Tag: David Rubin

Equus by Peter Shaffer, Menier Chocolate Factory, 16 May 2026

A very kind invitation from Claudia Lesley, who had scored a clutch of excellent seats for this production early in the run and thought of us. It was a great opportunity for Janie to met up with her old school pals, Claudia and Anthea. Plus what looked to be a very promising production of Equus, a play that I had studied at school but, apart from the movie version, had never seen.

Janie and I are both partial to a bit of Shaffer too. I had read or seen (or both) most of his oeuvre. Actually one of Janie’s and my early dates was a Shaffer:

The Gift Of The Gorgon by Peter Shaffer, The Pit, 12 December 1992

Janie even (perhaps inadvertently) forgave Shaffer for his proclivity for theatrical dames who are not Janie’s favourites. Judy (e.g. Gift Of the Gorgon) and Maggie (in several Shaffers throughout my life, starting with The Public Eye and more recently Lettice and Lovage, which I saw back in the day).

Lettice And Lovage by Peter Shaffer, Globe Theatre, 30 January 1988

Lindsay Posner is a superb director who possibly wanted to continue the family (if not stage dame) tradition for Shaffer plays, by choosing Toby Stephens (Dame Maggie’s son) to play Martin Dysart, the psychiatrist. Great choice. Toby Stephens absolutely smashed it in that role.

Noah Valentine was excellent as the troubled boy. Indeed the whole cast was excellent.

Equus is a long play and the Menier has a bum-numbing seating, but somehow this didn’t seem to matter, as the production was so good, the time seemed to fly by without physical discomfort for us. For the actors, possibly more discomfort, as it was a very well-choreographed production that surely required great feats of strength and dexterity at times, especially from the ensemble “horses”.

This link should find on-line reviewed for this production until the end of the world, if not longer.

Before the show, Janie and I had a hair-raising drive across London with multiple demonstrations and road-blockages in place. I had strategically worked out a route, which worked well, but hadn’t counted on unscheduled (and unconnected) road closures nearer to the theatre blocking off my chosen parking places.

Still, we got to Borough Market on time for a pre-theatre supper of fish at Fish!, with Claudia and Anthea, which was a very pleasant way to start the evening. Not our usual way round for theatre (eating before rather than after) but the only sensible way to have done this one.

A Lesson From Aloes by Athol Fugard, Finborough Theatre, 1 March 2019

This is a superb production of a terrific play.

I have long been a fan of Athol Fugard’s plays. I started reading them in the mid 1980s when on a play reading spree: The Road To Mecca, Master Harold And the Boys…

…they don’t come around all that often to get sight of them. Yet, like London buses, sometimes two come along at roughly the same time. Next week we’ll go and see another one; Blood Knot at the Orange Tree.

Coincidentally, I have lately been writing up my 1988 theatre visits – which was another period during which two Fugards came along in quick succession – A Place With The Pigs:

A Place With The Pigs by Athol Fugard, Cottesloe Theatre, 20 February 1988

…then Hello And Goodbye:

Hello And Goodbye by Athol Fugard, Almeida Theatre, 6 September 1988

This one, A Lesson From Aloes, was right up there, in my view, as a memorable night of top notch theatre drama.

Janet Suzman has directed a fine cast; Dawid Minnaar, David Rubin and Janine Ulfane, in this wonderfully claustrophobic play, set in the early 1960s, about left-leaning folk in the Eastern Cape having had their lives ruined one way or another by Apartheid.

As is so often the case with Fugard, the political undertones are played out in a drama about family and relationships.

The Finborough is, in my view, an ideal location for this type of play – you can read all about the Finborough production here.

In many ways Janie and I weren’t in the mood for this depth of drama on that Friday evening – we’d both had busier, more tiring weeks than we’d pre-planned – but the sheer quality of the play, performances and staging kept us both gripped throughout.

At the time of writing this production has only just opened and has not yet been formally reviewed, nor is it yet sold out. My advice, if you are reading this in time, is to book early to avoid disappointment. Here’s the link again…

https://finboroughtheatre.co.uk/productions/2019/a-lesson-from-aloes.php

…while here is an interesting rehearsal video from this Finborough production:

Janet Suzman was there on that Friday evening (I think the last preview night) so I was pleased to be able to tell her personally that I thought the production was extremely good.

This link should find reviews of the Finborough production.

Juicy Bits by Kay Adshead, Lyric Hammersmith, 29 August 1998

Fun

That was my single word review of this one.

We’d been having a fun few weeks, it seems from the diary. Boating with family and friends late July…

A Day Boating On The Thames At Bray With Kim & Micky, Tony, Phillie & Charlie, 26 July 1998

…followed by, based on diaries:

  • 9 August – lunch with Mum & Dad (did Charlie & Phillie join us for that? Janie’s diary suggest they might well have done);
  • 15 August, Andrea’s party;
  • 22 August – BBQ at Elisabeth & Michael’s place (following, in my case, Bridge at Henry’s the night before);
  • 30 August – Kim & Micky’s party (bank holiday Sunday evening – a late one if I recall correctly).

So this theatrical interlude of fun must have been…fun.

Nick Curtis in the Standard absolutely hated it:

Curtis Standard JuicyCurtis Standard Juicy 13 Aug 1998, Thu Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

It was received a bit more kindly in the local Hammersmith press:

Morgan Hammersmith JuicyMorgan Hammersmith Juicy 14 Aug 1998, Fri Hammersmith, Fulham and Shepherds Bush Gazette (Hammersmith, London, England) Newspapers.com