Review: Sketching

Sketching has all the great hallmarks of a James Graham play. There are a lot of characters, and their stories interweave frenetically. Music is used – sparingly but to high dramatic effect. There is a little bit of everything for everyone. What you get out of a James Graham play often depends on what you take into it. My meditative and melancholic mood found perfect reflection in the stories of the people of the city of London, but those in a more celebratory frame of mind will find plenty to enjoy too.

Theatre Reviewsemma@politicalhuman.com26 October 2018James Graham

Review: Frankenstein

Frankenstein sets itself firmly in the 80s before the show begins with a thumping and iconic 80s soundtrack. As you enter the “squat” space and are greeted by a group with a very strong ‘Legs Akimbo‘ vibe telling ghost stories. As Mary speaks, she tells of a dream she had – a dream the group shared of a family suffering a tragedy.

As they tell it the story takes over and we are led through their interpretation of Frankenstein.

Theatre Reviewsemma@politicalhuman.com26 October 2018Frankenstein

Review: illicit Secrets: Bletchley

Another World War Win at the Colab Factory.

Illicit Secrets: Bletchley is a very clever drama. Like a predecessor Hidden Figures, it uses immersive theatre to celebrate real heroes from The Second World War – in this case, the code breakers of Bletchley Park. It does this by immersing you in their work and their world.

Vulnerability is Massively Important – Interview with Owen Kingston of Parabolic

Owen Kingston looks like a pirate king. Even in a small coffee shop dashing between engagements, he looks larger than life and like he should be brandishing a cutlass (very unfair, given he is incredibly sweet natured).

Interviews, CultureEmma Burnell20 August 2018Owen Kingston, Parabolic Theatre, Colab Factory

We can’t let the Labour Party split into two lesser versions of itself

Once again the Labour Party is spending a summer at war with itself. The disgust at antisemitism that has been rightly vocalised by Jeremy Corbyn, Tom Watson and many others has not stopped the issue becoming a political football in Labour’s vastly overheated National Executive Committee elections.

Many Corbyn supporters, the vast majority of whom share the disgust at antisemitism, still feel bruised after the attempted ousting of Corbyn in 2016 and vindicated by the party’s better-than-expected showing at the general election. They know that the Venn diagram of those who are outraged and upset by antisemitism has a lot of overlap with those who will never accept Corbyn as a leader. Some have therefore understandably – if wrongly, in my view – seen this issue purely through those old lenses.

PoliticsEmma Burnell20 August 2018Jeremy Corbyn, Labour Party

Review: Reading Gaol

Reading Gaol is a fantastically evocative poem and this is a powerful piece of work built out of and around it. The play consists of readings of Reading Gaol, interspersed with monologues – written now but covering a longer time span from Wilde’s time to now. Each is delivered by one of five actors, who each get their chance to shine.

Theatre Reviewsemma@politicalhuman.com28 July 2018Theatre N16, Reading Gaol, Oscar Wilde

Why Don't We Just Leave Labour? Because it's Our Life

“Why don’t you just leave?” This is a question frequently faced by Labour members who are sceptical of the leadership and direction of the party.

A decade ago it was asked of those now in charge, who felt similarly out of step with New Labour. They stayed; things changed. Many see a lesson there.

Politicsemma@politicalhuman.com28 July 2018Labour, Red Box, Times, Tribalism

Owning the Future: The Left's Relationship with Europe

As part of my ongoing role as Co-Chair of Open Labour, I co-edited a pamphlet of the future of the relationship between the EU and the UK. This looked specifically at how the left should approach the future of cooperation with our nearest trading bloc.

Politics, EditingEmma Burnell14 July 2018Brexit, Open Labour, Single Market, Customs Union

No, Jared O’Mara wasn’t disciplined for being working class

claiming it had treated him “like a criminal ”.

No part of the saga is satisfactory for anyone involved. The Labour Party and O’Mara have both shown themselves to be lacking in understanding of what his offence means. Both in relation to those he insulted then, and why it matters to those of us in the party who remain determined to wipe the scourge of misogyny from the party and wider society.

O’Mara does have some legitimate complaints and has clearly had a dreadful time. I wouldn’t wish his emotional distress on anyone. The lack of support he received is a stain on the party and its processes.

Politicsemma@politicalhuman.com13 July 2018Jared O'Mara, Labour Party, Labour NEC, Discipline

Review: A Midsummer Night's Dream

A sparse set made up of a split level stage and a large paper suspended lamp are what greets us as we take our seats for this performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This sparse staging plays well with the venue itself, as the light dims, the shadows cast on the rough walls become more dreamlike. The lamp turns from sun to moon and back as the play goes on, and this clever use of light guides us through the progress of what can be a confusing production of a confusing play.

"We're goldplating Labour policy" Emma Burnell interviews Alex Sobel MP

It’s unusual for me to meet Alex Sobel dressed in a suit. Before he became an MP we were occasional gig buddies, and so I’m more used to the regulation jeans and T-shirt. But today, relaxing in his Parliamentary office, Alex looks every inch the MP.

One week from when this interview will be published, it will be Open Labour’s AGM and conference at which we will be launching the new pamphlet edited by myself and Allison Roche of Unison and with a Foreword by Alex. In it Open Labour lay out the options available to the Party over Europe and argue strongly in favour of staying in both the Customs Union and the Single Market.

InterviewsEmma Burnell18 June 2018Open Labour, Alex Sobel MP, Europe

Corbyn, Capitalism and the Horizon

There is a sense I get from some Corbynsceptics in the Labour Party that if they just sit quietly and ride out the storm, then eventually things will return to their version of normal.

This is why there is so much infighting on process issues. They know that mandatory reselection, whereby MPs have to refight for their seat before every election would put at risk some of their MPs and would change the largely Corbyn-critical membership of the Parliamentary Party.

Politicsemma@politicalhuman.com8 June 2018Jeremy Corbyn, Capitalism, 2008 Crash, Labour Party

It’s not just poor organisation—Labour Live was always going to fail

Tens of thousands of people hanging on your every word and singing your name to the heavens. Who wouldn’t want to experience that? More pertinently, who—having experienced it once—wouldn’t want to recreate it?

It is very easy to see how, after the high of Corbyn’s post-election appearance at Glastonbury, the temptation to go big on Labour Live was as difficult to resist as it has proved impossible to deliver. According to reports, ticket sales are rather low and my younger, cooler friends tell me the line up isn’t up to much. Even I can see that there’s no Stormzy there—an oversight apparently caused by him already being booked to do something else. Which begs the question why that wasn’t checked before the date was set.

Immersive theatre may be sexy – but we need to start talking about consent

“Truth or dare?” This is the challenge put to a few audience members in a game of “spin the bottle” at an immersive production of The Great Gatsby currently being enjoyed by audiences in Borough, south London.

Review: Matilda

The set is stunning. You’re greeted as you take your seat with a cavalcade of letters all making up words you’ll spend possibly too much of your night working out. On occasion, it will obscure your view, but as there’s so much to look at, that matters little. t sets a high expectation of the kind of entertainment we can expect, and that Matilda delivers in spades.

Theatre Reviewsemma@politicalhuman.com28 May 2018Matilda

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