Tag: Ken Savva

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

Ancient Lights by Shelagh Stephenson, Hampstead Theatre, 23 December 2000

Janie and I rated this one:

Very good indeed…

…yet it fails to register in my usual lookup places (Wikipedia, Theatricalia) on lists of Shelagh Stephenson’s work.

It looks as though Janie booked this one almost as an afterthought. Perhaps she thought we’d have no time before the Christmas madness and then felt ready and at a loose end just ahead of the Saturday. She’s written:

A9 & 10, £40.35 Joanna Pearce playing Bea.

Perhaps a client recommended it to her.

Let’s see what the critics said. Our friend, Michael Billington, liked it despite its flaws:

Ancient Billington Guardian Ancient Billington Guardian 7 Dec 2000 The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Nicholas de Jongh gave it the dreaded Standard blob as its rating:

Ancient de Jongh Standard Ancient de Jongh Standard 7 Dec 2000 Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

But then again, Charles Spencer really liked it:

Ancient Spencer Telegraph Ancient Spencer Telegraph 8 Dec 2000 The Daily Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

I must say the scenario looks like the sort of play we would actively avoid now, so my guess is that it is well writ and was very well acted by an excellent cast, not least Dermot Crowley & Joanne Pearce.