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We quite liked this play, although I think we were more taken by the excellent production and cast than the play itself.
I think that means that we basically agreed with Michael Billington’s take on it – click here.
British Theatre Guide was luke warm – here.
London Theatre summarises the other, mixed reviews.
The log is unusually silent about this event. Especially unusual, as I was regularly recording my thoughts, even if just solo word, at that time.
I suspect this means that we didn’t think much of the piece/production but didn’t want to rubbish it.
Our diaries are also silent on what we did afterwards, other than a note in Janie’s diary to expect the show to end no earlier than 10pm. I suspect we picked up shawarmas on our way home.
Here is the Theatricalia entry for this play/production.
Nicholas de Jongh in The Standard was quite vocal in not liking the play:
Guiding Star de Jongh Standard 12 Nov 1998, Thu Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
John Gross was similarly unimpressed in the Sunday Telegraph.
Guiding Gross Sunday Telegraph 15 Nov 1998, Sun Sunday Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Superb. One of the best.
My logged comment suggest that we really liked this one. We both really did.
There is a Theatricalia entry for this one with all the details – click here. Adrian Scarborough was excellent in the lead role. Ian Rickson directed.
Nicholas de Jongh liked it in The Standard:
23 Jan 1998, Fri Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
My friend Michael Billington liked it but didn’t love it in The Guardian:
23 Jan 1998, Fri The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Similarly Suzannah Clapp in The Observer, whose review reminds me that the critics main reservation about this play is that they didn’t like it as much as they liked Elyot’s (also wonderful) My Night With Reg.
25 Jan 1998, Sun The Observer (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Charles Spencer in The Telegraph also spoke highly of it with some limitations:
31 Jan 1998, Sat The Daily Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
I think this was my first encounter with Complicité, or Théâtre de Complicité as it was then known.
I saw this production with Bobbie Scully.
Superb
…was my verdict at the time and I do still remember this as an especially wonderful night at the theatre.
Complicité stalwarts were out in force; Kathryn Hunter, Marcello Magni, Simon McBurney (the latter also directed this one)…plus Jasper Britton, who I wouldn’t normally think of as a Complicité dude.
The Theatricalia entry for this production can be found here.
Michael Billington wasn’t 100% sure about it, admiring the style but suggesting that the style somewhat swamped the content:
Billington on Visit Fri, Feb 15, 1991 – 35 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com
Kate Kellaway in The Observer didn’t like it either.
Kellaway on The Visit Sun, Feb 17, 1991 – 57 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com
The critics were wrong and I was right, is all I can say!
