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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

Game play: Lamplighters @ORLTheatre

The world of spies as depicted in John Le Carre novels seems to be an unlikely source of amusement. All that drinking, bureaucracy and lying. But in Lamplighters it’s really a backdrop for some inspired improvisation and audience participation. 

Led by Neil Connolly as the spymaster, he’s living out a childhood dream to play spies... With a bunch of random audience members. 

It’s an immersive theatre experience. Which means that when you enter The Old Red Lion Theatre you can expect to be part of the entertainment.  But only if you want to. 

After he’s finished chatting you up at the start (and sizing you up), there’s a slightly unconvincing mystery to solve, villains to find and stop. And a secret briefcase. And he needs the help of the audience to make it happen. And get laughs.

This concept works well in making the ordinary seem hilarious. Assuming there’s always the right balance of weird and adventurous audience members to make the show hilarious every night. 

On my night the audience member enlisted as the “lamplighter” was the best. The role entailed leaving messages in chalk to signal all was okay. He kept drawing surreal chalk messages on the wall and didn’t see why they were funny. Most of us were expecting him to draw a penis or some other naughty part of the body. 

The show was first seen at London’s VAULT Festival in 2018, where it won the festival’s People’s Choice Award.

Directed by Dean Rodgers, Lamplighters is at the Old Red Lion Theatre until August 18. And they’re keeping the air conditioning on during the performance so the only one who has to sweat is Connolly. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Photos by Birdman Foxglove Photography 

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