Camden is one of London’s larger boroughs, yet often casually identified as just Camden Town. Visit during July-August and you’ll see why it gets all the attention. Camden Town’s shopping and entertainment epicentre is buzzing during the summer months. On a typical day, Camden Lock is the favoured spot for impromptu open-air gigs by aspiring musicians daring to perform on the bridge and inches from a precarious drop. Crazy! But that’s Camden.
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What’s Hot London? headed for Camden Town’s famed mazy network of food courts, restaurants, bars and indie music dens – and also followed the trail of Amy Winehouse’s Camden.

So What’s Hot Camden Town?

Theatre

The Camden Fringe – Etcetera Theatre

A Red Coat in the Rising Sun [writer/director Ross Stephenson and lead actress Midori Ogawa]

Fuerza Bruta

There’s an Argentine theme at the Roundhouse from August to September, with the thrilling Fuerza Bruta circus-dance act at its heart. It’s an exhilarating mix of acrobatics, aerial dance and hi-tech wizardry. A feast for the eyes that will have you dancing on the ceiling… actually,  the performers come pretty close to that as well

                                                                                                                               Music

Dublin Castle

This legendary boozer is every aspiring indie musician’s favourite hangout. The music venue/pub has held gigs by the likes of Blur, Supergrass, The Killers, Travis, Amy Winehouse and hosts regular gigs and open mic nights where alternative rock acts can try out their sounds and grow a following. It’s a buzzing venue where you’re likely to stumble upon the next Libertines or Amy Winehouse, and so teeming with talent that you see bands being formed before your eyes over matey pints of lager.

The Underworld

You’ll find this indie club and live music venue right next door to its parent establishment The World’s End, Camden’s largest pub. That’s a handy overspill of World’s End regulars looking for live rock acts – and fed a weekly roster of UK and international music talent. Much of the Camden Rocks Festival of indie bands (Aug 23 – Oct 26) will take place at The Underworld. And check out the Blackout Club night every Friday where the musical flavour resumes across the DJ decks.

Jazz Cafe

With her signed photos in every indie pub and her ubiquitous image on street art, handbags and teeshirts, if you were under any illusion that this is Amy Winehouse’s town even after her passing, then the Amy Winehouse tribute night at the Jazz Cafe on August 23rd is a soulful reminder. The iconic jazz joint is a must-visit for the dulcet tones of home and international music talent.

Food

Ma Petite Jamaica

Summer’s almost up, but if you’re still looking for that authentic taste of the Caribbean, head to Ma Petite Jamaica on Inverness Street. Dreamy cocktails with delightfully epicurean names like Spanish Town Rumgria or Port Talbot Rum Punch will take you away to the sun-kissed shores of the West Indies even as the temperatures drop in Camden. And if you find some Caribbean restaurants in the capital spice down their food for European tastes – not so at this lively establishment. It’s refreshing to find authentically seasoned dishes. The Montego Bay Beef Stew arrived as a reasonably priced, flavour-first serving of succulent and unshowy beef morsels  – the delicately balanced Jamaican spices tingled all the right palate spots.

Asador Argentine Grills

Asador are enjoying a summer run of added popularity; no doubt, remarked by the Argentine theme at the Roundhouse live entertainment venue down the road. The Roundhouse is hosting Argentinian circus act Fuerza Bruta and Asador’s scrummy grills, steak sandwiches and burgers are the food of choice at the venue’s Caspers Bar. Whether you’re at Asador’s regular spot on Camden’s West Yard food court or socialising at the Roundhouse after the Fuerza Bruta show, you will experience and enjoy a tantalising taste of the Camden Pampas.

Drink

Argentine Wine Tasting

Do you know your Malbecs from your Cadus Chardonnays? Indeed, you may not know your reds from your whites, but the Roundhouse’s Caspers Bar is hosting Argentine Wine Tasting sessions which may well delight and enlighten. The lively terrace bar is the perfect summer setting for this foray into wine culture, where one can shake, swivel and sample a range of Boutinot Wines under the attentive guidance of their wine experts and sommeliers.

