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Ruthless People: Ruthless - Arches Lane Theatre

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What is it about the Madoff’s that writers can’t resist writing about? Sure, it may have been the largest Ponzi scheme to collapse (so far), but there isn’t much more to explore. Or is there? In Ruthless by writer Roger Steinmann, Ruth Madoff is imagined as a wronged, gun-toting woman anchored in the past while trying to move on with her life. It’s not entirely successful but a fascinating look at life and wig choices, It’s currently playing at the theatre now known as the Arches Lane Theatre in Battersea. Ruth Madoff, played by Emily Swain, is here wearing a wig. I thought it was an odd look until I reviewed how closely it matched the photo of her interview in  The New York Times .  Typically, it’s the sort of wig you might see worn by Ladies on a night out in central London, not someone who once had over $80m in assets. With Bernie in Jail and both her sons now dead - one by suicide and one due to cancer, she is setting a table for the men who have left her. And ordering p...

Remote arguments: The Marriage of Kim K @arcolatheatre @marriageofkimk


The Arcola Theatre's annual Grimeborn Opera Festival opened this year with Leoe & Hyde's The Marriage of Kim K. It contrasts the life of Kim Kardashian and her brief marriage to basketballer Kris Humphries with the different backgrounds of the count and countess in Mozart's opera.

But this piece really boils down to who has the remote control in the living room. There is a third couple in the proceedings - Amelia and Stephen. She is a law student and likes to watch trashy television and he is a composer who wants to watch something more challenging.

You would think they would get a tablet and headphones and stream like everyone else. But this story was added after composer and director Stephen Hyde fell for his leading lady Amelia Gabriel. So a show about a reality show becomes its own reality show. It's so meta it is enough to do your head in.


But even though I found Stephen and Amelia's story a bit contrived, there are enough catchy tunes and playful performances to hook you in. There is a cleverness in the lyrics and fusion of opera and pop will have you humming the tunes after the show.

Yasemin Mireille plays Kim with a lot of sass and James Edge as Kris manages to be both irresistible  and repellent.

And as the Count and Countess Nathan Bellis and Emily Burnett give the show some class with their strong vocals.

If you treat the Grimeborn Opera Festival as an opportunity to see new and developing works then you'll be in for a treat. The Marriage of Kim K has finished for now in London. But it continues through August at the Edinburgh Fringe.

There's lots more as part of the festival with continues through August. Next up is The Cunning Little Vixen. There's also a version of Porgy and Bess, Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story and Samson and Delilah coming over the season.

⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎




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