New Theatre at Brighton's Fringe Festival. Part Two

Mark Ludmon continues his preview of some of the new pieces of theatre that can be found at this year’s Brighton Fringe festival. Here are his picks for the second half of the festival. Dream of a King is a new solo show about legendary civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jnr, written and performed by Christopher Tajah. Set on the night of his assassination in 1968, it explores his life and achievements. 20-22 May. The Warren: Theatre Box. Dream Of A King Tristan Wolfe’s comedy-drama The Hunters of Ghost Hall will have its premiere, staged by Most Curious Productions. Two ghost hunters from a TV show and two treasure hunters come together in a spooky mansion, unaware of each others’ presence. 20-26 May. Sweet Werks 1. Urvashi Bohra’s new play Big is her personal ode to pizzas and body positivity, about a young woman dubbed Fat Girl whose mother signs her up for a reality show, The Only Way Is Pretty. 23-25 May. The Warren: Theatre Box. Last Rehearsal Last Rehearsal, written and directed by Chilean playwright Maria José Andrade, is the debut production from The Last Company Theatre, a group of international theatre-makers aimed at forging connections between Britain and Latin America. Set backstage before a final rehearsal, it sees an explosive clash between actors that explores how art is created. 23-25 May. The Warren: The Blockhouse. A new play called Son of an African brings to life the remarkable true story of a former slave, Thomas Highflyer, who lived in Brighton in the 1860s. Written by SD Chatterjee, it is being staged by Mixed Blessings Theatre Group. 23-24, 29 May, 2 June. Brighton Unitarian Church. Back To Front Utter Nonsense Productions’ new show Back to Front sounds a hoot, presenting us with two theatre technicians who are desperate to move out from behind the scenes and into the limelight. 24-26 May. The Warren: Theatre Box. The Good Russian Andrew Byron is a familiar face on TV, often playing Russian baddies, most recently in Killing Eve, although he can also be seen as the king of Prussia in an upcoming episode of Victoria. He has also been working on his own solo show, The Good Russian, in which he tries to portray the kind of decent Russian you rarely see on screen. 24-27 May. The Warren: The Nest. French play Une Vie sur mesure by Cédric Chapuis has been adapted by Stories in Theatre into a new show, Beat, in association with Ki M’aime Me Suive and Scènes Plurielles. Starring Daniel Bellus, it is described as a funny and moving story of a boy who channels his sense of difference and joie de vivre into playing drums. 25-27, 29-30 May. The Warren: The Blockhouse. Total Eclipse Moving Pieces theatre company’s new show is coming to Brighton at the start of a tour, called Total Eclipse: In a Moment, My Mum is Going to Step Out of the Moon. Promising plenty of laughs, it is described as a playful and thought-provoking piece exploring the impact of grief on relationships and mental health. 25-26 May. Exeter Street Hall. Cry Havoc Theatre Company is bringing Drawn and Quartered, a new play by Maggie Bofill, a member of New York’s Labyrinth Theatre. It follows the explosive reunion of a couple who are still very much in love. It stars Lewis Roberts and Elise Arnold. 27 May-2 June. Sweet Werks 1. Daniel Hallissey’s new play In the Shadow of the Black Dog from All the Pigs theatre company is described as an endearing raw comedy about a man suspended in an adolescent mindset trying to start life over and tackle depression. 29 May-1 June. Junkyard Dogs: The Doghouse. Song Of The Sisters One of the hits of Amsterdam Fringe, Song of the Sisters, is coming to Brighton as part of the festival’s month-long Dutch Season. Joske, Annelie and Marthe Koning combine storytelling, movement and song to portray the universal dynamic of family. 30 May-2 June. The Spire. Sullied A hit at the National Arts Festival in South Africa, Sullied is a new show from Kristi-Leigh Gresse. Using dance and spoken word, it challenges us to deconstruct the politics around our bodies and interrogate the effects of patriarchal ideologies, rape and misogyny. 30-31 May, 1-2 June. The Spire. Amendments Middle-Weight Theatre Company tackles political correctness in its comedy, Amendments: A Play on Words, written by Matt Roberts and directed by Tom Stabb. 31 May, 1-2 June. The Warren: The Blockhouse. As part of the festival’s Dutch programming, Kajetan Uranitsch and Katelijne Beukema are bringing over their show, The World We Live In. Inspired by the fantastic world view of Swiss artists Fischli and Weiss, it sees two performers continually try to portray our world as they move between historical events and everyday life. 31 May-2 June. The Old Courtroom.

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Read Part One of Brighton Fringe Festival Highlights 2018