Month: December 1990

Dancing At Lughnasa by Brian Friel, Lyttelton Theatre, 22 December 1990

Wow.

I have strong memories of this one. Just one word in my log:

Superb.

It was a convoluted process getting to see it, as I was really suffering with my back knack when this production opened in London (October 1990; it had spent the spring and summer at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin).

Anyway, Bobbie and I sorted out some good tickets for just before Christmas and my goodness this one was worth seeing.

Excellent cast, including Brid Brennan, Stephen Dillane and Alec McCowen. In truth I don’t know Director Patrick Mason for anything else but he can come visit again.

I remember early the next year recommending it to a Dutch software developer, Gerard Mey, who was working on a project with me in London and asked me to recommend a show. I wondered if it was too challenging for someone who does not boast English as a first language. Gerard told me how much he enjoyed it, while admitting that he found some of the language difficult, but said that his head had been full of so many interesting thoughts and ideas since seeing it. That’s a recommendation in my book!

I’ll leave it to the experts to explain in their words just how good this show was.

Michael Billington spoke very highly of it in The Guardian

Billington on LughnasaBillington on Lughnasa Wed, Oct 17, 1990 – 38 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Michael Coveney gushed about it in The Observer when he saw it at the Abbey in the spring:

Coveney on LughnasaCoveney on Lughnasa Sun, May 6, 1990 – 57 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Piano by Trevor Griffiths, Cottesloe Theatre, 15 December 1990

My log says:

no recollection really. Possibly went with Moose. Had to give away earlier tickets due to back injury.

The reason I think I might have gone with Moose (Mara) is because my diary says I spent the previous evening with Moose and her mum Rita and her mum’s friend Mave. Click the link if you are wondering who these people are and where they fitted in to the grand scheme of things at that time…as if there was or is a grand scheme of things.

If it wasn’t Moose that evening, I think it would have been Bobbie, but my guess is that Bobbie took the October tickets from me when I was too knacked to go.

An exceptional cast for this Trevor Griffiths piece. The Theatricalia entry can be found here. Penelope Wilton, Stephen Moore, Stephen Rea and a terrific National Theatre ensemble directed by Howard Davies.

I don’t think I was as impressed as the critics had been. Chekhovian only tends to work for me when it is actual Chekhov, as the great man was the master of that kind of drama. Chekhovian in the hands of others generally seems a bit slow and pointless. I’m possibly being a bit unfair on this one.

Michael Billington in The Guardian spoke highly of the play/production:

Billington on PianoBillington on Piano Fri, Aug 10, 1990 – 31 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Michael Coveney in The Observer was quite taken with it:

Coveney on Piano & HastingsCoveney on Piano & Hastings Sun, Aug 12, 1990 – 50 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com