“Back in the day” when we didn’t mind going off to the theatre in the pre-Christmas maelstrom.
Also back in the heyday of the Almeida. I’m glad we went, as this was a very good production indeed.
Tom Hollander as Khlestakov, the civil servant mistaken for the Government inspector. My neighbour, Iain McDiarmid, performing as the Lord Provost (rather than directing this time), Jonathan Kent directing. There is a Theatricalia entry for this one – here.
Nicholas de Jongh in The Standard was more taken with the production than the play…I am inclined to agree, not being a great lover of farce:
18 Dec 1997, Thu Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
However, my friend Michael Billington in The Guardian suggests that it is the production, not the play, that, if anything, errs towards farce in this instance:
20 Dec 1997, Sat The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
John Gross in The Sunday telegraph seemed to like it, admiring its universal appeal:
Waste Land & Government Inspector Sunday telegraph 28 Dec 1997, Sun Sunday Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
My records tell me that we ate at Granita after the show. As far as I know Janie and I didn’t make any sort of deal there in the Blair/Brown style.