Sadler's Wells Theatre — Attraction in London

I had the incredible experience of seeing Joylands - Wing Chun yesterday which tells the story of the legendary Ip Man and his journey through the world of martial arts and also navigates to a time in the future where there is a production about his life, they show traverses between the two time lines seamlessly. It was absolutely breathtaking, and the audience gave a standing ovation that lasted nearly 20 minutes!

The performance was nothing short of a masterpiece. The choreography and stage movements were so fluid, and the lighting created a cinematic feel with its dramatic pauses. Our seats were upgraded, and we ended up just four rows from the front, which made all the difference. I could see every emotion on the actors' faces in stunning detail.

The story follows Ip Man’s life, while simultaneously depicting the struggles of making a film about him during a time when Hong Kong was dealing with financial hardships due to natural disasters. The transition between the two timelines was seamless, adding layers to the storytelling.

One of the standout moments was the famous fight where Ip Man’s Wing Chun style goes up against four other martial arts styles, including Praying Mantis. One of the fighters really did look like a praying mantis, and it added a bit of humor to the intensity of the scene. The fight choreography was like a poetic dance—it was simply mesmerising.

There was a particularly emotional moment where, drenched in sweat after his victory, Ip Man goes to his wife to share the news that he can finally make money, but she ends up touching his sweat-soaked clothes, which felt so raw and real. Later, she falls ill and returns to her village, and the scene where she performs with the women from the village was absolutely beautiful and moving.

Another highlight was when Ip Man stepped in to fight off thugs who were terrorising his village during a depression. He defended them with such grace and strength, and the fight scenes were executed with incredible precision.

I think if I had to be pedantic and change just one thing, is just to add a little bit more English text on the screens to explain some of the scenes, I’m still not quite sure if the camera man who loved Wing Chun was Bruce Lee or not.

Something to bare in mind, there are no words, no talking, no singing, the explanation is in the movements and expressions

Overall, Wing Chun was an epic production, with its stunning choreography, powerful acting, and impressive staging. The performers held poses for long stretches, adding to the drama and tension. It was awe-inspiring, and by the end, the entire audience was on their feet, applauding non-stop. Truly a...

Myself and my partner went to sadlers wells theatre today to see The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and WOW we were both totally blown away by the performance being as it’s a smaller theatre and probably a smaller budget show I would say it was better that Phantom of the Opera I think if this show was at a top west end theatre then it would definitely give all the big long running shows a run for their money The performance, the props, the music, the script and the performers themselves were second to none considering some of the performers were actually playing musical instruments while performing it was absolutely amazing and I would happily go back and see it again and everyone involved deserves a massive congratulations The venue it’s self is very easy to get to and also offers pre booked parking in its 15 space car park to anyone over 65, a member of their Access for All Scheme or a Blue Badge holder it costs £6 for over 65s and is free for Access for All Scheme members and Blue Badge holders. It’s quite a modern theatre which is fully accessible with lift and level access to the auditoriums, bars and café and also a audio loop system and visual guide The staff there were very friendly and helpful and drinks and snacks from the bar were very reasonably priced, everywhere in the theatre including the toilets was very clean and I thought the seating was very...

Vollmond by Pina Bausch is a show that should not be missed! It is in 2 parts with an interval. The performance, the art show, that you will experience, is not simply ballet, it goes even beyond the Tanztheater name. The dancers are not just dancing, they are moving in an interpretative way, conveying emotions and scenes that are pure poetry, at times moving you to tears, or making you laugh, or making you cringe, but, most of the time, astonish you with the feelings that are transmitted to you, the spectator that is constantly seduced by the elegance of their movements, the lightness of their bodies, capable of being string and fragile at the same time, with abrupt movements that involve acrobatics and water splashing. All of this is set with a massive rock on the stage, and water, rain, physical contact, pure and childish, sexy and playful. I am not going to give you my interior what I saw, but this is mesmerising, a show that will stay with you, a performance that will let your mind wander through the possibilities of the meaning of life, sex, power, dynamics amongst human beings, seduction, abuse, childishness. Water, nature, physicality, balance, all this and more are probably subjects that you will, and should analyse in a different way after seeing this! Go ! Do...