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Post by zahidf on Jul 6, 2023 11:58:10 GMT
19 October to 11 November
Award-nominated performer Maimuna Memon (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Electrolyte, Jesus Christ Superstar) will bring their hit play Manic Street Creature to London this autumn.
Semi-biographical, the show follows Ria, a music maker who reflects on her experiences in a caustic relationship.
Was very good in Edinburgh last year
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Post by viserys on Jul 6, 2023 12:11:03 GMT
Oh wow, I normally ALWAYS miss this kind of thing, but I'll be in London at the right time. I loved her in Sky's Edge and can't wait to hear more from her.
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Post by distantcousin on Jul 6, 2023 12:38:47 GMT
I'm assuming it isn't a jukebox show featuring the music of the Manics'? !
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Post by zahidf on Jul 6, 2023 12:49:40 GMT
I'm assuming it isn't a jukebox show featuring the music of the Manics'? ! Ha definitely not ( as much fun as that would be) |
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Post by zahidf on Jul 6, 2023 12:49:56 GMT
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Post by stevej678 on Jul 6, 2023 13:06:32 GMT
Wow, this was easily one of the highlights of last summer's Edinburgh Fringe when it was staged in the Roundabout tent at Summerhall.
So pleased it's getting another life and Maimuna is getting the recognition and exposure she deserves!
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Post by distantcousin on Jul 6, 2023 13:26:41 GMT
I'm assuming it isn't a jukebox show featuring the music of the Manics'? ! Ha definitely not ( as much fun as that would be) Oh it WOULD! |
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Post by c4ndyc4ne on Jul 6, 2023 21:23:11 GMT
i'd put this more as a gig theatre play over a musical
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Post by andrew on Jul 7, 2023 0:17:19 GMT
What an incredible talent. So happy for this.
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Post by Dave B on Oct 26, 2023 8:02:08 GMT
We saw this on the first night in Southwark. Other than a slightly delayed start due to late opening of the doors, there wasn't another indication of first night. {Spoiler - click to view}The absent father having similar mental health issues never quite worked, I'd assumed he was dead and there was just an open voicemail where she would keep talking to him. Having it be the same thing just didn't quite feel set-up enough. If the boyfriends diagnosis needed to be put into specific words for Ria to see the connection... that feels inconsistent. Of course being semi-autobio, life is inconsistent and often we don't always see things right in front of us. Maimuna Memon is clearly very talented and my partner enjoyed this a lot more than I did (and I did still enjoy it!). So worth a visit.
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Post by Steve on Nov 12, 2023 8:22:48 GMT
Saw the matinee yesterday, and this was fantastic, I thought! This is gig theatre that lures you in in a cheery way and then just gets so intense, intimate and heartbreaking. Anyone who's seen Maimuna Menon in "Standing at the Sky's Edge" or anything else knows she has an incredibly powerful and expressive voice, and you really experience every nuance of it in this show. Some spoilers follow. . . The way her character, Ria, deals with her boyfriend's increasingly apparent borderline personality disorder, with suicidal thoughts, goes from cheery Amy Winehouse style jauntiness to full on all-encompassing deep-voiced roaring Adele-style torch song full-on heartbreak. I couldn't help noticing audience members who initially looked a little bored with the gig format (9 songs performed in the round) eventually crumble and go all distraught and teary-eyed with compassion. I've seen Menon in ensembles like "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Ghost Quartet," and even being the standout voice in a show ("Standing at the Sky's Edge") but to write and star in this, which has so many colours, and builds effortlessly on a journey from one (jaunty) to the other (heartfelt and vulnerable) to the other (loved up) to the other (hurting) to the other (panic stricken) to the other (devastated) is something else again. This show is like the messy, real-life version of Coldplay's "Fix You," where the beautiful sad controlled lament of not being enough to fix another person falls apart completely under the passionate helter skelter drama of it all. It's a really powerful show, and I hope this gets the chance to play again and again, everywhere. 5 stars from me.  |
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Post by greatauntedna on Nov 12, 2023 11:08:52 GMT
Great review! I also saw the matinee yesterday and crumbled about halfway through.
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Post by zahidf on Nov 12, 2023 13:38:23 GMT
Caught this a few days ago. Was ace and hopefully it'll be around again soon
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Post by colelarson on Nov 12, 2023 14:06:47 GMT
Saw this when it first opened at Southwark Playhouse, I didn't see the thread on here!
I absolutely loved it and thought the 3 musicians were mesmerising and it was very moving and felt very intimate.
I liked how the recording of the tracks wove in with the story of Daniel and the father.
Great it was a straight run through with no interval as it kept the emotions strong. Only thing I didn't like was the people that couldn't hold their bladder for 75 minutes walking through the staging in the round - but at least they were not allowed to walk back through on their return from the facilities!
I booked when I heard about this at Southwark Playhouse as I loved Maimuna Memon’s voice in Standing At The Sky's Edge, it's a soulful, Amy Winehouse style voice. Glad the music is avaliable on streaming services, she is very talented and I hope this does get another outing.
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