The top London theatre shows according to our critics
Where is it? Barbican Centre.
How much is it? £25-£165.
Why go? Fein masterfully balances the musical's two sides – the stand-up-style humour and the dark forshadowing of the Holocaust – by playing it as a sort of absurdist clown show. US star Adam Dannheisser is excellent as a restrained, dignifiede take on milkman protagonist Teyve.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
5 days ago
- The Guardian
Niusia review – hard family history lessons and taboo-busting humour
This story, told by Beth Paterson, is about her 'nanna Niusia … and I remember her as a bitch'. It is quite the statement about her 86-year-old grandmother whom she was taken to visit as a teenager, when all she wanted to do was go to the movies. To Paterson, Niusia was an old curmudgeon full of complaints and cruelties. But she proceeds to take us on the journey that she went on after Niusia's death, when she became curious about who her Polish immigrant grandmother had been before settling in Melbourne. It turns out that she had been Holocaust survivor, although, typically for one who had lived through its trauma, she rarely talked about the time 'before'. Under the direction of her collaborator Kat Yates, Paterson excavates her grandmother's past, beginning with her successful businesses in Melbourne, which she singlehandedly built. But the drama then spools back to the beginning: her birth in Warsaw in 1922, her ambitions to become a doctor before her imprisonment in Auschwitz and, chillingly, the medical work she was forced to do under the Nazi eugenicist Josef Mengele. Patterson's attitude toward Niusia changes after the airing of these memories, sourced through her mother, whose voice we hear in recordings. This is a surprisingly warm play given its theme of the Holocaust and inherited trauma. Paterson is a sweet, perky storyteller, singing at times and incorporating her play-making process into her narration. Sometimes this seems pertinent, other times unnecessary. She brings some taboo-busting humour to the subject, which also only half works. It defuses the tension but sounds like random lines from an edgy standup routine. There are life lessons for Paterson along the way, which she speaks aloud, recommending books that are in brown boxes and which she reaches for at various moments. It is clear that the disinterring of personal history is part of an education – one she now imparts to us. The narrative strays from Niusia towards the end, on to Paterson's Australian Jewish identity and the anxiety of not being seen as Jewish enough – which could make for a play of its own. It is ultimately Niusia's story that grips. Paterson puts on an accent to bring her back to life. We hear that she went on to have twins after leaving the camp. As Paterson says, isn't that the best 'fuck you' to Mengele? Quite. At Summerhall, Edinburgh, until 25 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Star Wars' Gina Careno settles Disney lawsuit after sacking over 'abhorrent' comments
Star Wars actor Gina Carano has settled her lawsuit against Disney and Lucasfilm after she was fired from the Star Wars spin-off The Mandalorian over controversial comments Gina Carano has reached a settlement with Disney and Lucasfilm after she was fired from a Disney production of Star Wars spin-off The Mandalorian over controversial comments. The Star Wars actress sued Disney for firing her after she made controversial social media posts in which she compared being a Republican in the US to being a Jew in the Holocaust. Carano, who played Cara Dune in the Disney+ series, claimed that being fired by Disney for the online comments, was unjust and originally sued for wrongful termination and sexual discrimination. She also claimed two male co-stars made similar comments online but didn't face the same penalty as she did. Elon Musk also backed the actress in the legal action. However, on Thursday a settlement was agreed between Disney and Carano. A spokesperson for Disney subsidiary Lucasfilm has said the companies had 'reached an agreement with Gina Carano to resolve the issues in her pending lawsuit.' Disney also said in a statement it 'looks forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms Carano in the near future,' according to global news agency AFP. Meanwhile Carano, who is also a former martial arts fighter, has also responded to the settlement. She wrote on X: "I have come to an agreement with Disney/Lucasfilm @disney @Lucasfilm which I believe is the best outcome for all parties involved. I hope this brings some healing to the force. "I want to extend my deepest most heartfelt gratitude to Elon Musk, @elonmusk a man I've never met, who did this Good Samaritan deed for me in funding my lawsuit. Thank you Mr. Musk and @X for backing my case and asking for nothing in return. To my lawyers at @GSchaerr Schaerr|Jaffe who walked me through this unknown territory, thank you for your wisdom and guidance. "I am humbled and grateful to God for His love and grace in this outcome. I'd like to thank you all for your unrelenting support throughout my life and career, you've been the heartbeat that has kept my story alive. I hope to make you proud. I am excited to flip the page and move onto the next chapter. My desires remain in the arts, which is where I hope you will join me. "Yes, I'm smiling. From my heart to yours, Gina," she ended the lengthy post with. The actress was ousted by Disney in 2021 and, at the time, her social media posts were labelled 'abhorrent and unacceptable'. Disney said in 2021, when the social media posts appeared that they were 'denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities'. And at the time a Lucasfilm spokesperson said: "Gina Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm and there are no plans for her to be in the future. "Nevertheless, her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable." In 2021, Carano also received criticism for tweets that saw her mock mask-wearers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Carano also earlier angered some of the transgender community for writing on her X profile that her preferred pronouns were 'boop/bop/beep.' And more recently, after the settlement, Carano posted on Thursday August 7, on X writing: 'The truth shall set you free.'
BBC News
06-08-2025
- BBC News
European strongest woman from Sheffield 'over the moon' with win
A woman who has been crowned Europe's Strongest Woman said she felt "over the moon" to have won the Hollywood, from Sheffield, took gold in the under 73kg (11st 7lb) category in the Official Strongman European Championship, held at the Barbican in York. Points were awarded for each of five events across two days, after which the personal trainer come out in top 36-year-old said: "I was not expecting it but I deserve it because I work hard." The event involved challenges that saw competitors lift about three times their bodyweight over the weekend, Ms Hollywood said."There was a two-hour gap between events and it was emotionally draining," she said."Lots of adrenaline and getting hyped-up, then after the event you have to calm down and then get ready for the next one."Ms Hollywood said she had gone through "really intense" training ahead of the competition, which included at least 12 hours of workouts a week and eating about 3,000 calories a day."It's been a hard run," she said."It becomes a job in itself just eating enough."She said her diet was not particularly strict but included lots of protein such as steak, along with fibre and cake and biscuits: "I don't particularly enjoy cooking, but I enjoy eating."Ms Hollywood said she became involved in weightlifting "by accident" when she attended a class and found she was good at it."I did some local competitions in Rotherham and it just grew from there," she said."I look up to Chloe Brennan, the champion last year, and I was in awe of her and thought 'I can never do that, but it'd be great if I could'."Then there I was holding the trophy and I'm over the moon."In November, she is planning to travel to Texas to take part in the Official Strongman Games world finals. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
