Category: Theatre

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.

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.

In The Republic Of Happiness by Martin Crimp, Royal Court Theatre, 22 December 2012

Janie and I can do weird.

Janie and I can do Martin Crimp.

Janie and I can do Martin Crimp weird…

…but this one was just the wrong side of weird for us. Think impenetrable.

Super cast and beautifully produced, but what the blithering heck was it about?

Here is a link to the Royal Court Resource for this play/production.

Below is the trailer for the piece:

On the whole the critics didn’t get it either – here is a link to a search term that finds the reviews.

I have a copy of the play if anyone wants to seek enlightenment from reading that, let me know. I challenge you.

Tucked into my copy of the play is a short script for something else – I think it is a sample from one of Simon David’s pieces – quite impenetrable without context – clearly it was that sort of night.

Straight by DC Moore, Bush Theatre, 8 December 2012

This was our first visit to the new Bush (i.e. the old library site rather than above the pub)…

…we were so excited…

…until we watched the first half of the play, which we both thought was infantile tripe.

We didn’t stick around for the second half.

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

It got reasonably good reviews, so perhaps Janie and i just weren’t in the mood for “razor sharp” infantile tripe that night.

Here is a link to a search term that finds the reviews.

We persevered with the new Bush, thank goodness – we are huge fans of the Bush…but (just in case you weren’t sure) we were not fans of this show.

Old Money by Sarah Wooley, Hampstead Theatre, 7 December 2012

A quintessentially Hampstead Theatre piece…

…and in many ways that was the problem with it.

Here is a link to the Hampstead resource for this play/production. 

Well acted, directed and produced – of course. But a rather predictable, tame piece. Maureen Lipman and Tracy-Ann Oberman for sure could handle something more challenging – probably all the cast could have done – we certainly would have preferred more challenge.

Here is a link to a search term for the reviews – mostly luke-warm but one or two very good reviews.

Loves Comedy by Henrik Ibsen, Orange Tree Theatre, 17 November 2012

Sometimes there is a reason why a great playwright’s early works don’t see the light of day.

This early Ibsen is a cautionary tale.

Worse, in the hands of the old-style Orange Tree orthodoxy, text that doesn’t deserve such respect is given the full length treatment…

…I don’t think we stuck the two hours and forty minutes of this one.

Here is a link to the Orange Tree resource on this one.

Not all that many reviews but surprisingly good ones – this search term finds the reviews for you.

I never thought I’d see the day that Janie and I couldn’t stick an Ibsen.