Tag: Stuart Burgess

Factors Unforeseen by Michel Vinaver, Orange Tree Theatre, 16 May 2009

This is one of those rare plays about the workplace; in this case a suntan lotion business. The impecunious Orange Tree is one of the few theatres with solid production stubs going back as far as 2009 – click here for all the details on this one.

As is often the case with workplace plays, this one didn’t quite work for us. The stage was incredibly busy – a huge cast for the tiny Orange Tree. The humour didn’t quite translate/make the grade either.

Still, it was well acted and did provide some interesting points for us to discuss over a Don Fernando Spanish meal afterwards.

 

Greenwash by David Lewis, Orange Tree Theatre, 21 February 2009

We rather liked this one, although more form the point of view of it being a well acted interesting piece on an interesting subject than it being great drama or great comedy.

You can read all about it on the Orange Tree site – here.

Janie and I describe silly or farcical comedies as being “a bit Vincent Golightly” (don’t ask, long/fictional story) and this was a bit Vincent for sure. But we enjoyed our evening in the theatre and topped it off with some Spanish food at Don Fernando, as is our Richmond habit most times.

 

 

 

 

 

The Skin Game by John Galsworthy, Orange Tree Theatre, 7 April 2007

Sam Walters really had got himself locked into the early 20th Century by this time. Frankly, we didn’t think this Galsworthy piece had aged very well. Add to that Sam’s strict orthodoxy about not cutting text, it was quite a long evening at the theatre.

Well acted and directed, we stuck it out for both halves although we did consider making a break for it at half time.

Click here for a link to the Orange Tree resource on this play/production.

The critics liked it rather more than we did. Click here for a link that finds reviews and stuff.

The Captain’s Tiger by Athol Fugard, Orange Tree Theatre, 21 October 2000

Not top drawer Fugard, this, but Janie and I are/were partial to Athol Fugard’s work and partial to The Orange Tree. This was to be the premier of a new Fugard play at one of our favourite places. What could there be not to like? We weren’t disappointed.

The cast: Peter Gale, Ben Warwick, Chad Shepherd and Leah Muller were all excellent. Auriol Smith directed this one well.

I think we went to see this just after press night.

Nicholas de Jongh liked it:

Tiger de Jongh Standard Tiger de Jongh Standard 23 Oct 2000 Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Dominic Cavendish found Fugard’s “self rite of passage” theme a bit smug, yet still he really liked it:

Tiger Cavendish Telegraph Tiger Cavendish Telegraph 24 Oct 2000 The Daily Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Unusually, The Guardian didn’t cover this one. How are Janie and I supposed to know what to think about this sort of play unless our friend, Michael Billington, tells us?

Seriously, we pretty much agreed with the above two reviews. It felt a little self-indulgent but we could forgive Athol Fugard some self-indulgence as he has entertained us so much and did so again in this piece.

No doubt we ate at Don Fernando and no doubt the waiters asked after The Duchess, as was their wont back then when Janie and I went to Richmond without her.