Media & Reviews

Review

Review by Laura Davidson

Jemma Kahn is flying solo and she soars

Review

Audience Responses

Superb, bring her back again!

Jemma is brilliant! Want more of this Japanese story-telling

Jemma Kahn is a breath of fresh air!

As always, Jemma is enchanting to watch and the stories range from the sublimely giggle-licious to the poignantly subdued. We laughed, we cried we clapped. Thank you for a exquisite little show Jemma, you're becoming a Master at what you do.

I really enjoyed this inspiring and very entertaining storytelling. The use of such basic props and yet an age old method is GREAT. Thank you

The show was absolutely brilliant, we would love to see an encore performance sometime! Or encores of any of Jenna's previous shows too. Thanks so much. Lance & Liz

Original, funny and well crafted, Not sure whether the kimono ending was effective though...

Fan-bloody-tastic. A masterclass in storytelling. Jemma Kahn is wonderful.

Absolutely loved it. Jemma Kahn is truly a gem :). Professional, entertaining and most enjoyable show.

Fantastic (in both senses of the word) show.

brilliant. what we have come to expect of Jemma.

I always enjoy Jemma Kahn's productions! However, the aubergine parmagiano I had afterwards was a little undercooked....

I thought it was absolutely brilliant and will recommend it highly. Also, Rebecca was fabulous downstairs. Great evening.

Yet another riveting performance by the inimitable Jemma Kahn. Her honesty and vivid recollections enable all her characters come to life. Kamishibai theatre at its best - such that it that the Japanese might be envious. Don't miss it!

Wonderful, sardonic, humour. An excellent portrayal be Gemma Khan, supported by her wonderful cardboard story panels. Such an interesting medium. Also, good direction. Bridget Boyd

I AM OFF TO JAPAN SHORTLY SO THIS SHOW WAS MORE INTERESTING TO ME....LOVED IT GREATLY AMUSING....TALENTED YOUNG WOMAN...

great, great show.. jemma kahn was tour de force as usual; even better than butcher & croissants.. Cant wait for the next one

We think Jemma is absolutely brilliant and the most consummate storyteller. It is a joy to watch her. Our only regret is that we didn't get to see The Epicene Butcher when it was on!

Entertaining and engaging. Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking. An amazing preformance!

A beautiful, intimate story-telling experience.

I'm known to be prone to hyperbole, but that might genuinely have been the best thing I've ever seen. All I want now is the Episcene butcher and we didn't come to hell for the croissants to come on again so I can watch them both again and just die happy. Thank you!

This was our first introduction to Jemma and we loved the clever concept and her delivery. We have spent time in Japan which enhanced our enjoyment of the show.

I thoroughly enjoyed the show. I thought it was very clever and entertaining!

Heartfelt and hilarious.

Amazing.. a must see

Fine mix of dark and light with surreal edges, and funny also a bit crazy – and sharp-minded.

Jemma Kahn in brilliant form! 'In bocca al lupo' is an innovative, inventive, smart and sussy theatrical tour de force that breathes an emotional authenticity. One expects high standards from this unique story teller and once again she has delivered with wit, charm and seeming insouciance that hits the spot. Superb visual experience too - a flawless revelation in pictures and word. #mapmyway says: "Not to be missed".

It was stunning! Jemma is so talented and creative - we will attend everything she performs at your theatre. It was a wonderful evening out - thank you! It was an extra treat to discover that my husband knew her family in the past and she very kindly and generously chatted to us after the show. Much appreciation, Sue Cooper and Dave Pinchuck

Very different, very clever, excellent!

http://www.whatson.co.za/news_read.php?id=4766&type=news

Loved it! A single very personal story but far more ambitious at the same time. Still full of laugh-out-loud moments but fascinating to see the evolution going on in Jemma Khan's work. Will see anything she's in to be honest..

Jemma's performance was engaging and I related well to her topic. She is an incredible storyteller and the show was funny, thought provoking and thoroughly enjoyable.

Wonderful

It really touched me, having recently returned from a similarly hellish overseas working experience.

Hi Alexander Bar & Theatre Jemma Kahn’s ‘In bocca al Lupo” was wonderful – I’m sold on kamishibai. The service and food at the beginning and end of the evening was also awesome. Please add me to your mailing list! Carolynn Bruton

Great show great space. Loved it but preferred Didn't come to hell .....

Very entertaining, funny, sad, visually lovely, great stories and an enriching experience. Wonderful that Jemma is such an out there person and shares her life, love, feelings and being with the world. Well done Jemma and a really worthwhile experience

It was quite a different tone to Jemma's other Japanese shows. As a biographical account, we loved the story and as usual, her phenomenal acting.

Outstandingly wonderful!!! So different & fantastic. It was also our first time at The Alexander and it certainly won't be the last!