Hawley Arms

Amy Winehouse’s old boozer is a pretty cool hangout and yes, a big attraction because of her enduring association. It’s easily found opposite Camden Market and there’s a stunning large-scale mural of the singer on the exterior back wall. You’re kind of expecting the pub to be a bit show-offy because of all the fans and curious tourists but it retains a refreshingly local and all-welcoming vibe. Interestingly, you have to search hard and long for any Winehouse regalia inside. Maybe, the odd signed photo or two.

Shopping

The market spaces around Camden Town are mazy n’ crazy! A fascinating tangle of food courts, vinyl record shops, clothing vendors, musical instruments, healing crystals, new age jewellery, and even an Egyptian section. Just across the road from Camden Town tube station, you have locals’ favourite Inverness Street Market and a little further along Camden High Street there’s Buck Street Market food court. Continue in the general direction of Camden Lock for a colourful spread of shops on both sides of the street. As for the Lock, itself – that word mazy is an apt description for the network of market yards encompassing Camden Lock Indoor Market,  the Coal Exchange Market, the Stables Market, Horse Tunnel Market and Eqyptomania.

Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress wins at London’s Sur-REEL & Uncanny Film Fest

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Surreal short film Osiris wowed the audience at the recent Sur-REEL & Uncanny Film Fest, a celebration of surreal experimentation in independent filmmaking. The London film festival, now in its 2nd year, awarded director Elliott Reeves the overall Best Film statuette for his cinematic gem about a young woman’s nightmare; a nightmare that weaves an uncanny trail in her waking life. You’ll find yourself transfixed by the edgy plot points while piecing together this eerie thriller. Lead actress Meg Clarke, who plays Nova, won Best Actress at the awards with Elliott Reeves triumphing in the Best Director catergory. He shares his production journey.

What inspired you to make Osiris?

David Lynch is one of my favourite filmmakers and amongst my biggest inspirations. I love the kind of filmmaking that doesn’t always directly explain everything that’s going on in the film and where there’s a lot going on that you might not catch on first watch. The sort of mystery that gets you coming back to watch the film over and over again.

Tell us a bit about your production experience before shooting Osiris

I studied film production at Staffordshire University, so a lot of my knowledge came from there and probably 80% of the films I have made before have come from there. I have made 10 short films up to this point but they were mostly co-written, co-directed projects, whereas this is the first short that I have fully directed and written myself. I have shot a few music videos as well – but no features as yet.

The film has a slick, professional look – alongside its jarring edginess. Could you tell us how you achieved such amazing production values?

I worked closely with my cinematographer Sam Powyer who is really talented – he’s shot a lot of music videos. We discussed the look of the film and I sent him reference images from cinema and photography close to the kind of vibe I wanted. There’s a photographer called Gregory Crewdson who is quite amazing in terms of surreal imagery, so that was certainly an inspiration for the cinematic look we wanted. Our cinematographer’s lighting had this amazing depth and also superbly created the uneasy atmosphere that we were going for. Post production-wise, the majority of the editing was done by me, toiling away over a year.

The film is very layered and has lots of hidden elements. Some film fans at the festival said they loved it but didn’t necessarily understand it. Was that your intention? Is there a hidden message in those undisclosed layers?

Well, not necessarily a hidden message but the story is in there. I did write and shoot it with the intention that the first time you watch it you are probably not supposed to understand it fully, but if you really want to know what’s happening, if you watch t again you should be able to piece everything together. The clues are all there.

Elliott Reeves, director of short film ‘Osiris’ with his Best Film statuette. [Sur-REEL & Uncanny Film Fest]

I am currently writing a horror feature film with my brother. But otherwise I will be creating more short films and hope to enter them for film festivals and screenings in the coming year.

This super-talented director is destined for great things so keep an eye out for updates on his horror feature. If it’s anything like Osiris it should be a sure-fire surreal and uncanny hit!

Chelsea’s summer offering of arts, culture, food, drink, attractions and nature spots!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Despite the unsurprising British rain and a depressing July deluge, there’s still ‘Summer in Sloane Square’ this August. So head to Chelsea for exhibitions, restaurants, theatre and more!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           And count yourself lucky you can walk through Chelsea at all! King’s Road, Chelsea’s most famous shopping and fashion throroughfare, gets its name from centuries past when King Charles II fenced it off as his own private road. He needed to travel from St James’s Palace to Fulham to Kew Palace safely, discreetly and quickly so common folk were kept out. Unsurprisingly, his mistress Nell Gwynn thought it was a good idea. Here’s a little more about Chelsea’s history and heritage.

