The Stock Da’Wa by David Eldridge, Hampstead Theatre Downstairs, 22 April 2011

David Eldridge plays are like buses – you wait ages then two come along at more or less the same time – this was two David Eldridges in a row for us.

I think this was the first production we ever saw at the Hampstead Theatre Downstairs, quite early in the era of Ed Hall using that downstairs space for experimental works.

It was the evening of Good Friday; an unusual night for a theatre visit.

No formal reviews down there of course, but a few informal ones and other resources through the search term linked here…

…e.g. There Ought To Be Clowns Blogspot – click here.

I remember we thought this was a very good production and made a mental note to seek out subsequently the Hampstead Downstairs, which, by jingo, we have done.

Out In The Open by Jonathan Harvey, Hampstead Theatre, 23 March 2001

I remember this play in particular for its juxtaposition, a week after our visit to Doug and Paul’s house, as a quintessentially gay play.

I remember quite liking the play and being impressed by the cast, while feeling that “we can get all that at home”…or at least, at Doug and Paul’s home.

Excellent cast: Mark Bonner, James McAvoy, Linda Bassett, Sean Gallagher, Michele Austin and Vilma Hollingbery, directed by Kathy Burke.

Charles Spencer in The Telegraph rather liked this one:

Out Spencer Telegraph Out Spencer Telegraph 22 Mar 2001 The Daily Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Nicholas de Jongh gave it the dreaded Standard blob:

Out de Jongh Standard Out de Jongh Standard 21 Mar 2001 Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

While our friend, Michael Billington, hedged and gave it three stars. I think we sort of went with three stars too.

Out Billington Guardian Out Billington Guardian 21 Mar 2001 The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com