One of the best performances! Excellent!!!

What a great form of story telling. I cannot wait to see more.

Jemma Kahn is beautiful. Her show is beautiful. Bring it back.

It was great, only slightly under a 5 as the Croissant story was just a tiny bit better. But we loved it nonetheless.

Loved it.

It wasn't as great as epiciene butcher. There were some fantastic moments though and the illustrations were very good.

wow

I loved Jemma Kahn's first two shows, but greatly appreciated the slightly more serious autobiographical edge of this production. I enjoyed the sustained narrative rather than the amalgam of choppier segments and the absurdist ending with the monster sounds and the imperial golden cape. The Japanese ambassador must have been a little bit nervous...

The play was incredibly well done. Jemma Khan's story-telling was incredible. We really enjoyed the use of the art boards and found the writing absolutely hilarious. One memorable line was along the lines of "Having taken Speed, everyone was having a great time with very serious faces". The play was so clever and well-executed. We enjoyed it!

Superb. Gemma is remarkable, honest and brave. She is extraordinarily creative, her performance riveting. I'll be there every time.

brilliant as always, but also far more vulnerable and personal - it felt like a real privilege to be there.

Do hope there is another run! Wanted to recommend, but seems only seats available for tonight:(

A wily travelogue - in one go fresh-faced, very funny, but with excursions into the darker recesses of longing. .

Wonderful storytelling!

Wonderful narration, reminding us all how hilarious our lives can be.

Utterly captivating - as always. I love the trimmed down (going solo) yet boosted (bigger "screen") production. I'd see it again and again. Gemma is amazing. Fabulous.

Good. Much better than the second installment. I will be recommending it to all my friends.

5 stars. Original and entertaining; glad you put it on again so soon after the last time as I missed out then.

A remarkable show. Beautiful, serious, funny, sad. I absolutely loved it

The play was incredibly well done. Jemma Khan's story-telling was incredible. We really enjoyed the use of the art boards and found the writing absolutely hilarious. One memorable line was along the lines of "Having taken Speed, everyone was having a great time with very serious faces". The play was so clever and well-executed. We enjoyed it!

Loved the show! It felt like someone was reading a story to me from a giant comic book! Looking forward to the next one :)

So many feels! Unexpected yet familiar. Just really the best!!

Thrilling and totally engaging as always - and her shows just get better and better. I loved it ! (Jemma is definitely not "autumn"...)

The play was incredibly well done. Jemma Khan's story-telling was incredible. We really enjoyed the use of the art boards and found the writing absolutely hilarious. One memorable line was along the lines of "Having taken Speed, everyone was having a great time with very serious faces". The play was so clever and well-executed. We enjoyed it!

A Magnificent performance. Yours, Neville Rubin

I loved it. I was enthralled by it. I think I am in love with Jemma. Best theatre.

Guys, you know how wonderful this show is. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this kind of magic with Cape Town audiences.

Even better than I remember it. Most profound of Jemma's three kamishibai shows.Beautifully written, performed, illustrated and directed. Only gripe is the last cicada costume sequence, which doesn't deliver enough to justify the rigmarole. Otherwise a fabulous show!

So entertaining. Brilliant script and acting

So honest and entertaining! Enjoyed every single moment

While I did enjoy the show, I would have liked to know that it was a memoir before deciding if it was for me. Having received your email requesting feedback, I now see that the official / full title is In bocca al lupo (Kamishibai Memoir), which makes sense. The show description does not, however, say that it is a memoir. Jemma Khan is a very captivating storyteller, but I don't think this came close to We Didn't Come to Hell for the Croissants, in my opinion - and that's mostly because I am not personally that interested in memoirs about time spent in Asia. I suppose the storyline was a bit too familiar to constitute the kind of escapist entertainment that I found We Didn't Come to Hell for the Croissants to be. I hope this feedback is somewhat constructive.

A perfect jewel of a show!

Such a great show! Jemma is so amazing! All the entertainment of Croissants but with depth too this time. Odd and lovely getting the feeling almost of reading a written memoir -- that sort of intimacy -- while being absorbed by the acting and artwork. The scenes of the Japanese jungle at the start are so beautiful and accurate. And the skype scenes! God, so close to home. My one thought was that the show could end when we go back to the forest. The success of the show can be inferred by the show itself! Which would be cool, although the gorgeous golden robe is a counterargument. I loved the framing of Fufu's storytelling-without-shame. And culture shock (gah) and seasonal colours (all our mothers). Please make another one soon thanks.

Brilliant! Well done. A firm favorite in her stride great show - thank you.

jemma's shows are the BEST

Jenna is fantastic! Really enjoyed the show.

The show was absolutely brilliant, we would love to see an encore performance sometime! Or encores of any of Jenna's previous shows too. Thanks so much. Lance & Liz

Brilliant

Fantastic to learn about this artists journey through Kamishibai. Unique, funny and heartwarming.