History & Heritage

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    OSCAR WILDE’S HOUSE

The Irish-born dramatist and wit lived at 34 Tite Street and there’s a blue plaque on this pleasant red-bricked house where he wrote The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest.  He moved there in 1885 when Chelsea was a fashionable artists’ district. Pre-Raphaelite artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti was one of his many distinguished guests. Also, American author Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens) writer of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn lived around the corner in Tedworth Square. Check out his blue plaque while you’re there!

Art

SAATCHI GALLERY – BEYOND THE GAZE: RECLAIMING THE LANDSCAPE

This summer show features the work of seven women contemporary artists –  Emma Bennett, Kiera Bennett, Kirsty Harris, Dannielle Hodson, Lisa Ivory, Melissa Kime, Joanna Whittle – who depict landscapes quite broadly.  So broadly, in fact, that you’ll struggle to spot sunsets, valleys or mountainous backdrops of any kind in Keira Bennett’s plein air geometric, gestural semi abstractions. And Dannielle Hodgson’s fantastical, carnivalesque yet deeply-dionysian  canvases bring to mind Hieronymus Bosch  –  an explosion of gangling, grotesque monsters with the landscape element little more than aesthetic framing. Ends Aug 28.

Museums

NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM

The history of the British army documented by military exhibits from centuries past and first-hand accounts from personnel serving as early as the Anglo-French Wars, 1778-83. Chieftain tanks amonst the decommissioned military hardware on show and a full-size army helicopter dangling from the ceiling. And look out for Lawrence of Arabia’s robes; worn when assigned to the Middle East as a British Intelligence officer.

Theatre

ROYAL COURT THEATRE – CUCKOO

A play about four chatty Scousers eating fish and chips at home and gazing into their mobile phones. Well, not just that…A subtle, slow-burning play about three generations of a Liverpool family – at the first act – gathered for dinner and engaged in hilarious but poignant working-class banter. But the chattiness masks deeply-concerning family issues bubbling below the surface. Head to Sloane Square to see this amazing play written by Michael Wynne and directed by Royal Court Theatre artistic director Vicky Featherstone.

Festivals

KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA FESTIVAL 2023

The Kensington and Chelsea Festival is a celebration of the arts, culture and performance – opera, theatre, music, dance, poetry, comedy – it’s buzzing with community character and brimming with local talent. And you’ll find spectacular, gravity-defying circus events at borough hotspots in Holland Park, Chelsea and Earl’s Court. Runs until Aug 23

Food & Drink

DUKE OF YORK SQUARE FOOD MARKET

Saatchi Gallery overlooking the picnic green.

The market runs every Saturday and is a popular foodie spot  with vendors selling Vietnamese, Colombian, Sicilian streetfood, Argentinian Grills, Caribbean rotis, mouthwatering Mediteranean seafood paellas and also local artisian dishes. Hey, champagne stalls as well. It is Chelsea, after all. And once you’ve bought your food and drink there’s a large green perfectly situated for your Chelsea picnic in the sun. And the Saatchi Gallery is just opposite if you want a mix of food and art!

Nature Spots

CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDEN – 350th ANNIVERSARY

Established in 1673, it is one of England’s oldest botanical gardens and a wonderful green space, that stands out against London’s other private and pubic gardens because of its history as an apothecary. All its plants are medicinal and herbal. And this year is its 350th anniversary! London-based painter-printmaker Denise Ballard-Wyllie‘s 2023 art residency at the garden is a celebration of the anniversary and she explored all aspects of its botanical offerings.  Her work can be seen at ‘ Summer at the Bankside Gallery’ which runs Aug 11 – Sept 10.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        SOUND MAESTRO Danny Jackson is more used to taking the stage at rock gigs as lead singer, songwriter and guitarist for experimental rock band Vali Ohm but in recent years he has switched his sound and music skills to the film industry as a sound editor and film score composer. He has now been appointed composer for independent horror film Blackout set in a London council flat with a creepy past. In the drama, a soon-to-be-married couple played by Annie Burkin (Kerry) and Robert Walters (Reece) move into the flat when they surge up a council housing waiting list – but then all hell breaks out during an eerie, unexplained electricity blackout. Danny shares his career path from full-time musician to editing and producing sound for film.

