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A little less conversation: After Sex @Arcolatheatre

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According to research, millennials in rich countries are having sex less these days. But they were prepared to talk more about it. So, it is no surprise to see a story about what happens when a series of no-strings-attached encounters start to become attachments. And the conversations arising from it. Such is the premise of After Sex, Siofra Dromgoole’s two-hander of the conversations afterwards. It’s not particularly sexy or erotic, and the snappy pacing and short scenes sometimes make you wish they stayed longer to finish the conversation. Nevertheless, it is still a funny and, at times, bittersweet picture of single lives in the big city. It’s currently playing at the Arcola Theatre .  He is bi and works for her in an office job. She is neither ready for a commitment nor to let the office know what’s happening. He isn’t prepared to tell his mum there’s someone special in his life. He doesn’t speak to his dad, so his mum is his world. It’s a perfect relationship/arrangement. Or so it

The elephant in the room: Elephant’s Graveyard @TheProdExch


Saturday is the last day to catch the live stream of Elephants Graveyard. It's a title that piqued my interest, assuming that it was about a bar where old people go and drink.

But it's not that. Instead, it's a combination of oral history, legend and direct to camera straight-faced explanation of the only known lynching of an elephant. Adapted well to the world of COVID with sharp cuts, circus-themed backdrops and the now-familiar multiple camera squares of video streams. 

It's not live theatre, but it's a welcome online diversion with an entertaining story that explores spectacle, violence, rumours and revenge. All the things that seem to be near and dear to our hearts at the moment. 

Written by George Brant, it is set in 1914 in a small forgotten town in Tennessee where people were bored. So a circus coming to town was a chance to escape boredom and have some fun. But during the parade and freak accident happens. Soon rumours are spreading that culminates in this strange form of retribution. 

The ensemble, speaking directly to the camera, brings a series of conflicting stories to life and gives you a sense of the time and place. But most of all it's great to see stories can continue to be told while theatres remain shut and the creative industries are struggling to survive.  

From the The Production Exchange. The Production Exchange is also a charity, which aims to support early-career practitioners through developing skills and access to resources. You can find more about the charity and donate on their website.

Directed by Colin Blumenau, Elephant's Graveyard concludes streaming today. 

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