Jemma Kahn is phenomenal. A deeply moving, darkly funny and creative exploration of culture shock, love and loss.

jemma's shows are the BEST

Her show is unique and brilliant and funny. She bares her soul but it's never maudlin or cringe-making or boring. And it was the right length too. We loved it.

gemma is just wonderful. i look forward to whatever she does next. amazing form of theatre. marvellous.

Excellent, entertaining, pithy and professional

Ab fab!!!

Jemma Kahn is AMAZING!

A remarkable show. Beautiful, serious, funny, sad. I absolutely loved it

It was really great, I enjoyed every second.

Brilliant on all levels! Thank you for the call to let me know there were 2 tickets back on line!

Bravo Gemma!

Brilliant show! Lovely time at the theatre! And we had a great meal! Thank you!

Wow. Not that the other two Kamishibai's weren't great, but this one was something different. So real and evocative but still hilarious. It made me cry.

Outstanding! Thank you once again. We were the biggest fans ever of "WE DIDN'T COME TO HELL... " & Appreciated the change of pace & change of panels in this one - although we missed the sound-effects accomplice! :D

Superb. Gemma is remarkable, honest and brave. She is extraordinarily creative, her performance riveting. I'll be there every time.

I'd have rated Jemma's others all 5.

One of the best pieces I've seen. Absolutely excellent; highly recommended. Please continue to host this caliber of performance!

I really enjoyed this inspiring and very entertaining storytelling. The use of such basic props and yet an age old method is GREAT. Thank you

brilliant - intelligent, moving and very funny

If you're not booking tickets as soon as you see that it's a Jemma Khan show, then you're risking missing out! Each one of her shows that I've seen, has been fantastic; and this one is no exception. I'm definitely booking to go see it again during its next run at Alexander Bar.

Her show is unique and brilliant and funny. She bares her soul but it's never maudlin or cringe-making or boring. And it was the right length too. We loved it.

Was funny and real. That's life. Not fond of first few minutes, took me about 10minutes to figure out what's going on. And the end left me confused, a few minute to long spent on putting on clothes and it not having a point. Except fir the above we thoroughly enjoyed the show

Theatre gold as luxurious as her kimono Jemma's performance is vulnerable and poignant. A script as hilarious as it is tragic. Thank g-d she never became an estate agent

fantastic

We thought it was excellent and recommend it highly. Courageous, fascinating and very funny!

Captivating!!

The show was absolutely brilliant, we would love to see an encore performance sometime! Or encores of any of Jenna's previous shows too. Thanks so much. Lance & Liz

Fantastic show, but please sort out the air-con. We were six and everyone complained of the stifling heat. Makes the experience less enjoyable.

I simply love how she tells the stories!!!!

fantastic

Riveting theatre craft

Laughed a lot and appreciated the honesty of Jemma's story telling. Struggled a bit with the last bit which felt disjointed but overall had a great time!

Superb. Gemma is remarkable, honest and brave. She is extraordinarily creative, her performance riveting. I'll be there every time.

The intimate venue was perfect for this form of storytelling; you could see the illustrations. A wonderful narrative and performance.

General- Excellent production and ideally suited to the venue. It started punctually and was a suitable length.There was sufficient ventilation in the theatre so that it did not become stuffy- a CT problem in winter. More Specifically-I appreciated the searing honesty of the presentation and whilst the content was profound and deftly handled, I would have liked to have seen more interpretation of these experiences, not necessarily directly, but more a subtle synthesising to invite the viewer to appreciate the catharsis which has (or has not) occurred. In essence, we all have various experiences in life as a continuum but for me there is huge value in how a person evaluates these experiences retrospectively and what they extract from them - in a nutshell, how they have altered the presenter's perspective of (her) reality.The cultural adaptation could be seen as a metaphor for life itself... My only negative comment is reserved for the bar downstairs-very poor service, a mistake in a straightforward bill, poor selection of snacks (no vegetarian!) where food order was unavailable (less than 1 hour before show) and poor organisation of the division of labour.

Brilliant! Really enjoyed it!

Jemma Kahn is great and the small venue suits her shows. I'll come see any of her anytime at the Alexander Bar.

Absolutley Amazing show! Simplistic creative story telling at it's best!

Absolutely brilliant story telling !!

This is the sort of theatre that makes me love this profession and constantly fight to tell stories with all the passion and truth I can find in me. No frills, no fear. Thank fuck you're not still teaching foreign English classes. The night after watching this I went to another show based on real life experiences but full of bells and whistles and totally lacking in integrity with regards to the story. I found myself wishing I was watching Jemma again rather than beibg where I was. Thank you for giving us your talents without reservation or ego.

I adored the show, very pleased to have been able to see it again!