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Grief and fluff: Tiger @OmnibusTheatre

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Death is something we all will face. After all, nobody gets out of here alive. But how do you get past it when grief is all you can feel? And this is the premise of Tiger, currently playing at Omnibus Theatre . It's a fascinating exploration of the stages of grief. And with a terrific cast to take you on this journey, it's an endearing and sweet story that has you engaged from the start, wondering what will happen next.  We are introduced to Alice (Poppy Allen-Quarmby) as she gives a stand-up routine. It's not particularly funny and starts to veer into the topic of dying. Something isn't right. She used to be good at this but can't move forward. Soon, she is back in her London apartment with her partner Oli (Luke Nunn), discussing that they need to get a lodger to make ends meet.  Oli is a doctor working night shifts at the local NHS hospital. Alice is not ready to face a return to stand up or anything. So when the first potential lodger arrives (Meg Lewis), looking

The girl with the animal tattoo: Vixen @thevaultsuk


There's something about the girl with vixen tattoo in Vixen. If you're standing in the bar at the Vaults at the beginning she is likely to push you out of the way singing and asking for spare change.

It's a confronting introduction to this part promenade performance of Silent Opera's Vixen. It re-imagines Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen to the streets of London. Here Vixen is homeless, taken in by a different kind of predator only to escape.

Rosie Lomas in the role of the Vixen holds your attention with her performance of a determined and resourceful woman of the street.

Along the way she escapes a foster carer, kicks out another homeless man from his shelter and falls in love.



The adaptation has you moving through the spaces of The Vaults. With its dirty sofas, cramped spaces and an all-pervading smell of damp, the venue is well suited to the topic. It looks like a homeless shelter at the best of times. It's  evocative at least. The audience trundles throughout the space and so wear sensible shoes and clothing that's easy to wash.

Silent Opera has you watch the piece with headphones pumping the orchestra or electronic music. Perhaps the space of The Vaults doesn't quite make sense to do this. Popup Opera had managed to use the same space without such technical gimmicks.

It helps not to have an appreciation for Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen on which this piece is based. You get the impression that the subtlety, music and story is lost here. The translations come across as clunky. But as a story about the harsh realities facing the homeless, it's a thought-provoking (if slightly earnest) piece.

Directed by Daisy Evans, Vixen is at the The Vaults until 10 June. The production is also supporting the homeless charity Crisis so bring some spare change for their charity bucket. You also need to arrive early to receive your headphones and instructions.

⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎


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