Lyn's Picks: 24 May

The Death of a Black Man (Hampstead Theatre)

Alfred Fagon lends his name to one of our leading playwriting awards. Still, the work of this writer, who died in 1986 aged just 49 and was buried in a pauper’s grave, simply doesn’t get the attention it deserves. This play first premiered at Hampstead in 1975, and is set in a King’s Road flat owned by 18 year old black entrepreneur Shakie, a young man with an eye for the gullibility of tourists who knows how to make a quick buck. Now, it's getting a revival at the same theatre by Dawn Walton. Expect a sharp comedy about life in the fast lane, capitalism, black identity and sexual politics.

Touching the Void (Online)

Tom Morris revives this story, adapted by David Greig from Joe Simpson’s book, about a climbing accident in the Peruvian Andes that almost proved fatal. The show premiered at Bristol Old Vic in 2018 before heading into the West End, where it was admired for both its drama and the way it made audiences feel positively vertiginous. It’s now being reimagined both on stage in Bristol for a socially distanced audience, as well as being available in digital form for audiences all over the world. The aim is to create an immersive experience using cutting-edge camera techniques and a binaural sound design. If you have ever wondered what it would feel like to fall down a crevasse, this is your chance to find out.

The Money (County Hall)

If you do just one show over the next few weeks, make it this unique, almost impossible to describe experience, created by Kaleider. The show has played all over the world: this London run is its chance to be seen more widely. It will have appeal to anyone interested in human nature and psychology and how we behave when trying to make decisions under pressure. The premise is simple: you, your companions and a bunch of strangers have 60 minutes to decide how to spend a pot of real cash. If you can’t all agree the pot rolls over to the next group. I have done it twice and I can assure you that there’s as much drama in the unfolding scenario as there is in any play you’ve ever seen.

Cover image from The Death of a Black Man.