In case you hadn't noticed, over on the site we're running promotions for Jonzi D Productions' show Markus the Sadist (read review), which is returning to the Bloomsbury Theatre next week - why, you can even buy tickets through us!
Anyway, in the run up to this run of the show, Bashy (as the character of Markus!) and the promoters hit the streets of London to take advantage of people's good nature and highlight the show's satire.
In the show, Ashley 'Bashy' Thomas plays the lead role of Markus, a talented emcee that sells his soul for fame and wealth... and all the stereotypes that go together with hip hop these days - American slang, gloryifying guns, and, as you'll see in the videos, pants saggin'!
Markus the Sadist promo videos:
Somehow they even managed to corner a bemused X-Factor contestant Duane Flames before he caught a tube.
These are some of the most ridiculous (and funniest) show promos I've seen, and they reflect the nature of the show exactly. If you haven't seen it yet, the dates for the limited run are 17-20 May.
To read the interview I did with Bashy, and find out why we're excited about Markus the Sadist,head over to the site.
Showing posts with label hip hop theatre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hip hop theatre. Show all posts
Friday, 14 May 2010
Friday, 26 March 2010
Does Blaze signal streetdance acceptance in theatres?
The twits aren't angry! What did Blaze do right that others didn't?
I don't wish to dampen Blaze's flame (when your show is named after anything hot you're open to lots of mediocre metaphors!). It's s brilliant show, had a successful run thanks to its (coincidental) tie to So You Think You Can Dance, with Tommy and Lizzie being two of the main attractions for new dance audiences, but it hasn't had as big a reaction on the social network scale.
The press night was awash with excited people, but behind the celebrity spin it's been a bit different in the blogosphere. Less anger, for one!
When a big show is coming up I use a Twitter tool called Hootsuite to track key words and see what people are saying about it. Sometimes I reply to them to get a bit of a debate going, drop them a link to our review, and the amount of tweets under each column gets bigger and bigger.
Last September I wrote a blog about the (laughable) literary outcry against Bounce's Insane In The Brain called Bounce criticisms holding back hip hop theatre? after reading people's opinions:
Blaze, complete with its Masonic symbols present (the pyramid intersecting a cup, if you haven't seen the Da Vinci Code) hasn't had the same reaction with the public (those connected via Twitter, at least).
No "this is an outrage!" No "not in MY West End!" Just tweets about how excited they were to see it, how much they liked it and why you should see it too.
The social network monitoring doesn't reflect the general consensus of the UK's opinions, I know, but shouldn't be disregarded for measuring people's interests. It's an interesting way to engage what people are thinking - @SaliWho, quoted above, even went so far as to take a photo of her theatre listings!
Have people finally grown to accept street dance in theatres? Or are they only happy about it when it isn't based on a classical text, a la Pied Piper or Into The Hoods? Interesting.
Blaze runs until 28 March.
I don't wish to dampen Blaze's flame (when your show is named after anything hot you're open to lots of mediocre metaphors!). It's s brilliant show, had a successful run thanks to its (coincidental) tie to So You Think You Can Dance, with Tommy and Lizzie being two of the main attractions for new dance audiences, but it hasn't had as big a reaction on the social network scale.
The press night was awash with excited people, but behind the celebrity spin it's been a bit different in the blogosphere. Less anger, for one!
When a big show is coming up I use a Twitter tool called Hootsuite to track key words and see what people are saying about it. Sometimes I reply to them to get a bit of a debate going, drop them a link to our review, and the amount of tweets under each column gets bigger and bigger.
Last September I wrote a blog about the (laughable) literary outcry against Bounce's Insane In The Brain called Bounce criticisms holding back hip hop theatre? after reading people's opinions:
@ereuben Saw ad on the tube for "Insane In The Brain," a street-dance version of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. I need lithium & a passport STATEtc. Which prompted an even angrier reply - click it to read it yourself, I'm not going to repeat that person's ignorance.
@SaliWho I love One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest & hip hop, so why does this sound like horrific theatrical hell? http://twitpic.com/hoyb1
Blaze, complete with its Masonic symbols present (the pyramid intersecting a cup, if you haven't seen the Da Vinci Code) hasn't had the same reaction with the public (those connected via Twitter, at least).
No "this is an outrage!" No "not in MY West End!" Just tweets about how excited they were to see it, how much they liked it and why you should see it too.
The social network monitoring doesn't reflect the general consensus of the UK's opinions, I know, but shouldn't be disregarded for measuring people's interests. It's an interesting way to engage what people are thinking - @SaliWho, quoted above, even went so far as to take a photo of her theatre listings!
Have people finally grown to accept street dance in theatres? Or are they only happy about it when it isn't based on a classical text, a la Pied Piper or Into The Hoods? Interesting.
Blaze runs until 28 March.
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Breakin' Convention 2010: Submissions due and reserved seating information
Breakin' Convention 2010 Submissions due soon
Submissions for Breakin' Convention 2010 are closing next week - Friday 22 January. For any dancers or crews that haven't yet submitted their application there is only a little time left for a chance to apply to appear in the annual sell out hip hop theatre festival at Sadler's Wells.
If you think your dance group has the innovation to make it on stage, for more information, to read the guidelines and to enter, go to the Breakin' Convention 2010 submission page.
For an idea of the kind of originality Breakin' Convention team is looking for, read our review of Breakin' Convention 2008 and Breakin' Convention 2009.
Breakin' Convention 2010 reserved seating
Tickets are now available for Breakin' Convention 2010, and they've done away with unreserved seating. This year there's the option of having a seated or standing ticket, with a price difference of £5, which is worth it if you've ever returned to your seat and found a stranger sat between you and a friend!
