Tag: Emma Gordon

Betrayal by Harold Pinter, Lyttelton Theatre, 3 April 1999

Very good.

Our verdict in the log back then.

This was a major revival of Pinter’s classic, directed by Trevor Nunn with a cracking cast including Imogen Stubbs, Douglas Hodge, Anthony Calf and several other fine actors.

Here is a link to the Theatricalia entry for this production.

Unusually, we got to this one late – it had been running at the National for a while, since November 1998, by the time we saw it, towards the end of its run.

Charles Spencer had given it a rave review in The Telegraph:

Betrayal Telegraph SpencerBetrayal Telegraph Spencer 26 Nov 1998, Thu The Daily Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Our friend, Michael Billington, in The Guardian, confessed that he hadn’t “got” this play first time around but got it through this production:

Betrayal Guardian BillingtonBetrayal Guardian Billington 25 Nov 1998, Wed The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Nicholas de Jongh in The Standard also liked it:

Betrayal de Jongh StandardBetrayal de Jongh Standard 25 Nov 1998, Wed Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Theatre Stories by Ken Campbell, Cottesloe Theatre, Followed By Dinner At Vong, 18 October 1997

I have long been partial to a bit of Ken Campbell. This one man show comprised “more than a bit” of him, I suppose.

Superb fun.

…was my verdict. I think I got more out of it than Daisy did, but she still liked it a lot.

Patrick Marmion liked it in the Standard.

Theatre Stories Marmion StandardTheatre Stories Marmion Standard 20 Oct 1997, Mon Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Paul Taylor in the Independent was very taken with it.

Campbell Taylor IndyCampbell Taylor Indy 20 Oct 1997, Mon The Independent (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Dinner At Vong

Janie’s thing at that time was for us to go to a posh place for after theatre dinner. This time, we went to Vong at The Berkeley Hotel.

Andrew Lloyd Weber wrote up the place for the Telegraph a few month’s earlier:

Vong Lloyd Weber TelegraphVong Lloyd Weber Telegraph 28 Jun 1997, Sat The Daily Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Matthew Fort in The Guardian described the place as too chic and achingly glossy in 1996 when it first opened.

Vong Fort GuardianVong Fort Guardian 24 Feb 1996, Sat The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

I remember finding the food very interesting and the price less scary than Nobu.

Blue Remembered Hills by Dennis Potter, Lyttelton Theatre, 25 May 1996

I’ve long been partial to a bit of Potter, as has Daisy.

I had seen the original TV film of this one and to some extent had my doubts about it, as I have never much enjoyed the conceit of adult actors playing the role of children.

Still, the chance to see a National production of a Potter won the day. Many members of this fine cast went on to bigger and bolder things. Steve Coogan, Nigel Lindsay, Debra Gillett, Geraldine Somerville. Patrick Marber directed it.

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

Michael Coveney in The Observer hated it:

Coveney on HillsCoveney on Hills Sun, May 5, 1996 – 65 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Whereas Michael Billington wrote highly of it, finding it more translatable from screen to stage than most Potter and describing it as “Potter at his best”:

Billington on HillsBillington on Hills Sat, May 4, 1996 – 26 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

We were both ambivalent about it. It was clearly a fine production. It pleased me more than the TV version. But that “adults playing children” thing still didn’t really work for me.

Below is an excerpt from the original 1979 TV film:

Blue Remembered Hills _ Scene 1+2 from rob blake on Vimeo.