Royal Court, London
Dutch singer Wende performs songs conceived by playwrights – on topics from bloody battles to online dating – with magnetism and a talent for storytelling
In this glorious experiment with mixed results, five playwrights – EV Crowe, Sabrina Mahfouz, Somalia Nonyé Seaton, Stef Smith and Debris Stevenson – were asked for ideas for songs, the brief no stricter than that. Conceived by Chloe Lamford, the result is an ethereal, mishmashed concert with an always brilliant band and bewitching lead singer, but varied quality of songs and lack of a through-thread.
The show – which I see a preview of – is meant to be in the much larger auditorium downstairs, but flooding has pushed it to the Court’s smaller space upstairs. The intimate nature is perfectly suited to the cosy show, with the band clustered in a circle, their instruments almost on top of each other, the audience crowded on three sides. When we’re encouraged to join in for a chorus (don’t worry, participation is minimal), there’s a sense of being gathered round a crackling fire.