lumiere d’un Violon, as it is known in French). The true story of violinist prodigy and Holocaust survivor Haïm Lipsky is written and directed with great sensibility by Gérald Garutti and performed in French with English surtitles in a new translation by Christopher Hampton (Dangerous Liaisons, Atonement). The UK premiere opened last weekend at the gorgeous Coronet on Notting Hill Gate. This was the first great discovery of the evening. Built…read more

Mar.08

Le Français dans tous ses états!

Posted by Admin in Blog, Language, London, Theatre

Prepare to experience the French language in all its accents! Actors from France, Quebec, Belgium and Switzerland meet in a wild improvisation match to celebrate the week of the French Language. It’s hosted by the FBI, not the US secret services, but the friendlier French British Improvisation league, in the beautiful Clapham Grand, on March 16th at 7pm. If you don’t know much about improvisation, you can read about it here, in French: Né au Québec, ce genre théâtral se veut un mélange entre l’improvisation théâtrale et le hockey sur…read more