The Effect by Lucy Prebble, Cottesloe Theatre, 10 November 2012

Our last ever visit to the Cottesloe Theatre – we had no idea at the time – but what a good one to have in our memories as our last visit there.

A fascinating play by Lucy Prebble, very well acted, directed and produced. the design was stunning.

Click here for a link to a Tumblr resource on this play/production, i think from Headlong.

Here is a promotional video – basically an interview with Billie piper:

Janie and I were really taken with this play/production. It was entertaining and kept us talking for much of the weekend.

It was pretty much universally well received – click here for a search term that finds the reviews.

A fine piece for me and Janie to say goodbye to the Cottesloe…except we didn’t say goodbye because no-one really told us it was going!

Reasons To Be Pretty by Neil LaBute, Almeida Theatre, 17 December 2011

We are very keen on Neil LaBute plays and the Almeida has (or had) made a bit of a specialism in them over the years.

While not quite his razor-sharp best, we thought this was a very good play and production.

Here is a link to the Almeida resource on this play/production.

The acting was excellent – all four performances top notch.

It was very well received by the critics on the whole – click here for a link through to the reviews.

Below is the trailer for the production we saw:

I remember us both really dreading the shlep to the Almeida just before Christmas and then both being so glad that we went.

We subsequently (four/five years later) saw a companion piece for it at the Hampstead, Reasons To Be Happy…

Reasons To Be Happy by Neil Labute, Hampstead Theatre, 8 April 2016

…which we didn’t think was anything like as good.