Author: Ian Louis Harris

Laudamus Te, English Baroque Choir, Brandenburg Sinfonia, St John’s Smith Square, 16 March 2013

I’d never heard the Bach Magnificat in D played live but had always loved my recording of it (by The Sixteen – click here or image below):

I thought SJSS would be a magnificent setting to hear the piece live – after all that is where my lovely recording of the piece had been recorded. I was right.

In the first half, we heard the Schubert Mass in G, which I enjoyed more than Janie did, although she quite liked it. It was followed by a world premier of a JohnMcCabe piece named Psalm-Cantata, which frankly did little for either of us.

But we did both really enjoy the Magnificat.

Below is a video of Nikolaus Harnoncourt with an unidentified choir and orchestra playing the Magnificat magnificently:

Hello/Goodbye by Peter Souter, Hampstead Theatre Downstairs, 8 March 2013

We were really only up for light drama at that time and this one was just the ticket.

Witty, well-performed and produced – Hampstead Downstairs was proving consistently good.

Here is a link to the Hampstead resource for the production we saw.

Below is the trailer vid:

This piece transferred upstairs a couple of years later – no reviews from downstairs but mixed reviews from upstairs – click here for a search term.

I agree with those who say the play lacked substance, but it was fun and enjoyable, which pleased us that night.

Missed Kisses by simon david, Alchemy Centre, 9 February 2013

Janie and I have been to a few of simon david’s things now – I think this was the first of them and possibly the one we liked the best.

A stalwart of the Royal Court bookstall for many years, simon gently persuaded us (and many other people) to attend his shows.

This one was in a funky place in Chalk Farm known as the Alchemy Centre.

It was a fun piece comprising lots of short sketches and vignettes only tangentially/thematically connected.

There is a Facebook page – click here – but nothing else I could find on-line.

I Know How I Feel About Eve by Colette Kane, Hampstead Theatre Downstairs, 8 February 2013

Another Friday evening well spent at the Hampstead Theatre Downstairs.

Here is a link to the Hampstead resource.

This was a strange play in many ways; a drama about a pretty unpleasant, or at least dysfunctional, couple, who lost a child and desperately want to replace her…possibly with a clone.

There was weirdness and creepiness about it, plus some good lines and drama. It was very well performed and helped cement our view that the Hampstead Downstairs is a seriously happening thing.

No formal reviews downstairs at that time, but here is a link to a search term that finds whatever there is.

 

 

Marianne Elliott And Simon Stephens On Port, 7 February 2013

We went to see this play about 10 days before attending this talk/discussion:

Port by Simon Stephens, Lyttelton Theatre, RNT, 26 January 2013

The “platform” (as the RNT calls such talks) was held in the Lyttelton.

I think I asked an incisive question – Janie might even remember what it was about…I don’t.

Below is a short on-line interview with Elliott & Stephens – not as good as attending the platform, but still good.

Money the Gameshow by Clare Duffy, Bush Theatre, 2 February 2013

We were in need of distraction at that time and this was a light, yet thoughtful piece, in which the audience gets to participate in a game show…or is it the financial system?

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

Below is the trailer:

Below is some footage and vox pops:

It divided the critics a bit, but the reviews were mostly good and I think the run was extended – click here for a search term that finds the reviews.

Janie and I both thought this was an imaginative piece that covered its subject matter well. Well performed and staged too.

Guillermo Klein, Aaron Goldberg, Chris Cheek, Miguel Zenon, Wigmore Hall, 1 February 2013

Another jazz night under Joshua Redman’s stewardship. This time, more colour than the four saxs we saw in November:

Axis Saxophone Quartet, Wigmore Hall, 2 November 2012

This time – two pianos and two saxophones.

Still, only some of this jazz worked for us. Some was very melodic and pleasing to the ear – some was a bit complex for our taste.

Well worth hearing, though and much needed distraction from all Janie’s health stuff, which we were trying to process at that time.

Port by Simon Stephens, Lyttelton Theatre, RNT, 26 January 2013

This was an excellent play/production.

We’re really keen on Simon Stephens work and had high hopes for this play – high hopes that were indeed met.

The play is basically about Simon Stephen’s home town – Stockport.

This was a revival of one of Simon Stephen’s early works – we didn’t realise that when we booked it, bit never mind.

Years later, when Janie and I went to Southport, I had terrible trouble convincing Janie that they are very different places in the North-West with vaguely similar names.

Unfamiliar names in the cast but all did a cracking job. Superb design too. Marianne Elliott is such a good director.

Below is a trailer vid:

The piece had very good reviews – here is a link to a search term that finds them.

Below is a vox pop audience feedback vid:

Our vox pop – both Janie and I really liked it.

We went to see Marianne Elliott & Simon Stephens talk about the play 10 days later, which was interesting and good too:

Marianne Elliott And Simon Stephens On Port, 7 February 2013

Di And Viv And Rose by Amelia Bullmore, Hampstead Theatre, 18 January 2013

Janie and I really enjoyed this play/production.

We missed it when it was first performed downstairs; not sure why as the subject matter will have appealed. Perhaps it coincided with one of our holidays and/or a heavily booked period.

Anyway, the Hampstead knew a hit when it saw one and transferred the piece upstairs (and subsequently beyond).

Here is a link to the Hampstead resource for the version we saw.

All three performers, Anna Maxwell Martin, Gina McKee & Tamzin Outhwaite, were truly excellent. Extremely well directed and produced too.

Excellent reviews, deservedly so, can be found through this search term – click here.

Only Tamzin Outhwaite from the cast transferred to the West End with it. Here is the trailer for the transfer:

Well done Hampstead – this was a real goodie.

No Quarter by Polly Stenham, Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, 12 January 2013

This one was a real disappointment to us.

We had absolutely loved That Face, Polly Stenham’s first play:

That Face, Polly Stenham, Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, 19 May 2007

We even quite liked Tusk Tusk, her second – although we felt she hadn’t really moved on, we allowed for that “awkward second piece” syndrome:

Tusk Tusk by Polly Stenham, Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, 28 March 2009

Now, after nearly four more years, her third, No Quarter. Here is the Royal Court resource for this piece.

Again an upper-middle class drawing room drama – even less promising than the second.

We were at a preview. There was Polly, socialising with her friends and relations, who were there to make sure that the preview was well received by the audience…

…it all seemed aa shame and a waste of talent to us. Perhaps Polly was honing her skills for a TV writing career that will be far more lucrative than the stage…and perhaps to that end she is succeeding.

Here is a link to a search term that finds the (mostly indifferent) reviews.

Indifference summed it up for us too. It was entertaining, there were good lines and vignettes in it. If this had been a young writer’s first play we would have oozed about a promising writer. But this piece was a waste of Polly Stenham’s talent and the talent on show with cast and crew too.

A pity.