Tag: Phoenix Theatre

Salome by Oscar Wilde, Phoenix Theatre, 10 February 1990

Oh my goodness we did not like this one. My note in the log:

Dreadful – performed in slow motion. Probably would have left at half time had there been an interval.

That’s not good.

Super cast. Steven Berkoff as Herod and directing it. Katharine Schlesinger as Salome. Rory Edwards as John…

…just didn’t work as a production. Frankly it’s not much of a play in my view.

Kate Kellaway seemed to like it:

Kellaway on SalomeKellaway on Salome Sun, Nov 12, 1989 – 42 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Michael Billington seems to share my doubts about the play but praised the production.

Billington on SalomeBillington on Salome Thu, Nov 9, 1989 – 27 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

The Merchant Of Venice by William Shakespeare, Phoenix Theatre, 29 August 1989

I saw this production of The Merchant Of Venice with Bobbie. I don’t think either of us was overly enamoured of it. I registered “quite good” in my log, which is faint praise from me.

There was a lot of hype about this production because Dustin Hoffman was playing Shylock. I recall that Bobbie’s friend May Lamb referred to that actor as “Dustbin Hoffman” – I must admit that I have never been able to process his name the same way since.

There were other good folk in this production; Geraldine James as Portia for a start. Michael Sibbery as Gratiano, Ian Lavender as Solanio, Leigh Lawson as Antonio, Peter-Hugo Daly as Launcelot Gobbo and many other good names. Peter Hall directed it.

Here is its Theatricalia entry.

Sometimes a collection of big names is not, in itself, enough.

Also, I have a feeling that this is not really a great play; that’s my opinion anyway. Technically it is a comedy in the Shakespeare canon, but well short of laughs for the modern audience, even by Shakespeare comedy standards.

This review piece from the New York Times archive suggests that the critics weren’t overly impressed with this production either.

Below is Michael Billington’s Guardian review:

Billington on MerchantBillington on Merchant Fri, Jun 2, 1989 – 27 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Below is Michael Ratcliffe’s Observer review:

Ratcliffe on MerchantRatcliffe on Merchant Sun, Jun 4, 1989 – 44 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Here is a little YouTube clip of Dustbin…

…I mean Dustin Hoffman rehearsing with Peter Hall:

The Common Pursuit by Simon Gray, Phoenix Theatre, 30 April 1988

I went to see this production of The Common Pursuit with Bobbie.

It had received a lot of publicity at that time, due to its stellar cast of comedy folk: Rik Mayall, Stephen Fry, Sarah Berger, John Sessions, John Gordon Sinclair and Paul Mooney.

We didn’t realise at the time that the piece was a rewrite/revival of a play produced at the Lyric a few years earlier. The Wikipedia entry for The Common Pursuit explains.

I remember thinking it was actually a very good play. I had already formed a liking for Simon Gray plays by reading many of them in the mid 1980s. This might have been the first one I saw on the stage.

I also recall not liking the sycophantic audience who seemed to think it was hilarious if Rik Mayall or Stephen Fry merely walked onto the stage. But that was the audiences problem, not the play’s. Nor the production’s, really.

I think the play has been somewhat under-rated in the Simon Gray canon as it has not often been revived in the 30 years since.

My log registered “very good” for this one.

The next time Simon Gray was partnered with Rik Mayall and Stephen Fry in the West End was Cell Mates in 1995, which did not end up so well; especially for Stephen Fry. Janie and I missed that one as I guessed that “sycophantic audience syndrome” would displease Janie even more than it had displeased me and Bobbie in 1988. But Janie and I did go to the revival of Cell Mates at the Hampstead in 2017:

Cell Mates by Simon Gray, Hampstead Theatre, 9 December 2017

But back to The Common Pursuit. Bobbie’s memory of it has yet to be tested. I’ll get back to this piece in the unlikely event that something specific about this piece or this evening emerges.

Below is Michael Ratcliffe’s Observer review:

Ratcliffe On Common Pursuit & Faust Part OneRatcliffe On Common Pursuit & Faust Part One Sun, Apr 10, 1988 – 37 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Below is Michael Billington’s review:

Michael Billington On Common PursuitMichael Billington On Common Pursuit Sat, Apr 9, 1988 – 17 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

I vaguely remember taking after theatre supper with Bobbie at one of those West End restaurants after this one but cannot recall which particular restaurant it was.