Shows at Gryphon@WestEnd

Hamlet and Ophelia Go Swimming

An exploration of the cyclical disintegration of romantic relationships using music, mask, and text taken from literature and reality explore what could have happened between Hamlet and Ophelia before the events of Hamlet. Contemporary monologues chronicling an ascent into and a descent out of love are interrupted by lines from the play and ghosts from the future. Physical theatre and dance are used to create meaningful images, carefully organising the shards of a shattered relationship into a ritualistic piece of devised theatre.

Gryphon@WestEnd • 5 Aug 2014 - 8 Aug 2014

Random Acts

This show is a flowing tapestry of visual and aural experiences, designed to evoke emotion, engage the senses and explore the raw elements of dance. Each piece of original choreography infuses ballet, jazz and modern dance techniques to pull together a smooth, continuous flow of movement. This show shakes with the beating rhythms of innovation and tradition, the near-primordial screams and echoes of the mind working with and against the body, gathering a verve that will spill out into the audience.

Gryphon@WestEnd • 4 Aug 2014 - 8 Aug 2014

Orlando: An Autobiography

Virginia Woolf’s Orlando has manifested her/himself as a foul mouthed, 500-year-old drag queen, and isn’t happy about the reputation that precedes him/her. After being blessed by the ‘virgin’ queen, Orlando became immortalised in writing, a collage of personalities, genders and biographies, it’s hard to believe that he/she’s is a real person. Orlando invites you to sit down, shut up, and explore the performances we put on everyday. Hilariously irreverent, Woolf’s gender-bending epic is bastardised into a grotesque cabaret of gender that would make anyone drown themselves in a river. Strong language and sexual themes.

Gryphon@WestEnd • 4 Aug 2014 - 9 Aug 2014

Shhh - An Improvised Silent Movie

Shhh - An Improvised Silent Movie is a totally hilarious and completely improvised silent piece with ragtime piano music inspired by the films and ambience of the 1920s. An international show suitable for people of any nationality as well as those with hearing difficulties, it innovates and pushes the boundaries of the improvisation art form. ‘Memorable doesn’t do justice to it. Go and see it’ ***** (FringeReview.co.uk). ‘A true gem’ **** (FringeGuru.com). ‘Incredibly talented’ ***** (Bristol Improv).

Gryphon@WestEnd • 4 Aug 2014 - 23 Aug 2014

Odd Shaped Balls

A moving, honest and comical one-man show exploring issues of homophobia in sport through the experiences of a young professional rugby player, James Hall, as he deals with the media attention after being publicly outed by his ex. A versatile and dynamic performance sees a range of characters brought to life, from Jim's supportive coach, Aidan, to his outspoken teammate, Jonesy, the main source of changing-room banter. Drawing on recent events, the show looks at how the culture of male sports, and pressure from fans and the press, can intimidate sports stars to live a lie.

Gryphon@WestEnd • 4 Aug 2014 - 16 Aug 2014

Julius Caesar in Original Pronunciation

The University of Houston-Downtown University Theatre is performing Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar in Shakespeare’s original pronunciation. This dynamic cutting of the play compresses the action of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy into 85 minutes of thrilling theatre, spoken with the ultra-expressive sounds of Elizabethan dramatic speech. Come experience the action and hear the play as Shakespeare intended it to be heard.

Gryphon@WestEnd • 1 Aug 2014 - 9 Aug 2014

Dog, Book and Scandal

Finding the Will in association with The Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham presents Bard Heads: Dog, Book and Scandal. Bard Heads takes an updated look at some well-loved characters from Shakespeare’s most popular plays and imagines what might have happened next. In Dog, Book and Scandal, Friar Laurence faces criticism over star-crossed lovers' fiasco. Inspired by Romeo and Juliet, Bard Heads catches up with Friar Laurence one year on from the tragedy. Written and performed by Richard Curnow. 'Bard Heads is an electrifying one-to-one between each character and the audience' (Wiltshire Gazette and Herald).

Gryphon@WestEnd • 1 Aug 2014 - 16 Aug 2014

Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost is a one-man, multi-media, theatrical adaptation of John Milton’s epic 17th century poem. It involves puppets, state of the art computer animation, and a rock‘n’roll soundscape. The story begins moments after the battle of heaven, as Satan finds himself and his followers cast into hell. In search of revenge, Satan travels to the Garden of Eden. Combining traditional techniques in puppetry and groundbreaking special effects, along with the greatest epic poem ever written, Paradise Lost has achieved acclaim with audiences and critics alike.

Gryphon@WestEnd • 1 Aug 2014 - 16 Aug 2014

Obscura

A teeny-tiny magic show, performed live on a big screen! Join magician Christian Cagigal, as he weaves fairy tales, dark fables and strange happenings into an intimate and engaging evening fraught with wonder, mystery and imagination. Cagigal has been regaling diverse audiences with his unique hybrid of theatre and slightly creepy-magic for years in Downtown San Francisco. With Obscura, Cagigal returns to his roots as an up-close and personal entertainer, peppering some of his favourite short stories with witty and eccentric demonstrations of close-up card magic and more. ‘A deeply theatrical narrative that’s startling in its originality.’(Chloe Veltman, ArtsBlogJournal.com).

Gryphon@WestEnd • 1 Aug 2014 - 16 Aug 2014