Danny Jackson working on the sound effects and film score for Blackout

What inspired your passion for sound production and how did you get started in the music business?

My journey into production started off when I discovered  DAW’s (audio digital workstations) and the potential they offered to musicians if mastered. For me, DAW’s opened up a door that was previously closed to unsigned artists. There were not enough hours in a day to cram in the knowledge necessary to record, mix and master all the tracks that had accumulated in my head. As soon as I could record, I did and that is where the rollercoaster started. In 2013 I was signed by a record company and I released my first album 3000 Light Years under the artists’ name Vali Ohm. Not only did I get my first signing but I also managed to work with one of my idols, Nik Turner of Hawkwind, on the album title track.”

“In 2015, the second album was released – Fragile Earth. This was launched with the help of Greenpeace UK and all of the other environmental/animal welfare organisations that the album brought attention to. In the 2 years between 2013 and 2015 there where several points that escorted me into the film industry. The first was meeting award-winning Abbey Road Studios engineer Frank Arkwright whilst mastering a track there called Drinking Man.

That encounter made me realise that I had got to where I wanted to be and most importantly I had done it by myself.  The second was being introduced to Mad Dog Casting which got me into the movies. Before I knew it I was watching myself on the big screen in films such as Legend, The Conjuring 2 and TV shows such as Man Down and Mr Selfridge. All very inspiring, but I still had an interest in sound and what better place to be. I met some of the most gracious production sound mixers in the business telling me that my background was ideal for setting myself up as a sound assistant in film.”

I have worked on films as a sound assistant, boom operator, sound recordist and composer. Not only have I worked on dramas, I have also worked on documentaries and TV pilots. One of my most memorable boom operator jobs was on set with actor Martin Freeman (The Office) in a film called Midnight of my Life. Another memorable moment was hearing one of my film scores on a short horror called EngineX4 aired on the BBC. 

So how will you tackle a horror movie which is true to its title – where everything is so blacked out you can hardly see anything?

Understanding the relationship between emotion and music for me is critical. In some films this can be easy to understand. For example, a sad scene is usually accompanied by minor keys. However, horror scores to me are a different game altogether and Blackout is no exception. There are still some basic rules to follow: understanding when music or sound is necessary for a scene, how to prepare for a jump scare and subtle background music to help complement the actors’ thought processes.

My approach to Blackout will rely heavily upon the latter and attempt to view the scene through the eyes of our main character. Darkness and poor vision will always make you feel a little uneasy. Add some strange sounds to an already unfamiliar environment and you have heightened the senses. Throw in some imagination and invest in new equipment and you may strike lucky and produce an original score.

Blackout: a chiller where household items emit an unexplained eerie, unhomely vibe

And what are your film score plans for a film where ‘homely’ items such as dripping taps, ironing boards, toys and dolls and even rows of soup cans become ‘unhomely’ and send chills up the spine?

I once managed to scare a friend with a cotton bud which was an easy task given the circumstance. Yes, 85% of Blackout is shot in the dark but the director Eddie Saint-Jean has managed to capture great motion despite the obstacles. If I had to rely on minimalist vision and ironing boards we would be entering the realms of experimental drama and the likes of “show me how to be a tree”. Luckily enough, I don’t think I will have to go there.  

(Lead actors Annie Burkin and Rob Walters sign autographs on the set of Blackout, but does Hollywood success and stardom beckon?)

Tales From The Golden Age – The New Normal Canal Cafe Theatre, Delamere Terrace, Little Venice, London W2 6ND. Dec 7- 14th.

One visit to this impressive white Georgian building with its terrace bar overlooking the canals of Little Venice and you’ll see the value of cultural establishments like this and the danger of them being overlooked in the Chancellor’s handouts. This 60-seater on Regent’s Canal also has a pub-restaurant. Face masks worn on entry to the charming Bridge House bar, social distancing and substantial meals with alcohol are all part of the new normal.

It’s no surprise that the Canal Cafe Theatre was one of the first out of the blocks in a sluggish and cautious Covid-era sector, since it does not have the problem of cheek-by-jowl seating. It has always seated its theatre audiences at tables so there has always been some degree of social distancing – although seating capacity has been reduced to 30 during the pandemic.

