Log in to My Time Out for your personalised guide to what's on in London. It's fast, easy and FREE!
Time Out's guide to the best events, films, gigs and festivals happening in London in 2012.
Find gyms in north, south, east, west and central london with this definitive guide to London gyms.
Read which songs about London made Time Out's definitive list.
© James Davies
Bryony Lavery's play presents the story of the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, from the viewpoint of the seven concubines entombed alive with him in his underground necropolis. 'We have always eaten royally' deadpans one of the women, and soon enough they're all whipping chopsticks out of their hair and snapping off the emperor's limbs as if they were chicken wings. Otherwise Catrina Lear's staging is heavy on red lanterns and oriental robes, and skimpy on wit and magic. It courts a kind of sheer silliness: the concubines, who glory in names such as Playful Kitten and Moist Moss, all walk on their tippy toes like barbie dolls. Lavery takes the women's part with zest, but as feminist reworkings of history go, there's not much to chew on here.
Share your thoughts