40th Anniversary NEWSREVUE The Brexorcist / Edinburgh Previews at Canal Café Theatre 11 – 21 July 2019
Heather Jeffery • Jul 13, 2019
“ … something to laugh about in these days of The Brexorcist” ★★★★★
“Tell me what you want, what you really, really want …
Some air conditioning”
The opening number touches on something dear to us all, no worries there, the room is refreshingly cool and so too are the performers, taking us through a plethora of what’s topical in the news and whether you agree with the politics or not, no one gets hot under the collar, because its spot-on satire. Would it be funny without that element of truth?
This anniversary edition of NEWSREVUE is in celebration of 40 years since its first outing at Edinburgh Fringe. This year the revue is at Underbelly (Edinburgh festival) with previews at its home base, Canal Café theatre, Little Venice in London.
Preparation for the Edinburgh show goes on year-round as the performers are selected from casts seen throughout the year. Given that the show runs four nights a week, with a cast change every six weeks, it’s a mammoth task to whittle it down to the chosen four who will take it forward to Edinburgh.
The impeccable four this year are Maya-Nika Bewley (the best mimic of Teresa May you’ll ever see) Althea Burey, Christian James and Brett Sinclair. A surprisingly young cast for such an accolade not to mention they must lampoon many crusty old politicians. But they pull it off with that extra pizzazz, gorgeous voices and perfectly timed physicality. Of course, they are only as good as their scripts which are only as good as the what’s happening in the world right now.
Not surprisingly, Trump, May, and all the usual suspects turn up, and so do John Bercow, Diane Abbott, Nicola Sturgeon and plenty of other famous faces.
Comment wise, there’s a healthy dose of climate politics and look out for ‘we don’t need a straight pride’ and ‘the French don’t wear vests, they are gilets’. These are sketches which get huge laughs from the audience. Another personal favourite represents the double standards of certain film studios, who constantly typecast BAME actors but who will shamelessly turn around and use the racist card on others.
The director (Samuel Hopkins), musical director (Andrew Linnie) and the cast are kept on their toes with updates every week from the writers, so the show is constantly refreshed. Who know what you’ll be seeing in Edinburgh! Bravo to producer, Emma Taylor and her team for giving us all something to laugh about in these days of The Brexorcist.
NEWSREVUE 40th Anniversary edition
CANAL CAFÉ THEATRE
Above Bridge House Pub
Delamere Terrace, Little Venice,
London W2 6ND
Thursday to Saturday 9.30pm, Sunday 9pm every week
Info and box Office: Canalcafetheatre.com
Follow of twitter @NewsRevue @Canalcafe
NEWSREVUE 40TH Anniversary edition
UNDERBELLY at Edinburgh Fringe 1st - 26th August 2019, 6.10pm
Info and box office: http://www.underbellyedinburgh.co.uk/whats-on/newsrevue
Reviewer Heather Jeffery is founder and Editor of London Pub Theatres Magazine: www.londonpubtheatres.com
Twitter: @pubtheatres1 Email: hjwrites@aol.com
We are very proud to announce that LONDON PUB THEATRES MAGAZINE is now an OFFIE AWARD WINNING publication
A ONEOFF Special Award has been awarded to London Pub Theatres Magazine and Editor Heather Jeffery for providing a vital forum for highlighting the excellent work that happens in rooms in pubs, with sensitive editing, and an acute sense of the importance of tiny fringe venues to the health and development of British Theatre