Tag: Benjamin Whitrow

Equally Divided by Ronald Harwood, Richmond Theatre, 24 October 1998

We were on a Richmond kick that quarter, for some reason, with three visits to The Orange Tree and two visits to the Richmond Theatre. Coincidence really, I should imagine.

Janie liked it more than I did.

That is my log’s pithy conclusion.

Excellent cast, with Stephanie Cole, Stephanie Beacham, Benjamin Whitrow & Gerald Harper. Christopher Morahan directed it. A transfer from Bath, as was often the case at Richmond.

Here is the Theatricalia entry.

Here is Jody Lindbeck’s take on it in the local gazettes:

Equally GazetteEqually Gazette 23 Oct 1998, Fri Ealing and Acton Gazette (Ealing, London, England) Newspapers.com

Reading that review 25 years later, all I can think of is the wonderful Peter Cook quote: “I go to the theatre to be entertained. I don’t want to see plays about rape, sodomy and drug addiction – I can get all that at home.“

The Invention Of Love by Tom Stoppard, Lyttelton Theatre, RNT, 27 December 1997

We normally liked to see these “Cottesloe-type plays” at the Cottesloe, but we missed the boat with this one, seeing it a few month’s later at the Lyttelton.

Not really our cup of tea, this one. Janie isn’t all that keen on Stoppard in general and I found this one “a bit slow”.

I suspect we were both exhausted having worked all the way up to Christmas and then done the family bit for Christmas itself. I can see that Janie arranged a cab for Pauline, so I suspect this is the Christmas that Pauline came to the house and was thoroughly rude to my mum, dad, Hilary, Jacqui and Len – Len tried snipping back – good for him.

But away from the real life drama, this Stoppard drama was about A. E. Housman, with a marvellous cast, including John Wood as “the man in old age” and Paul Rhys as “a younger version of the man”. Also a selection of the usual suspects for fine National Theatre character acting, including Michael Bryant, Robin Soans, Benjamin Whitrow and John Carlisle. Richard Eyre directing – at the National for the last time. There is a Theatricalia entry – here.

Nicholas de Jongh in The Standard loved it:

Invention Standard de JonghInvention Standard de Jongh 02 Oct 1997, Thu Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Paul Taylor in the Independent also loved it:

Invention Standard de JonghInvention Standard de Jongh 02 Oct 1997, Thu Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

My friend Michael Billington was also taken with it:

Invention Guardian BillingtonInvention Guardian Billington 02 Oct 1997, Thu The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov, Vaudeville Theatre, 11 June 1988

I rated this production very good indeed at the time and I can understand why. Superb cast, with Michael Gambon as Vanya, Imelda Staunton as Sonia, Greta Scatcchi as Yelena, Jonathan Pryce as Astrov, Michael Blakemore directing…

…here is a link to the Theatricalia entry for this production.

Bobbie and I went to this one. I recall sitting very near the front although probably not the very front row.

In 1988 I hadn’t yet formed an aversion to those old-fashioned theatre-land theatres, although we didn’t go to those places all that frequently.

I suspect that we had a late evening Chinese meal in Soho after the show – perhaps Poons, perhaps Mayflower, perhaps Joy King Lau…

A pretty darned good evening as I recall it.

Below is Michael Billington’s Guardian review of the production:

Billington on VanyaBillington on Vanya Thu, May 26, 1988 – 19 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Michael Ratcliffe’s Observer review is below:

Ratcliffe on VanyaRatcliffe on Vanya Sun, May 29, 1988 – 38 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com