Category: Theatre

Retreat by James Saunders, Orange Tree Theatre, 3 June 1995

I rated this two-hander with Tim Pigott-Smith & Victoria Hamilton as superb at the time, so it must have been quite special.

I cannot find much about it on the web, but this page from the James Saunders website helps, with a good description of the piece and some nice quotes from the notices. If anything ever happens to that site, I have scraped the page to here.

So this turned out to be James Saunders’ last play and I think the only one of his that was premiered in the new Orange Tree Theatre by Sam Walters (several of the earlier ones had premiered above the pub).

It must have been this play that made me seek out James Saunders’ work subsequently, but in truth his earlier work, especially the absurdist pieces, were far less to my taste than this gripping, psychological two-hander.

Michael Billington reviewed it and really liked it. I say that with some surprise, as for some reason the James Saunders’ website doesn’t have a quote from Billington.

Billington on RetreatBillington on Retreat Wed, May 17, 1995 – 33 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

I’m so glad Janie and I saw this. I wonder whether it is due a revival; I’d need to re-read it but I sense it is in many ways timeless.

What the Butler Saw by Joe Orton, Lyttelton Theatre, 27 May 1995

I rated this “good” but frankly I rated it higher than Janie did. I have always been partial to a bit of Joe Orton, while Janie finds the farce element of Orton’s plays not to her taste.

This production pushed my Orton boundaries somewhat as Phyllida Lloyd certainly accentuated the farce aspect.

Still, it was a fabulous cast, with John Alderton, Nicola Pagett, Debra Gillett, David Tennant and Richard Wilson to name but five. Here is the Theatricalia entry for this production.

Michael Billington really liked it:

Billington on What the ButlerBillington on What the Butler Sat, Mar 4, 1995 – 28 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Michael Coveney also liked it:

Coveney on What the ButlerCoveney on What the Butler Sun, Mar 5, 1995 – 79 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Biography by Max Frisch, Translated by Michael Bullock, The Questors Theatre, 20 May 1995

I was really excited at the opportunity to see this play, which had not been performed in England before. I’ve been a fan of Max Frisch’s writing ever since performing in Andorra when I was at Alleyn’s:

Andorra, 23, 24 & 25 February 1978

An unusual opportunity to see a premier at The Questor’s Theatre, with Janie & The Duchess (Janie’s mum).

I liked this production, rating it “good” in my log. I recall the play being quite tricky and probably a challenge too far for The Questor’s.

The conceit of the piece – a behavioural researcher is given the opportunity to return to any point in his life and change the decisions he made – is intriguing and “very Frisch”.

25 years on, I have ordered a copy of the book and shall no doubt enjoy reading it.

Returning to 1995, I am pretty sure that the arrangement will have been “the usual” – i.e. The Duchess supplied The Questor’s tickets, Janie bought the interval drinks and I will have paid for dinner at Wine and Moussaka. That arrangement was decreed to be “fair” by The Duchess; who were we humble little folk to disagree with that?

But what if I could return to 1995 and make such decisions over again…?

The Blue Ball by Paul Godfrey, Cottesloe Theatre, 13 May 1995

I damned this one with faint praise.

Quite good.

That’s not so good.

It was about astronauts, their lives, moon shots & stuff. I found it interesting but it didn’t work as drama for me. Janie was less interested in the subject matter but quite enjoyed the play in the round. (Did you see what I did there?).

Paul Godfrey wrote and directed it. It might have been tighter if he had let another director tweak and interpret a bit.

The Theatricalia entry for this play/production can be found here.

Michael Billington’s praise in the Guardian was even fainter than mine:

Billington on BallBillington on Ball Sat, Apr 1, 1995 – 30 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

While Michael Coveney was a bit kinder:

Coveney on Ball 1 of 2Coveney on Ball 1 of 2 Sun, Apr 2, 1995 – 77 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com Coveney on Ball 1 of 2Coveney on Ball 1 of 2 Sun, Apr 2, 1995 – 77 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

The Man Who by Oliver Sacks, Cottesloe Theatre, 29 April 1995

Janie and I were very taken with this piece. I rated it “very good” in my log.

The piece had originally been performed in French by Peter Brook’s company in 1993. Brook translated and brought the piece to England.

Below is Michael Billington’s uncertain review from the original 1993 Paris production:

Billington on l'Homme QuiBillington on l’Homme Qui Sat, Mar 13, 1993 – 28 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Michael Coveney reviewed the piece in Newcastle in the spring of 1994:

Coveney on The Man WhoCoveney on The Man Who Sun, Mar 27, 1994 – 78 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

When the piece came to London in May 1994, Brian Butterworth, a Professor of Neuropsychology, loved the piece:

Butterworth on The Man WhoButterworth on The Man Who Tue, May 10, 1994 – 25 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

I think it only ran briefly in 1994 and we missed it then, so we sought out tickets for its return in the spring of 1995.

Janie and I found it fascinating and we liked the drama of it.

