Dancing At Lughnasa by Brian Friel, Lyttelton Theatre, 22 December 1990

Wow.

I have strong memories of this one. Just one word in my log:

Superb.

It was a convoluted process getting to see it, as I was really suffering with my back knack when this production opened in London (October 1990; it had spent the spring and summer at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin).

Anyway, Bobbie and I sorted out some good tickets for just before Christmas and my goodness this one was worth seeing.

Excellent cast, including Brid Brennan, Stephen Dillane and Alec McCowen. In truth I don’t know Director Patrick Mason for anything else but he can come visit again.

I remember early the next year recommending it to a Dutch software developer, Gerard Mey, who was working on a project with me in London and asked me to recommend a show. I wondered if it was too challenging for someone who does not boast English as a first language. Gerard told me how much he enjoyed it, while admitting that he found some of the language difficult, but said that his head had been full of so many interesting thoughts and ideas since seeing it. That’s a recommendation in my book!

I’ll leave it to the experts to explain in their words just how good this show was.

Michael Billington spoke very highly of it in The Guardian

Billington on LughnasaBillington on Lughnasa Wed, Oct 17, 1990 – 38 · The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

Michael Coveney gushed about it in The Observer when he saw it at the Abbey in the spring:

Coveney on LughnasaCoveney on Lughnasa Sun, May 6, 1990 – 57 · The Observer (London, Greater London, England) · Newspapers.com

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