Author: Ian Louis Harris

Accidental Death Of An Anarchist by Dario Fo, Cottesloe Theatre, 26 January 1991

Very good.

That was my verdict in my log and that is my recollection of this production, which I saw with Bobbie.

I also saw the Donmar production in 2003 with Janie. I preferred the 1991 version. Perhaps it was the version or perhaps I had outgrown the play a bit by 2003. Both were excellent productions. I shall write up the Donmar production in the fullness of time.

Meanwhile, in 1991, Alan Cumming played the lead and won the Best Comedy performance Olivier award that year for his trouble. Cumming was involved in the adaptation for the version performed, along with Tim Supple who directed it..

Here is the Theatricalia entry for this production.

Below is Michael Billington’s up beat review:

Billington on AnarchistBillington on Anarchist Wed, Jan 9, 1991 – 38 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

That visit to the theatre was part of a highly active weekend, by the looks of it.

I test drove a Honda in the morning before the play – this was presumably to ascertain whether it would make sense for me to take the souped-up automatic Honda Civic (which subsequently became known as “Red Noddy”) from the Binder Hamlyn car pool, in exchange for my less impressive Renault stick-shift. The answer was yes.

On the Sunday I had lunch with Jilly Black (location lost in the mists of time) and went to Pam & Michael’s place in the evening – possibly for bridge or possibly just supper.

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

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, 17 November 1990

I went up to Stratford with Moose (Mara Frank) where we saw this wonderful production of Much Ado. My log, I think mistakenly, suggests that we also saw Troilus And Cressida on that trip, but I suspect that I saw a preview of Troilus on my tod in April when in the Midlands for other reasons, perhaps procuring the programme when returning to Stratford with Moose and thus confusing myself a few years later.

Anyway…

…this was a great show. Susan Fleetwood as Beatrice, Roger Allam as Benedick, John Carlisle as Don Pedro, a fine supporting ensemble and the very capable hands of Bill Alexander directing.

Here is the Theatricalia entry for this production.

Michael Billington in The Guardian enthused…sort of:

Billington on Much AdoBillington on Much Ado Thu, Apr 12, 1990 – 26 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Michael Coveney in the Observer hated it. But what did he know?

Coveney on Much AdoCoveney on Much Ado Sun, Apr 15, 1990 – 56 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

The Shape Of The Table by David Edgar, Cottesloe Theatre, 10 November 1990

Lots of memories from this one.

It was my “get out of jail” weekend. Michael Durtnall (my chiropractor) had insisted that I “lock down” for a month to enable my back to start healing – otherwise he wouldn’t treat me. More on that elsewhere, but basically this weekend was the end of my confinement and boy did I make the most of it with Bridge on Friday, this theatre visit on Saturday and a wedding on the Sunday.

I am very keen on David Edgar so we (me & Bobbie) will have long before booked to see this just after press night. I was very pleased to have negotiated my way out of lockdown to see this.

All I wrote in my log is:

Very good. Neil Kinnock and his entourage were there the night we went.

At the time Neil Kinnock was leader of the opposition. I don’t know whether he and/or his entourage took notes during this paly, but it was a political drama to be sure.

It is set in an unspecified former communist country that resembles the former Czechoslovakia.

Excellent cast; Karl Johnson, Stratford Johns and Katrin Cartlidge standing out in my mind.

Here is the Theatricalia entry for the production.

Michael Billington spoke highly of it in the Guardian:

Billington on The TableBillington on The Table Sat, Nov 10, 1990 – 21 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Michael Coveney in the Observer was also impressed:

Coveney on tableCoveney on table Sun, Nov 11, 1990 – 62 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

My Children! My Africa! by Athol Fugard, Lyttelton Theatre, 15 September 1990

I’m very partial to Athol Fugard’s work, but thirty years on, I remember very little about this one. Even the log, which was only a few years after the event, says:

Little recollection, strangely.

I saw this with Bobbie Scully, who seemed keen to see Fugard with me back then. Janie also has a taste for his work.

Here is the Wikipedia entry for this play/production.

I think the problem for me/us was that it was a story that pre-dated Nelson Mandela’s release but we were seeing it very soon after that momentous event. In that sense it felt a bit like old news, although of course the injustices and arguments depicted were still (are still) relevant.

Michael Billington in the Guardian loved it:

Billington on My Children!Billington on My Children! Sat, Sep 8, 1990 – 21 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Michael Coveney in The Observer was less sure, finding it, unusually for Fugard, overly sentimental.

Coveney on My Children!Coveney on My Children! Sun, Sep 9, 1990 – 50 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Going It Alone At The Proms With Anton & Günter, Royal Albert Hall, 9 September 1990

Annalisa was due to join me at this concert, but had to pull out at the last minute for some reason. The reason is not captured in my log. It was a Sunday, so I expect it was a health reason rather than a work reason.

Anyway, I hobbled to the Albert Hall alone for this Prom. I think it was the first time I had been to the Proms alone and possibly was the only time I have done so to date (the date of writing this being late 2024).

I say hobbled, because the cursory “traction” approach to my multiple prolapse was obviously not working and I was still in a great deal of pain with my back after my injury in June that year. Indeed, I associate my evening alone at the Proms with Anton & Günter as the point at which I resolved that I would have to try something else, but that I was determined to try something other than major surgery before possibly submitting to that as a last resort.

This was a one piece concert:

Anton Bruckner – Symphony No 5 in B Flat Major, performed by the maestro Günter Wand conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

I suspect that Bruckner 5 is a good number for contemplative thought – it is certainly long enough. I do remember finding this performance especially moving and being really taken with it.

It was filmed and the film has been released on DVD – here is an extract:

If you look very carefully you might spot me sitting in the stalls on my tod.