The Memorandum by Vaclav Havel, Orange Tree Theatre, 8 April 1995

Consternation! Consternation!!

The log says:

I quite liked it, but Janie and The Duchess hated it.

The Duchess is Janie’s mum, Pauline. You don’t mess with Pauline. If she hates a play, it is a hateful play. End of.

What was I thinking?

I recall it was a bit of an absurdist, farcical piece – Havel’s like that.

Not much to find about it on-line. No Theatricalia. No reviews…

…except for this newspaper clipping:


Kate Kellaway’s review, Observer, 9 April 1995 Sun, Apr 9, 1995 – 78 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

I believe I placated The Duchess by taking her and Janie to Don Fernando for a decent meal afterwards.

Temporary ceasefire, not armistice.

New England by Richard Nelson, The Pit, 11 March 1995

We were spending a fair bit of time at The Pit in those days – our previous visit to the theatre was also to The Pit:

Easter by August Strindberg, The Pit, 25 February 1995

Haven’t been there for years – the RSC does so little modern stuff these days.

But back then they were packing The Pit with top notch names to act and direct, quite often in modern dramas.

New England was “superb” according to my log. Peter Gill directed it. Several really good names in it; David Burke, Angela Thorne, Mick Ford, Selina Cadell, Duncan Bell, Diana Hardcastle and Annie Corbier to be precise.

I also noted that:

Richard Nelson was in the audience that night for some reason, as it was well into the run.

Here is a link to the Theatricalia entry.

It transferred to New York later in 1995 with a different cast, getting this NYT notice. But I can’t find an on-line review for the version we saw.

It was superb – believe us…

…or believe this Michael Billington clipping:

Billington On New EnglandBillington On New England Thu, Dec 1, 1994 – 35 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

…or this Michael Coveney clipping:

Michael Coveney On Out Of A House & New EnglandMichael Coveney On Out Of A House & New England Sun, Dec 4, 1994 – 77 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Easter by August Strindberg, The Pit, 25 February 1995

We went on a bit of a Strindberg fest that February – this the second of two Strinds in one month. The first was The Dance of Death at The Almeida:

The Dance Of Death by August Strindberg, Almeida Theatre, 11 February 1995

My log says that we thought Easter “excellent” wheras I rated The Dance Of Death “superb”. Not sure whether one of those big adjectives trumps the other. We clearly very much enjoyed both plays/productions.

Katie Mitchell directed Easter and the cast was excellent. A young Lucy Whybrow picked up an Ian Charleson Award for her role as Eleanora in this production. Adrian Rawlins played Elis, Susan Brown played the mother and Philip Locke played the sinister Lindkvist.

Here is the Theatricalia entry for this production.

A wonderful preview of this one and The Dance of Death by Paul Taylor survives in The Independent on-line – click here.

Taylor does mention this production in the review I posted for The Dance Of Death. Nothing else that I can find on-line from 1995.

It was excellent – take our words for it.

Or if you don’t like our word, try this Michael Billington clipping:

Billington On EasterBillington On Easter Sat, Jan 28, 1995 – 26 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Or try Kate Kellaway:

Kate Kellaway On EasterKate Kellaway On Easter Sun, Jan 29, 1995 – 75 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

The Dance Of Death by August Strindberg, Almeida Theatre, 11 February 1995

We went on a bit of a Strindberg fest that February – this the first of two Strinds in one month. the second was Easter at The Pit:

Easter by August Strindberg, The Pit, 25 February 1995

My log says that we thought The Dance Of Death “superb” and why not? John Neville, Gemma Jones, Cheryl Fergison and Anthony O’Donnell makes for a seriosuly good cast.

Here is the Theatricalia entry for this production.

A contemporaneous review or two:

…and some clippings. First up: Michael Billington:

Billington On dance Of DeathBillington On dance Of Death Thu, Jan 19, 1995 – 31 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Next up – Kate Kellaway:

Kate Kellaway On Dance Of DeathKate Kellaway On Dance Of Death Sun, Jan 22, 1995 – 146 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Leave Taking by Winsome Pinnock, Cottesloe Theatre, 14 January 1995

This was the first play/production we saw in 1995. My log is unusually silent with opinion on this one.

In truth I remember little about it. It is, I think, the only Winsome Pinnock play we have seen to date. It is about the Windrush generation. This play has been revived relatively recently (as I write in 2019) at The Bush in 2018. That revival well described below.

Here is the production we saw’s Theatricalia entry.

I have managed to find a review from 1995 – Variety – click here.

Interesting preview piece from November 1994 below:

Claire Armistead on Winsome Pinnock 1 of 2Claire Armistead on Winsome Pinnock 1 of 2 Wed, Nov 30, 1994 – 32 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Claire Armistead on Winsome Pinnock Part twoClaire Armistead on Winsome Pinnock Part two Wed, Nov 30, 1994 – 33 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Janie might recall more…but I’m not holding out too much hope.