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Bear with me: Sun Bear @ParkTheatre

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If The Light House is an uplifting tale of survival, Sarah Richardson’s Sun Bear gives a contrasting take on this. Sarah plays Katy. We’re introduced to Katy as she runs through a list of pet office peeves with her endlessly perky coworkers, particularly about coworkers stealing her pens. It’s a hilarious opening monologue that would have you wishing you had her as a coworker to help relieve you from the boredom of petty office politics.  But something is not quite right in the perfect petty office, where people work together well. And that is her. And despite her protesting that she is fine, the pet peeves and the outbursts are becoming more frequent. As the piece progresses, maybe the problem lies in a past relationship, where Katy had to be home by a particular hour, not stay out late with office colleagues and not be drunk enough not to answer his calls. Perhaps the perky office colleagues are trying to help, and perhaps Katy is trying to reach out for help. It has simple staging

Mad as hell and serving Cava: Derailed @Ovalhouse

Sometimes the best laid plans go awry. But when life gives you lemons make lemonade. Or in the case of Derailed at Oval House, make gazpacho. And serve Cava. 

The premise is that in the post-Brexit UK, they are heading back to Spain. But rather than leave downtrodden and defeated, they’re going to stage the mother of all leaving parties. 

The music blares, the party poppers fly and the party begins.

The piece opens with a series of photos from Patricia and Mercè‘s 12 years living in the UK. With the grey skies and dismal towns you start thinking Brexit wasn’t the only reason for their decision to leave.

And with a series of improvised scenarios you’ll find yourself live tweeting a petition, having a long hug with a complete stranger. Or wearing an unconvincing wig holding a banner protesting something. Along they way they chart some of their life in London and in Spain. 

The premise of Patricia Rodríguez and Mercè Ribot‘s work is to use physical theatre and improvision to create something funny and engaging. It’s sometimes silly but it’s always fascinating to watch.

Here they have turned 12 years of struggle into a celebration about what is great about life. Wherever you may be. And although the party in London may be ending, you get a sense they’ll continue the  party wherever they go.

Derailed is at Oval House Theatre as part of there Spring Season. It concludes on 3 March. Next up is This Restless State where in 2052 Europe is ravaged by a continental war and a referendum. The season concludes with Coconut, a comedy that challenges assumptions about Islam with a modern Muslim woman looking for love. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Photos by Ben MacIntosh

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