This review from the Bucks Examiner says a lot:

Wand Ashmore BucksWand Ashmore Bucks 21 Sep 1990, Fri Bucks Examiner (Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England) Newspapers.com

Robert Henderson’s review in The Telegraph was no less glowing:

Wand Prom Henderson TelegraphWand Prom Henderson Telegraph 14 Sep 1990, Fri The Daily Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

I was there, folks. I was there. No doubt uncomfortable, fidgeting and barely able to walk for five minutes afterwards…but I was there.

An Heroic, Massive Cast For A Sunday Evening Prom, Royal Albert Hall, 2 September 1990

This was a big concert with a massive cast. Two big works:

  • Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, ‘Eroica’
  • Leos Janáček – Glagolitic Mass

One heck of a lot of musicians: The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir & BBC Symphony Chorus, The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra & the (now) late, great Czech conductor Libor Pešek. Not to forget soloists John Mitchinson, Michael George, Jane Eaglen, Ameral Gunson and Ian Tracey.

Here is a link to the BBC stub for this concert.

Jilly accompanied me on this occasion, according to my log, which is usually pretty reliable, as long as I wrote the details down at or near the time, which on this occasion I guess I did.

However, I returned to the scene of the crime, for a different rendition of the Glagolitic Mass, a couple of years later and did not log the name of my companion, which has resulted in one of the greatest mysteries in the entire history of Ogblog postings about 1992 classical concerts – click here or below.

City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra & Simon Rattle At The Proms, But Who, If Anyone, Accompanied Me?, Royal Albert Hall, 19 July 1992

The prime suspect for the 1992 evening is now Bobbie, who has gone very quite on that topic.

Jilly wrote to say:

With regards to the concert in 1992, I must admit that my memory does somewhat fail me. I can hardly remember what I did yesterday, let alone 30 years ago, but all I can say is that I don’t remember ever seeing the Glagolitic Mass performed, and I’m not sure that I’ve actually ever seen Simon Rattle conducting in person, but if it’s helpful for you to put me down as having been at the concert with you I won’t object!

Well, Jilly, what do you have to say now that the log has fingered you for a different performance of the Glagolitic Mass? I’m expecting a confession. No need for an apology.

To be fair, Jilly also says:

Thank you for attaching the review at the bottom; how that choir managed to sing a Slavonic piece without the score just baffles me. Reading and pronouncing the transliterated version of Rachmaninov Vespers utterly did my head in, and that was with a good number of rehearsals.

Well all I can say to that is:

Glagolitic script: Лобачев Владимир, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Joking apart, I remember this 1990 Prom as being a big one in every way, including the audience response at the end of a long Sunday evening concert.

I think Jan Smaczny in The Independent liked it:

Pedek Prom Smaczny IndyPedek Prom Smaczny Indy 04 Sep 1990, Tue The Independent (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Tom Sutcliffe in the Guardian absolutely did.

Pesek prom Sutcliffe GuardianPesek prom Sutcliffe Guardian 04 Sep 1990, Tue The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Does this bring any of it back to your memory, Jilly?

A Rotterdam Good Prom On My Birthday, Royal Albert Hall, 28 August 1990

Bobbie joined me on my birthday in 1990 for this Prom. I seem to recall it was a goody.

James Conlon conducting the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra in the following works:

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Violin Concerto No 4 in D major, K 218
  • Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 6 in A minor

Isabelle van Keulen was the soloist for the Mozart. She was a young star back then, as was Mozart when he wrote his violin concertos.

Here are YouTubes of Isabelle’s recording of the Mozart 4 Violin Concerto. With the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra rather than the Rotterdam Philharmonic, but you can’t have everything. The girl can play.

There’s not much out there to illustrate James Conlon conducting the Rotterdam Philharmonic, but this section from Liszt’s Faust Symphony is rather charming:

While here is the Rotterdam Philharmonic more recently, with current Principle Conductor Lahav Shani, performing a short snatch from Mahler 6:

Meanwhile, back to that 1990 concert, Robert Henderson in The Telegraph seemed satisfied but not ecstatic:

Conlon Prom Henderson TelegraphConlon Prom Henderson Telegraph 31 Aug 1990, Fri The Daily Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Edward Greenfield in the Guardian waxed lyrical about the Mahler but not so about the Mozart. Comparing a 24-year-old prize winner debuting at the Proms with Pinchas Zuckerman seems a tad unfair, though.

Conlan Prom Greenfield GuardianConlan Prom Greenfield Guardian 31 Aug 1990, Fri The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

A Dream Of People by Michael Hastings, The Pit, 18 August 1990

I’ve long been partial to a bit of Michael Hastings; I think he is under-rated as a playwright and novelist. So I no doubt chose this one on the back of its authorship.

It’s quite an odd play; sort-of about the welfare state ideal in the hands of a quirky civil service idealogue. Typical Hastings in its untypicality.

Bobbie and I both liked it.

I was reminded of this piece, without remembering exactly which piece I was being reminded of, when Janie and I saw Really Old, Like 45 at The Cottesloe some 20 years later:

Really Old, Like Forty Five by Tamsin Oglesby, Cottesloe Theatre, 30 January 2010

Peter McEnery played the lead and Janet Suzman directed the piece. The Theatricalia entry for the production can be found here. Not yet ever revived (he says in January 2021), I imagine a re-read would quickly determine whether it is now due for a revival or explain why it has not yet been revived.

Michael Billington in The Guardian clearly liked it while peppering his piece with a bit of Billingtonian faint praise.

Billington on HastingsBillington on Hastings Sat, Aug 4, 1990 – 19 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Michael Coveney in The Observer was also fascinated but not entirely convinced:

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