Canal Cafe Theatre

Writer Ian Dixon Potter’s topical monologue The New Normal is titled to effect, and its timely interjection during this confluence of Covid-19 panic and Brexit deadlines makes it a must-see if you have any interest at all in Britain’s current cultural, social, economic and political state. His Tales From The Golden Age are ten monologues performed on different nights at this theatre but The New Normal stuck out amongst the titles for obvious reasons.

It’s set in the future but close enough in time to make you uneasy with its dystopian prescience and captivated by its relevance. It’s 2024 and you’ll be pleased to know Boris Johnson is no longer PM – but he is our Chancellor, hanging around Cabinet to right the wrongs of economic upheaval caused by Brexit (there’s certainly a degree of karma in that appointment).

We already know the Brexit referendum split the country, well the aftermath of that division is played out by elderly Stoke resident Dorothy whose conservative (small and big C) views on the subject are a fascinating hour of in-talk about what really goes on behind closed doors in Middle England. (Voting figures in the last referendum show Stoke-on-Trent is Britain’s Brexit capital.)

Kate Carthy’s performance as Dorothy is brilliantly disarming because it’s delivered in a dark and dour working class conversational style which lulls you into a false sense of familiarity. This is definitely a listening-in job. An elderly woman telling you about the problems of getting a new carer; well, that’s easy enough on the ears. But we eventually get to hear her views about foreigners and, yes, one or two audience members start shuffling a little uneasily in their seats despite her harmless demeanour as a Midlands gran. 

You sense her need for validation, almost as if she is trying to present her own right wing views as more centrist and therefore more digestible, by juxtaposing herself between her left-leaning son Ralph and the Farage-supporting Maureen. ‘Maureen only voted Brexit because she thought it would get rid of the Muslims’ she tells us. There’s little in Dorothy’s tonality to suggest she totally disagrees with Maureen but her comments about the British being known and respected for their history of tolerance suggest she is wrestling with some sort of redemption. But, tellingly, she believes the Daily Express has got it just about right on Brexit.

And yes, Scotland is now a republic. A beacon of progressive politics emerging from the collapse of the Union, no doubt triggered by Brexit. It’s telling and topical that the SNP’s push for independence bears fruit in this play but there’s a warning to be heeded if The New Normal is also prescient about Brexit divisions in England actually worsening a few years from now. Machine gun wielding, Gestapo-like Brexit police storming the homes of suburban pensioners just because they have pets from foreign-sounding breeds. Surely not!

Tales From The Golden Age – The New Normal Canal Cafe Theatre, Delamere Terrace, Little Venice, London W2 6ND

This immersive theatre and dining experience starts with a three-course meal at the Gatsby Mansion, near Bond Street station. Host F. Scott Fitzgerald, played by Oliver Towse, welcomes you into his not so humble abode, decorated in the Art Deco splendour of the 1920s. The set design is true to the period and the dominant brown-hued interior evokes an almost sepia-tinted nostalgia. The American author drifts from table to table as you’re tucking into your salmon and caviar starter and is positively bubbling over about his new novel, which he’s halfway through, and updating you on its progress. He throws a few title suggestions your way. As he chucks in Trimalchio, (which was one of Scott Fitzgerald’s working titles for the book) and asks your opinion you’re tempted to suggest: “How about The Great Gatsby? That sounds like a better title to me.”

However, the degree of audience participation in this immersive theatre experience is entirely down to you. But hey, you’ll want to play the game! The jazz tunes coming from the authentic-looking gramophone player in the corner, the light-dimmed ambience and the clinking of glasses draws you into the privileged environment of society parties in the Roaring Twenties. The audience-guests-participants are encouraged to dress in glamorous jazz-era style and the rhinestone beaded headbands and skullcaps, feather boas and straw boaters are the dazzling uniforms of hedonism.

Oliver Towse as Jay Gatsby

Actor Oliver Towse is the central figure, playing both F. Scott Fitzgerald and the eponymous Jay Gatsby, a New York oil magnate whose fortune may have a shadier origin. His charismatic energy translates seamlessly from the excited author about to publish his Magnus opus, to the philandering Jay. Having him play both, gives the audience a powerful visual reference if ever the swirl of new characters gets confusing. As the scenes unfold, you get an understanding of the author who shared many characteristics with his lead character: such as Ivy League school background and being rejected by society beauties for being lower class. Once we’re whisked into Gatsby’s society parties in the next scene, he is now ‘new money’ and a more attractive catch for socialite Daisy Buchanan, played by Lucinda Turner.

