As I type this 24 performers are creating human sculpture based on the lives of 24 new yorkers living downtown.  Meanwhile, a man is backstage reviewing his lines before he takes stage at The Public Theater to deliver a one-man show that recounts the Apollo 11 moon landing.  Later in the evening, the stage will transform into an ode to the American Dance Legand, Martha Graham, with a multi-media tribute, using materials from her actual choreography, past documentaries and actual notes from her personal journals.

Quite the cultural buffet to say the least.  In its 6th year, the Under The Radar Festival has returned and transformed the citie’s theaters into a hotbed of new-found theater from around the world.  Going on through January 17th, see the festival’s sites for scheduling, performance synopsis and location information.  While its cold outside, why not undergo some cultural stimulus?

photo courtesy of Creative Commons License

You can tell that the festive season is looming. Apart from all the gaudy street decorations, different coloured coffee cup litter in the gutters and turkey and stuffing flavour sandwiches in the shops (Pret’s totally wins by the way), pantomimes are taking over theatreland!

For those who are not aware of the genre and are assuming this is some bizarre form of Irish silent performing art that involves trousers, ‘pantomime’ is actually a traditional form of family Christmas theatre. The story is always one of a select few fairy tales – Aladdin, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk or Dick Whittington for example, performed in an exaggerated, comedic and slapstick fashion. Audience participation (usually in the screetched form of ‘HE’S BEHIND YOU!’ ) is not so much encouraged as downright demanded, and to be truly authentic there must be a pantomime dame (a.k.a a man in drag) and the young male hero should be played by a boy. A  raucous, family orientated and gender image-progressive night out in other words!

Here are our picks of the best pantos in town:

The Classic – Aladdin at the Hackney Empire. (28th November – 9th January

The Hackney Empire is famous for its annual pantomime, and following on from last years lauded ‘Mother Goose’, this years production looks to be another corker. The Hackney Empire is being forced to temporarily shut its doors in the New Year due to a lack of funds, so it’s worth seeing a panto in this fantastic location while you still can.

The Biggie – Peter Pan at the O2. (1st December – 10th January)

Performed in the round in the staggering 1300 seat specially constructed venue, this is the big daddy of 2009 pantomimes. It perhaps won’t feel as traditional as seeing a show in an old fashioned red curtain theatre, but there are sure to be some fantastic sets and visual effects.

The All Star Turn – Snow White and the Seven Dwarves at the Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon. (December 4th – January 3rd)

One hilarious panto tradition is the ’star turn’, where desperate Z list celebrities earn 80% of their yearly wages by donning some satin pantaloons and taking to the stage. Take this panto for example, stars ex-Eastender Letitia Dean, ex-member of B*Witch Keavy Lynch (ask your now faintly embarrassed twenty-something sister) and  those two grand dames of the British puppet world Sooty and Sweep.

The One for Adults – Sinderfella at Leicester Square Basement Theatre. (4th December – 30th December)

A high camp spoof starring drag artist Bette Rinse and a slightly unhinged ex Big Brother contestant as a ‘Cookie Monster? Songs including ‘It’s Raining Men’, ‘Like a Virgin’ and ‘Dancing Queen’? Oh yes please…

Photos courtesy of Hackney Empire, barto via Flickr and Leicester Square Theatre, used under a Creative Commons License.

I defy you to think of a more Metrotwinny theatre festival than ‘Brits Off-Broadway’ a collection of seven plays written, directed and performed (rather obviously) by British theatre companies, at 59E59 Theatres, at 59 East 59th Street (again, duh.)

Despite having a place of conception in common, the plays being performed are wildly different: ‘Wolves at the Window’ is a acidly sharp historical look at the life of the Edwardian writer Saki, ‘My Wonderful Life’ is a child’s eye view of the complicated adult world and ‘Fascinating Aida is Absolutely Miraculous’ promises to be ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ meets Noel Coward as sung by the Puppini Sisters’. There is an evening of cabaret music and other plays are on subjects as diverse as the Elephant Man, international politics and regretful ex-cons.

All in all, Brits off Broadway looks to be as varied as British weather, local accents and the functionality of the London Underground, so it looks worth checking out, as there is something for everyone*.

Photo courtesy of britsoffbroadway.com

*Incidentally, today is ‘near gale force winds’, ‘North London whine with a touch of grammar school’ and ‘Metropolitan Line suspended between Wembley Park and Aldgate due to a signal failure at Finchley Road’)

Sharon Florin, renowned painter of New York ’s urban landscapes (and terrific Metrotwinner!) is also a keen theatre-goer;   we have harnessed her passion and expertise and convinced her to write the below review on the plays you simply must see this Fall on Broadway.

The Fall season on Broadway is off  to a terrific start. Wonderful productions to be seen this year. Carrie Fisher’s “Wishful Drinking” is funny, poignant and insightful. She delves into her wild Hollywood childhood with her famous parents, her early stardom in “Star Wars”, marriages, addictions and how she has gotten to this point in her life. Staged in the old Studio 54, the show wi ll leave you laughing and shaking your head at the same time.

Jude Law in “Hamlet” was a real surprise. Having only seen the actor on the big-screen, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I heard he would be attempting to put his stamp on one of the greatest plays ever written. He and the rest of the cast did an admirable job. The production, which reminded me at times of “Mary Stuart” last spring, was dramatic and moved along smoothly. I left the theater feeling I had just seen something I would not soon forget.

Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman’s revival of “The Royal Family” at the Manhattan Theatre Club was fun, if a tad dated. A take-off on the illustrious Barrymore family, or so it is said, it was fast-paced in a zany way.

“Superior Donuts”, Tracy Lett’s new offering after his knock-out “August: Osage County” was an intimate piece of theater, well acted by Michael McKean and a terrific young actor Jon Michael Hill. It at times has a sitcom feel, but was an enjoyable evening at the theater, one that I would recommend.

One of  my favorite new shows of this season has got to be the terrific new musical “Memphis”. Everything worked in this one. Terrific acting and singing by the talented cast. It’s nice when many of the cast members get a big number and a chance to shine, and they were all showstoppers. Music and choreography was original and toe-tappng, innovative sets and a wonderful time all around. I left the theater raving about this show and can’t wait for the soundtrack to be released. Saw it in previews and think this might be a really big one.

Other shows of interest are “After Miss Julie”, “God of Carnage”, “Rock of Ages”, “In the Heights”, “The 39 Steps” and “Jersey Boys”. If you enjoy the theater, all of these productions have something wonderful to offer.

As you might remember, on Tuesday we gave away tickets to ‘A Cloud in Trousers’  Samantha Bloom’s one woman show at Wilton’s Music Hall.

WELL.

The feedback we got was so good from all and sundry that we managed to get some more tickets for TONIGHT, so as before, first five to email editor@metrotwin.com win a pair!

Rather literal image by Dev Null used under a Creative Commons License