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Sex, violence and caviar: Men's Business @finborough

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Life's a dog in Men's Business. It's a nasty, cruel life where amongst the banality of everything, love, or something resembling a bit of it, exists out of a butcher's shop. And in between feeding dogs or chopping up offcuts of meat to sell as pet food, there's always time for sex and violence. The play gets into these dark and disturbing themes, inviting the audience to immerse themselves in this claustrophobic world. It's not a pleasant night at the theatre. Still, the intensity of the piece in the confined space of the Finborough Theatre and the exploration of these ideas make for an engrossing experience.   This is a new translation by Simon Stephens of Franz Xaver Kroetz's work. Initially published in 1972 and would later be expanded in the piece Through The Leaves, the action is set in a butcher's shop.  We're introduced to Charlie (Lauren Farrell), who inherited the shop from her father. Family don't seem to be around anymore. All she has...

Wife swap: Four Play @Theatre503

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Twenty-first century first world problems are at the fore in this funny take on modern love in Four Play. It is currently running at Theatre 503 . There are plenty of gay plays you can see these days. Most involve a flimsy plot that is just an excuse to get a bunch of actors naked. In London they are worthy of a genre in their own right (my suggestion is #shitforgays). But this piece explores emotions that are more than skin deep. Perhaps.