Director Alexander Wright creates the right blend of audience interaction and stand-back drama. It’s a whirlwind of jazz clubs with high-energy dancing, which the audience are encouraged to participate in. Flapper girl Jordan Baker (Jessie Hern) is the life and soul of the party and is literally getting audience members on their feet. Hern’s skills as an actress highlighted by the trajectory of events that bring the jazz club highs to the lows which come from being tied to best friend Daisy’s messy love life. And her own isn’t so pristine.

One of the stand out performances is Louis Sparks’ portrayal of barrel-chested, alpha male Tom Buchanan, a former football player. He makes his presence felt in noisy, jazz parties without saying a word – and when he does speak his Chicago drawl has you ducking expecting a right-hander- unfortunately, when the punch does come it’s aimed at his lover Myrtle Wilson. You want to call the wild-living Myrtle Wilson a floosy, but actress Hannah Edwards’ handling of those relationship conflicts gives the character deeper layers. Myrtle’s red-hot exchanges with Tom and rows with her husband show she is a woman who often bares her soul (and maybe a lot more).

Tendai Humphrey Sitima as George Wilson and Hannah Edwards as Myrtle Wilson

If you’re still lost in the delightful swirl of characters coming and going, look out for James Lawrence as affable bond salesman Nick Carraway, a neighbour of Gatsby, and whose cousin Daisy is married to Tom. Nick is a vital source of info – in some cases almost acting as a narrator of unfolding events. He has own issues, tied so close to the marriage infidelities of his cousin Daisy and pal Tom. And if that’s not enough, Gatsby invites him to these parties just to get closer to Daisy. So yes, Nick is definitely in the know.

And let’s not forget the multi-talented actor-musician Tendai Humphrey Sitima who plays Myrtles’s husband. His party-rocking, jazzy stints at the piano in the early scenes, eventually slow to the bluesy, moody, singular tinkling of the ivories that close the play. An apt metaphor for the tragic and tumultuous music of life played out in a hedonistic jazz age when many thought the American Dream would never die.

She talks to What’s Hot London? about her third feature Closer I Get To You which is also a predominantly female-crewed film. This latest flick is a romantic comedy with her own tilt on a genre which has proved popular with cinema-goers over the years.

What inspired you to write the Closer I Get To You?

The inspiration actually came from the song, The Closer I Get to You. I was in my third year of my university film studies about to start my final major project and was sitting in the canteen with my friend Aisha and we were listening to music, like we usually did. I’m very much an old school music kind of person and love classics like Motown, 90s RnB etc. The Closer I Get To You comes on the player and I just start visualising a story about a young black couple who are madly in love. It was the Luther Vandross and Beyonce version of the song that I heard but we centred the tone of our film around the Jacci McGhee and John James Version.

Where there any other reasons why you chose the romantic comedy genre? Was it a departure from your previous productions?

Honestly, I’ve always loved romantic comedies and have always wanted to do one but never felt I had a good enough story or the knowledge to do so. By the time I came up with the idea for this film I had been making films for five years and was about to graduate from film school. I wouldn’t necessarily say that it’s a departure but it’s always good to explore other genres.

What sets your movie apart from other films in the genre?

It’s the fact that my film focuses solely on romance. A lot of romantic comedies that I’ve seen, especially black ones, have had the romance take a back seat to other ‘bigger’ problems such as infidelity or crime and gang violence, or even domestic abuse, but we don’t focus on that at all. It’s purely about the love that these two young people have for each other. Not only that, but we haven’t really seen many Black British romantic comedies or romantic dramas, so that sets us apart.

Also production-wise, the film was almost entirely female crewed. Both of my assistant directors were female, along with my heads of art, costume, and make up departments. We also had a female gaffer and all the production runners were female. And again, there was a predominantly black crew. With the exception of our DoP, gaffers and behind-the-scenes photographer, everyone else was black.

Tianna Banton (centre, back row) with all the cast members

Did you face any challenges or problems in pre-production, production, post-production?

