Tag: Tim Hatley

Stanley by Pam Gems, Cottesloe Theatre, 13 February 1996

My log and indeed my memory is unequivocal about this one:

Quite outstanding. One of the very, very best.

A rare visit to the theatre midweek, I’m guessing that our impending trip to Thailand & Vietnam restricted our choices of dates for this one. Such was our desire to see it, we booked a midweek evening to be sure of seeing the production.

Both Antony Sher and Deborah Warner were superb in their roles, as indeed was the whole supporting cast.

Here is the Theatricalia entry for this play/production.

In truth, Stanley Spencer’s art is not really my bag, but his story is strange and peculiarly touching, certainly as told in this excellent play by Pam Gems.

Strangely, I cannot find a Guardian review for this one, but Michael Simons previewed it:

Michael Simons Previews StanleyMichael Simons Previews Stanley Mon, Jan 22, 1996 – 57 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Paul Taylor gave the play & production rich praise in The Independent.

Michael Coveney in The Observer agreed the play was excellent and enjoyed the production too:

Coveney On StanleyCoveney On Stanley Sun, Feb 4, 1996 – 68 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

It picked up awards and stuff, did Stanley. But there’s no praise higher than the Ged & Daisy accolade quoted at the top of this piece.

Out Of A House Walked A Man by Daniil Kharms, RNT, 3 December 1994

Janie and I both loved Théâtre de Complicité’s work ever since we saw The Street Of Crocodiles on our first proper date.

Janie and I Go On Our First Proper Date, The Street Of Crocodiles, Cottesloe Theatre, 29 August 1992

So, was this one, Out Of A House Walked A Man at the Lyttelton.

Here’s a link to the Theatricalia entry.

The one review I could find on-line can be found here.

Here is the Michael Billington review clipping:

Billington On Out Of A HouseBillington On Out Of A House Sat, Dec 3, 1994 – 30 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Here is the Michael Coveney clipping:

Michael Coveney On Out Of A House & New EnglandMichael Coveney On Out Of A House & New England Sun, Dec 4, 1994 – 77 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

We were ever so keen to see this one. We saw Landscape in the afternoon/early evening and this one at the regular theatre hour – a veritable theatre-fest of stuff we were very keen to see.

As usual a stupendously good cast assembled by Complicite, including Kathryn Hunter, Toby Jones and Marcello Magni. Simon McBurney at the helm but not on the stage for this one.

Again no actual reviews for this one but a wonderful Guardian piece about McBurney survives from a few week’s after we saw this show.

We both thought this production was very good.

We went to see Landscape by Harold Pinter earlier that day…

Landscape by Harold Pinter, Cottesloe Theatre, 3 December 1994

…and hung around for the Complicite. I guess we were a little time poor for theatre and stuff that autumn, as I was busy birthing Z/Yen and stuff that autumn.

Still, we highly rated both shows so that must have been a day to savour.