There's more ticketing information on booking for groups of people and theatre day passes here.
The event is always a sell out, so don't put off buying tickets until the last minute.
Seated (reserved) tickets are £20
Standing (proms - unreserved) tickets are £15
Buy Breakin' Convention 2010 tickets here.
Monday, 26 October 2009
Boy Blue "Whose Side Are You On?" Asbos vs Pied Piper batte photos
The best pics taken will win a free Boy Blue class for themselves and ten of their mates too.
For more info on the battle, and the forthcoming Pied Piper (or read our review of the spring show here) show returning to the Barbican this December, see www.whosesideareyouon.org
This blog links from We're Excited About... Boy Blue Presents "Pied Piper" and Zoonation's "Into The Hoods" - Click to go back to the site
Monday, 21 September 2009
Bounce criticisms holding back hip hop theatre?
This blog is linked to our review of Insane In The Brain
The prejudice I came across researching facts for the Insane In The Brain review saddened me, seeing how people can judge a book by its cover (or a play by it's poster), until I realised maybe it's not so bad!
As my co-writer Archie once commented at a public hip hop event "the place is full of archetypal stereotypes who have no interest in what they're watching, only interested in being cultured and having an opinion on things."
Unfortunately it's these archetypal stereotypes that are holding back hip hop theatre, as well as putting theatres like Sadler's Wells under (indirect) scrutiny for trying to push progressive dance forward. We're not all Diversity clones!
Let's take a look at a few prejudices by outspoken Twitter users:
Hip hop shows that have made it to theatre land in London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, seem to induce headaches to couch critics, ie, the above Twitters, why can't they recognise that the top three shows we've had: Into The Hoods, Pied Piper (read review) and Insane In The Brain (read review) are all based on classical texts which their oh-so-educated selves probably studied at school? Boy Blue winning an Olivier Award for Pied Piper? The educated archetypal stereotype should be buying block bookings with an accreditation like that!
As far as Twitter is concerned though, the meaningless ramblings of the 'ignorantly educated' shouldn't tarnish Insane In The Brain's reputation. Obviously I felt passionately that people shouldn't pre-judge something that even I hadn't seen before. That was until I realised they're the ones missing out!
Insane In The Brain has been seen by over 100,000 people since it started in 2006. It goes without saying, that's a lot of people! And while I could worry about what a handful of people have to say about something they're too judgemental to see, it's me, not them, that's having a great night at the theatre while discovering another innovative twist on a classic tale.
My advice to those that overlook street dance because they believe Diversity are a low standard example (and the Twitterers in question will be notified of this blog) is to go out and buy yourself tickets to any of the shows I mentioned above and let your hair down.
Here's what people thought of Insane In The Brain on the first night:
Yes, I'm passionate about street dance, but do I jump to the same conclusion when I see a poster for ballet? No! In fact, I'm even toying with the idea of getting tickets to see Carlos Acosta in December! Open your eyes to other cultures around you, don't be so ignorant, guys!
The prejudice I came across researching facts for the Insane In The Brain review saddened me, seeing how people can judge a book by its cover (or a play by it's poster), until I realised maybe it's not so bad!
As my co-writer Archie once commented at a public hip hop event "the place is full of archetypal stereotypes who have no interest in what they're watching, only interested in being cultured and having an opinion on things."
Unfortunately it's these archetypal stereotypes that are holding back hip hop theatre, as well as putting theatres like Sadler's Wells under (indirect) scrutiny for trying to push progressive dance forward. We're not all Diversity clones!
Let's take a look at a few prejudices by outspoken Twitter users:
@samranger Wait it is a "Live street DANCE version of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" title still: "Insane in the Brain". Still appalled.Good to see freedom of speech, of course, but shouldn't these people at least give it a chance before judging it?
@ereuben Saw ad on the tube for "Insane In The Brain," a street-dance version of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. I need lithium & a passport STAT
@SaliWho I love One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest & hip hop, so why does this sound like horrific theatrical hell? http://twitpic.com/hoyb1
Hip hop shows that have made it to theatre land in London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, seem to induce headaches to couch critics, ie, the above Twitters, why can't they recognise that the top three shows we've had: Into The Hoods, Pied Piper (read review) and Insane In The Brain (read review) are all based on classical texts which their oh-so-educated selves probably studied at school? Boy Blue winning an Olivier Award for Pied Piper? The educated archetypal stereotype should be buying block bookings with an accreditation like that!
As far as Twitter is concerned though, the meaningless ramblings of the 'ignorantly educated' shouldn't tarnish Insane In The Brain's reputation. Obviously I felt passionately that people shouldn't pre-judge something that even I hadn't seen before. That was until I realised they're the ones missing out!
Insane In The Brain has been seen by over 100,000 people since it started in 2006. It goes without saying, that's a lot of people! And while I could worry about what a handful of people have to say about something they're too judgemental to see, it's me, not them, that's having a great night at the theatre while discovering another innovative twist on a classic tale.
My advice to those that overlook street dance because they believe Diversity are a low standard example (and the Twitterers in question will be notified of this blog) is to go out and buy yourself tickets to any of the shows I mentioned above and let your hair down.
Here's what people thought of Insane In The Brain on the first night:
Yes, I'm passionate about street dance, but do I jump to the same conclusion when I see a poster for ballet? No! In fact, I'm even toying with the idea of getting tickets to see Carlos Acosta in December! Open your eyes to other cultures around you, don't be so ignorant, guys!
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