Lyn Gardner's Weekly Picks

The big opening this week is undoubtedly Robert Icke’s take on The Lives of Others, Florian Henckel Von Donnersmarck’s remarkable 2006 movie set in East Berlin in the mid-1980s, when East Germans were still under constant surveillance by the Stasi. Keira Knightley plays actress Christa-Maria, and Luke Thompson is her playwright boyfriend, who both come to the attention of Stasi officer Gerd (Stephen Dillane). He becomes obsessed by them, and soon the boundaries between the observed and the observer start to shift. Icke is the most thoughtful of theatre-makers, and this has all the makings of a major hit and one which asks searching questions about art, empathy and totalitarianism.   

For something different, look no further than Ceilidh at Shoreditch Town Hall, a new musical created by Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie, AKA Noisemaker, which is inspired by the still prevalent traditional Scottish gatherings featuring country dancing and which is directed by Sam Pinkleton, who is also the director of Oh, Mary! at the Trafalgar Theatre. Arriving in London direct from Alan Cummings’ Pitlochry Theatre, this is likely to be London’s most joyous evening as audiences are invited—but not obliged—to join the dance as the show tells the story of a family who for generations have been the callers, explaining and guiding the dancers through the dances so that everyone can join in. The show had its world premiere in Baltimore, where it proved a hit, so book your spot on the dance floor while you have the chance.