Tag: Tim Potter

Hysteria by Terry Johnson, Royal Court Theatre, 29 October 1993

This was a very interesting play about a meeting between Sigmund Freud and Salvador Dali. We both really enjoyed it.

Here is the Wikipedia entry for the play.

Here is the Theatricalia entry.

Super cast, with Henry Goodman as Freud, Tim Potter as Dali. Phyllida Lloyd directed this production, which was the premier.

The play has oft been revived since.

Here is Michael Billington’s review from the Guardian:

Billington on HysteriaBillington on Hysteria Mon, Sep 6, 1993 – 25 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Below is Michael Coveney’s review – not so keen:

Coveney on HysteriaCoveney on Hysteria Sun, Sep 12, 1993 – 49 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

We rounded off our evening with Chinese food from The Park Inn. Quite right too.

The diary suggests that we planned to have Marianne and Anil over for dinner the next evening, the Saturday, but Anil doesn’t get beyond a question mark and Janie is sure she has never met him, so my guess is that the whole idea fell though.

Accidental Death Of An Anarchist by Dario Fo, Cottesloe Theatre, 26 January 1991

Very good.

That was my verdict in my log and that is my recollection of this production, which I saw with Bobbie.

I also saw the Donmar production in 2003 with Janie. I preferred the 1991 version. Perhaps it was the version or perhaps I had outgrown the play a bit by 2003. Both were excellent productions. I shall write up the Donmar production in the fullness of time.

Meanwhile, in 1991, Alan Cumming played the lead and won the Best Comedy performance Olivier award that year for his trouble. Cumming was involved in the adaptation for the version performed, along with Tim Supple who directed it..

Here is the Theatricalia entry for this production.

Below is Michael Billington’s up beat review:

Billington on AnarchistBillington on Anarchist Wed, Jan 9, 1991 – 38 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

That visit to the theatre was part of a highly active weekend, by the looks of it.

I test drove a Honda in the morning before the play – this was presumably to ascertain whether it would make sense for me to take the souped-up automatic Honda Civic (which subsequently became known as “Red Noddy”) from the Binder Hamlyn car pool, in exchange for my less impressive Renault stick-shift. The answer was yes.

On the Sunday I had lunch with Jilly Black (location lost in the mists of time) and went to Pam & Michael’s place in the evening – possibly for bridge or possibly just supper.

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