The main challenges in pre-production was scheduling, We had a cast and crew who were working various 9-5 jobs or still at university so having to juggle around all of that was a challenge. Not only that but when you are writing a script and coming up with all these beautiful scenes you then have to make sure you find the right locations that match what you have visioned for months in your head. In production itself I don’t think we had any major problems. On one of the days we had to reschedule at the last minute which was frustrating because it was one of the biggest scenes involving extras so we had to change everything literally last minute and pray that everything worked.

Are you marketing your film now and planning film festival strategy? What are your future plans?

So far we have submitted to four festivals here in the UK and now we’re just waiting to see what happens. This is both exciting but nerve-wracking because we’re all so proud of this film and just want the best for it. As for marketing, we’ve been doing a lot of promo stuff lately, photo shoots etc and we have a great team who are working on organizing screenings. So you’ll see us around at some point this year with announcements with what’s happening but we’re excited and can’t wait to share the film.

FILM SYNOPSIS: A romantic comedy starring Sarah-Maeva Cialec and Louis McSherry-Williams. Nadiene and Devon meet in a club one night while Nadiene is waiting for her best friend Sasha. They soon realise they share a powerful connection and its very much love at first sight. Devon doesn’t waste much time and makes his move, asking her out on a date the very next day.

The Cheshire Cat bar isn’t hard to locate in Notting Hill, minutes from Westbourne Park tube and with a Cheshire Cat sign grinning and swinging in the winter breeze. Upon entry you are led to a noisy, colourful, cocktail reception and presented with a selection of crazy hats to wear. A welcome cocktail is yours before the white rabbit host lets on about what lies beyond the Rabbit Hole. Welcome to Wonderland!

Down the Rabbit Hole!

You pick up this is no ordinary party well before the white rabbit starts cussing chatty guests in a bawdy cockney accent for talking over him. All in good spirits. Much talk of riddles and clues and other bizarrely dressed characters contributing to this cocktail conundrum. It’s no surprise most of the guests believe the party has started even before we head down the Rabbit’s Hole to the actual Mad Hatter’s Gin and Tea Party where tables are laid out in a vibrantly coloured room: rainbow-hued neon underscores the wonderland vibe.

There’s more riddles and bawdy theatrical comedy broken up by a booze mixologist showing you how to create their specially prepared Boë gin cocktails, which you, of course, get to drink. By the time you get to the fourth, you’d have forgotten the names of them; too absorbed in the nonsensical frivolities and the pantomime atmosphere. Expect a Cheshire Cat Gin, a JaBOëwocky, a ‘Drink Me’ Boë and Alice’s Boë

There’s a strong participatory element geared at getting you to step away from merely being a pantomime audience member. Not too difficult to do when you’re sat at the very table where all the Mad Hatter mayhem is going on but helped in no small measure by the hosts picking out random individuals to engage further in the riddle quest.

By the end of the night, you may find it hard to follow their carefully laid out clues on this Mad Hatter’s trail – but only because the riotous party noise soon drowns out the capacity (and desire) for rational thought. But that is a good thing. A crowd too drunk or bonkers to follow what’s going on will hardly head the queue of the dissatisfied. In fact, it’s further proof the hosts have done a good job.

Also Read Queen of Hoxton, Wizard of Oz Rooftop Bar

The wonderful set designed by Katrina Lindsay charms with a special kind of shimmering provincial village energy. The audience will also be charmed by how these characters play out privileged family life under these design elements and the stark switch of events after the interval. The switch from the brightly lit Appolline feel to the foreboding Dionysian darkness, follows the political and historical context of the play and the gruesome events to come.

Some prior knowledge of the Nigerian-Biafran War (1967-1970) is helpful, but you soon pick up on the secessionist atmosphere of southern Nigeria three years after Britain gives Nigeria independence. Chekhov’s three sisters Olga, Marsha and Irina are now schoolteacher Lolo (Sarah Niles), unhappily married Nne Chukwu (Natalie Simpson) and 20-year-old Udo (Rachael Ofori). Their conversations rarely stray from the desire for this Igbo-ruled state and the mess left by the British after they created a Nigeria made up of 250 different ethnic groups, the largest of which are the Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani.

