The UK's polarized society can be seen at its most fractured in "Big Ange", a play that seeks to make sense of the country's increasingly divided state of affairs. Written by Jamie Eastlake, the playwright wants to explore the underlying causes of discontent that have led to protests and civil disobedience.
At the heart of the story is Angela, a dinner lady who, after watching TV chef Jamie Oliver's campaign against junk food in 2005, begins to question her own values and sense of right and wrong. Her transformation into "Big Ange" sees her take up football management and help turn around a local school team.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Steven Mooney is struggling with the economic decline of his Northumberland town and the influence of social media on his views. He must choose between embracing socialist values with his big sister Caroline or throwing in his lot with a charismatic figure who encourages Islamophobic online videos.
While the play's themes are timely, its execution has some unevenness, with underdeveloped ideas and a few misfiring jokes. However, Eastlake shows a keen understanding of how to tackle these complex issues with empathy and humor.
The production also boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including a chorus of eight who bring energy and exuberance to the stage. In a bold move, Eastlake has fielded an all-dancing, all-scoring cast in defiance of the small stage, which adds to the play's vitality.
At the heart of the story is Angela, a dinner lady who, after watching TV chef Jamie Oliver's campaign against junk food in 2005, begins to question her own values and sense of right and wrong. Her transformation into "Big Ange" sees her take up football management and help turn around a local school team.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Steven Mooney is struggling with the economic decline of his Northumberland town and the influence of social media on his views. He must choose between embracing socialist values with his big sister Caroline or throwing in his lot with a charismatic figure who encourages Islamophobic online videos.
While the play's themes are timely, its execution has some unevenness, with underdeveloped ideas and a few misfiring jokes. However, Eastlake shows a keen understanding of how to tackle these complex issues with empathy and humor.
The production also boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including a chorus of eight who bring energy and exuberance to the stage. In a bold move, Eastlake has fielded an all-dancing, all-scoring cast in defiance of the small stage, which adds to the play's vitality.
. It sounds like it's tackling some really deep issues about identity and belonging, especially with Steven Mooney's storyline - social media can be such a double-edged sword, right? 
I love how the playwright is exploring Angela's transformation from dinner lady to football manager, too - it's all about finding your purpose and passion in life! 
But yeah, uneven execution can be really frustrating, especially when it comes to tackling complex issues like these. Still, with a talented ensemble cast and some bold staging decisions, I think "Big Ange" has the potential to spark some important conversations 
#TheatreForChange #SocialCommentary #DiversityMatters
. the cast sounds pretty lit tho, especially if they all got a chance to show off their dance moves 
, you know, like Castlevania or Contra... those were the days when gaming wasn't all about online multiplayer and stuff 
. Anyway, back to this play, I'm not sure if it's too on-the-nose with its attempt to tackle societal issues. Like, can't we just enjoy a good show without having to dissect every little nuance of our own lives? 
I was at this comedy club last weekend and it totally made my night. Oh, and speaking of nights, I should probably watch that new episode of Stranger Things I've been meaning to see 
the way they've woven together Angela's story and Steven's struggles is really compelling, plus that ensemble cast sounds like it's gonna bring the energy to the stage i'm low-key excited to see this play
this play "Big Ange" is like trying to put together a puzzle with missing pieces but its still super relatable idk if the playwright Jamie Eastlake was watching us or what but creating characters that are soooo everyday and flawed is genius 
angela's transformation from dinner lady to football manager is like me wanna be a sports coach one day lol 
meanwhile steven's struggle with social media is my entire 2020 
- that struggle with values and sense of right and wrong is real. It's so important to have a platform like this play to talk about it. The way Jamie Oliver triggered Angela's change of heart is kinda crazy, but at the same time, it makes me think about how even small things can affect us. And oh man, the economic struggles that Steven faces in his town are just heartbreaking 
. I hope more people like Eastlake who tackle these big issues with empathy and humor come forward to help us find answers 
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I loved how they used dance to bring out the emotions and messages in the play - it added this whole new layer of depth to it 
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i feel like we need more plays like this tho, thats exploring the real issues of our time 
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But at the same time, it feels like there's a bit too much going on, some parts feel underdeveloped and the jokes don't always land. That being said, the cast is fire 
Anyway, overall I think the play has some big themes to explore, even if the execution isn't always perfect 