Hello And Goodbye by Athol Fugard, Almeida Theatre, 6 September 1988

My log says that this play/production was superb and I certainly remember it as so.

The play is one of Fugard’s earliest – a two-hander about a brother and sister in the Eastern Cape; somewhat down-at-heel Afrikaners. Here is a link to a Jhu article about this lesser-known Fugard play.

This might have been my first sight of Tony Sher performing live and it was, I think, my first ever visit to the Almeida Theatre. Those things were oft-repeated after this night.

I don’t think I have ever seen Estelle Kohler perform since, but I recall thinking that her performance, as well as Tony Sher’s, was acting from the very top drawer.

But then what did I know? Or indeed what do I know? Except that, on Googling this production, it seems that both performers picked up Olivier Award nominations for their performances in this one that year – click here.

I saw this production with Bobbie midweek – on a Tuesday – whatever next?

I wonder whether Ivan Shakespeare sold us the programme or ushered us to our seats – I didn’t know him back then, but I believe he was volunteering at the Almeida for many years before I met him through NewsRevue.

The production was actually an RSC thing – a brief exile from the Barbican at the Almeida.

Here is a link to the Theatricalia entry on this production.

Below is Nicholas de Jongh’s Guardian review:

Nicholas de Jongh on Hello & GoodbyeNicholas de Jongh on Hello & Goodbye Tue, Aug 9, 1988 – 17 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Below in Michael Ratcliffe’s Observer review:

Ratclliffe on Hello & GoodbyeRatclliffe on Hello & Goodbye Sun, Aug 7, 1988 – 39 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

This was a really memorable night at the theatre – more than 30 years later, I can still visualise the Johnny and Hester characters hollering at each other – I can still almost feel their pain.

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