Lolo is the powerful, central matriarchal figure where no mother is present. Her balanced views on both Igbo secession and the British influence on its former colony are carefully delivered to interject the hostility towards Britain arming the Nigerian military state who are determined to suppress the Igbo uprising. Her younger sisters are more caught up in relationship issues than she is but even these are seamlessly tied to the wider Nigeria-Biafra conflict.

Director Nadia Fall’s commitment to the moral tone in the dialogue sets it aside from the original Chekhov version. Such a difference would be inevitable anyway considering the difference in location, history and ethnicities. Much of what received knowing murmurs amongst Africans in the National Theatre would hardly resonate in early 20^th century Russia and Europe.

Having mentioned Inua Ellams’ background as a poet, as the play draws to an end a confluence of powerful dialogue leaves you with lines to remember. With all three sisters forced to re-examine their places in an independent war-torn Biafra and bodies piling up in their house and in the fields outside, the colours of death are heavy in their words. Again, these same colours are underscored by the effective stage lighting by Peter Mumford. Even the drinking water turns red with blood.

National Theatre Lyttelton Theatre. National Theatre, Upper Ground, Lambeth, London SE1 9PX, United Kingdom

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If you find the Dominic Cummings comparison daunting, fear not, because even though the imposing life of a powerful government advisor is truly felt, it’s not machiavellian enough to have any simmering Savid Javids in the camp retiring all over the place just to get away from you. In fact, the COLAB Factory take on political life is downright enjoyable knowing full well you can walk away from the threats of national strikes and nuclear attacks at any time and return to your normal day job as a barman or hairdresser.

Yes, you are both audience and actor in this immersive office day that starts as soon as you ring the doorbell to gain entry to the building. The receptionist resolutely greets you as your character even as you attempt your feebly warm “I’m here for the immersive thing.” Her no-nonsense nasal whine reminds you that you are actually a government special advisor and not Sebastian from the Dog and Duck down the road. And it’s no longer autumn 2019 but January 1979 – the Winter of Discontent. The coldest, bitterest winter in decades alongside the bitterest of political events, with seven state of emergencies in the last year alone and the nation facing political collapse.

The set production in this large office is true to the furniture and décor of the 1970s, with old-fashioned dial telephones dotted around the place and a TV set showing non-stop runs of a younger Margaret Thatcher being interviewed about the Callaghan government as she pushes for a no-confidence vote. The sounds of Gerry Rafferty’s 1970s hit Baker Street draws you across the room to the bar where the handle bar-moustached barman’s garish 70s jersey let’s you know in no uncertain terms that you have jumped a few decades back. “Cold out there,” he comments, even as you insist it’s a pretty mild autumn for this time of year. But you’ll get it soon enough.

The doorbell now begins to ring constantly as the other actor-audience participants arrive, all none the wiser about what is about to take place. And what takes place is political anarchy. It’s 1979 and the country is falling apart. Lorry drivers, miners and just about everyone else are threatening to strike if their demands are not met. Problem is, you have to watch out for the knock-on effects of rising inflation etc. and the UK economy is already teetering on the brink. A Labour head honcho gathers everyone around and reminds you of your duties as government special advisors. You have to handle negotiations with disgruntled union leaders as well as stave off the no-confidence vote which could bring down the government.

Phew! There’s barely time for a breather and you’ll need loads of cups of tea but you’ll get first-hand experience of the machiavellian political goings-on at the highest level. You’ll also feel what the Boris Johnson camp went through as similar calls for a no-confidence vote were triggered by his own threats to prorogue parliament. How far would you go to get a political deal done? Blackmail, bribes, sweeteners? Or would you be the epitome of a morally sound political servant? COLAB Factory’s Crisis? What Crisis? gives you the opportunity to see how being in the midst of all this turmoil may well make you cross that line when desperate.

The bottom line is it’s all entertainment. Fact and fiction are blurred for creative effect and to keep you on your toes but all thoroughly enjoyable. The scenarios change with every performance. Who knows? On one day you might be in an office that has the no-nonsense steely atmosphere of the Dominic Cummings camp or the next day a sliver of the slapstick of the 1970s Carry On films, minus the double entendres but with much of the frenzied shenanigans and clever asides.

So which one will you get? It’s worth turning up to see, but leave your day job at the door.