Di And Viv And Rose by Amelia Bullmore, Hampstead Theatre, 18 January 2013

Janie and I really enjoyed this play/production.

We missed it when it was first performed downstairs; not sure why as the subject matter will have appealed. Perhaps it coincided with one of our holidays and/or a heavily booked period.

Anyway, the Hampstead knew a hit when it saw one and transferred the piece upstairs (and subsequently beyond).

Here is a link to the Hampstead resource for the version we saw.

All three performers, Anna Maxwell Martin, Gina McKee & Tamzin Outhwaite, were truly excellent. Extremely well directed and produced too.

Excellent reviews, deservedly so, can be found through this search term – click here.

Only Tamzin Outhwaite from the cast transferred to the West End with it. Here is the trailer for the transfer:

Well done Hampstead – this was a real goodie.

Really Old, Like Forty Five by Tamsin Oglesby, Cottesloe Theatre, 30 January 2010

We were very keen on the idea of this one and booked a preview.

We are glad we did; the play was enjoyable, agonising and thought-provoking in equal measure.

Partly about the domestic and interpersonal aspects of ageing, the play also takes on questions of government policy around ageing, including social care and the potential for robots to provide same.

A summary of cast and some interesting links on Wikipedia – here.

I make it sound a bit “everything but the kitchen sink” on the topic, because in a way it was, but in a good way. The themes do more or less come together into a coherent whole and there is an element of comedic romp about the play which allows room for some forgiveness.

It was pretty well received on the whole – a rummage through the reviews and materials yielded by this search term should satisfy your curiosity if you remain curious.

Excellent cast, well directed, well produced…

…what do you expect from the Cottesloe?

Cloud Nine by Caryl Churchill, Almeida Theatre, 10 November 2007

This is a weird play. But then, it is Caryl Churchill. Indeed, by Caryl Churchill standards, it is not that weird a play.

But Janie and I had never seen the play and this, as it turned out, was a good production of this play. Thea Sharrock directed it; we’d been really impressed with her at The Gate and this production no doubt added to her rising stardom.

There’s a good Almeida stub for this production – here, although the reviews are just quotes.

Reviews to be found that can be read in full are as follows:

Enough evidence – this was good. We enjoyed ourselves and felt thoroughly sated with good theatre that weekend, having seen a super short play, Truck Stop, at the Hampstead the night before.

 

 

Dying For It by Moira Buffini, Almeida Theatre, 31 March 2007

This was a very entertaining evening in the theatre, Sounds odd, but it was a very amusing play about suicide.

Click here for a link to the Almeida’s resource on this play/production.

We rate Tom Brooke very highly and he was superb in this piece – a free adaptation, by Moira Buffini, of a subversive Soviet era Nikolai Erdman book.

It was well received by the critics on thew whole – click here for reviews and stuff.