Coming up in Canterbury: performances to watch during November

From drama to comedy and ballet to poetry, Hannah Luckett tells us about the top performances that we have on our doorstep over the next month.

If there was ever a month meant for popping down to the theatre to catch a show, then it’s probably this November. The nights are closing in, temperatures are tickling arctic levels and the night-life of the summer is settling down. With both the Marlowe and the Gulbenkian offering a wide array of dramas, comedies, one-off productions and international ballet (and often with great student deals), it’s the time to treat yourself and get a bit of a culture-fix.

The Marlowe Theatre

If you fancy something a little more avant-garde yet critically acclaimed then Miles Allen’s One Man Breaking Bad on 20 November is a must see. Premiering at the Melbourne comedy festival and following up at the Edinburgh Fringe, the Marlowe brings you the genius, and possibly little-bit-crazy homage to the famous series us Brits have all watched on Netflix. In what Miles calls ‘a love letter’ to the show and the characters, he takes on all of the best-loved characters with a comedic spin. This comedy hybrid aims to plaster up the Breaking-Bad-sized-hole left in us since the show finished. (Prior knowledge of the original TV show is advised before seeing Allen’s production.)

Disco Pigs, 13 November: a more traditional-style production but with an urban, young and edgy twist. Expect swearing, alcohol and general social debauchery. The Guardian have reviewed the play as having ‘thrilling vigor and jabbering energy. Kickass Performances.’ One for the Irvine Welsh fans, I expect.

Ballet and dance fans rejoice as The Royal New Zealand Ballet perform Giselle between Thursday 12 and Saturday 14 November. Two heavyweights of the ballet world combine, Ethan Steifel and Johan Kobborg, formerly principle dancers for the American Ballet Theatre and The Royal Ballet, and perform this re-imagining of the 1841 classic. Well received by critics, with Danz magazine calling it a ‘triumph’, this looks like a must-see performance for anyone interested in ballet, and with a three day running, you don’t have any excuse to miss it!

Gulbenkian

If the thought of traipsing into Canterbury is a little bit too much for you in the cold wintery evenings, then there’s also an array of entertainment on campus for you to enjoy!

If you haven’t got any plans for Firework Night, then why not go and see Arcadia, performed by The Canterbury Players, between 5 – 7 November. A well-established production going in to its 20^th Year, Arcadia is split between 1809 and the present day, exploring the relationships between the present and the past, love and sex, and order and chaos. A brilliant play, performed by an equally excellent acting company, looks to be a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

If you want a dose of Shakespeare, then the National Theatre’s Live Broadcast of Hamlet is playing on the 8 and 12 November. Benedict Cumberbatch takes on the role of the eponymous tragic hero in one of the most talked-about performances of the classic play. A combination of both contemporary and modern influences within the production, this screening is already looking to be a sell-out, so get your tickets sooner rather than later.

Gulbslam, 18 November: one for the cool-kids of the poetry world. Go sit in the café and have your ears blown away by incredibly talented poets, who are willing to be judged on a stage for your enjoyment. Imagine gladiatorial combat, poetry style! As well as the local crowd, special guest Anna Freeman, creative writing lecturer at Bath Spa University is performing. Anna’s special talent lies in brutally honest and often-hilarious re-tellings of situations that we have all been through. So go along, sit back and enjoy a night of poetry.