Peter Viney's Blog

The third review of our London visit, Arthur Miller’s THE CRUCIBLE (link to review) at the National Theatre. This is a major production of one of the greatest 20th century plays. It’s a detailed review,and I assume you know the story. Few plays get so many five star reviews, yet it failed to get the standing ovation that Blues For An Alabama Sky got the evening before. The play always fascinates.

The second of the three reviews, this is BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY (link to review) by Pearl Cleage. This 1995 play is set in ‘Haarlem Renaissance’ New York in 1930. As so often happens, the least known of the three plays in the trip got the best audience reception by a long way and was the most enjoyable too. It’s at the National Theatre, so catch it if you can. Like most National Theatre plays it’s sure to be streamed eventually.

This is the first review from our ‘Three plays in three days London trip.’ It’s JOHN GABRIEL BORKMAN, by Henrik Ibsen (SEE LINK), directed by Nicholas Hytner, and starring Simon Russell-Beale. London’s best and newest theatre (until SohoPlace opened the day afterwards), the director of the best Shakespeare production we’ve seen in years and Simon Russell-Beale in the title role. What could possibly go wrong? Read on …

The current OUTLANDER SERIES 6 (LINK TO REVIEW) is one we’ve just completed on Blu-Ray. It’s online if you subscribe to Starzplay. It’s surprisingly addictive watching, if you like American history, historical romance, 18th century Scotland and Time Travel. . I’ve avoided extreme plot spoilers but have given the gist and tried to inject some humour.

Review of OTHELLO at the marvellous Watermill Theatre near Newbury. (Linked) Paul Hart co-directs this year’s Watermill Shakespeare, which is always a highlight with its mix of drama, music and dance, with all the music performed by the actors. It’s a significant take on Othello, too with a much younger and more vigorous lead role and a female Iago. It all works.

Link to my review of WOMAN IN MIND by Alan Ayckbourn at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Yes, Ackybourn fills theatres and this 1985 play was considered innovative in 1985, and is often rated as one of his best. Any Chichester production is worth seeing for the cast, the set, the production. In this case, I’m much less sure about the intrinsic play.

I have been trawling through my computer drive looking at a folder of ‘short pieces.’ They all date from the early days of internet interaction, often written in reply to a discussion somewhere. This is a piece recounting an odd motoring case from 1977. It is of interest because of the character of my lawyer, whose name has long been forgotten, but I shall call him ‘Mr Rumpole.’ It also reflects on the operation of the Magistrates’ Court. Here it is, follow the link, A LEGAL MATTER

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A new piece is up, MAJOR BRYLCREEM OR MY ADVENTURES IN THE CCF (LINKED). It’s a companion piece to the school experience articles, LANGUAGE LEARNING IN BRITAIN PAST and ENG. LIT IN BRITAIN PAST. It’s a humorous memory of my state grammar’s school’s Combined Cadet Force in the 1960s, and how and why I got ‘dishonourably discharged ‘ from it.

An addition to the 60s Pop Exploitation films reviews, EVERY DAY’S A HOLIDAY from 1964. Yes, I watch them so you don’t have to. This one featured two rapidly fading stars, John Leyton and Mike Sarne acting as new entertainers at a Holiday Camp (Butlins Clacton-on-Sea). Some good supports … Ron Moody, Liz Fraser, Michael Ripper. The Mojos are good. Freddie & The Dreamers must have thought themselves amusing.

The Doctor, ‘created by Robert Icke’ (LINK TO REVIEW)was a major critical success at The Almeida Theatre in 2019. Its long-delayed transfer to the West End has finally arrived and we saw it at Bath Theatre Royal, where it previewed for a week. It’s on its way to the Duke of York’s Theatre. The play is based on Arthur Schnitzler’s 1912 play ‘Professor Bernhadi.’ At a private clinic a young girl is brought in suffering from a botched abortion. The doctor, (Juliet Stevenson) refuses to allow a Catholic priest to enter her room and give her the last rites, as she wants her to die in peace (without knowing she’s dying). That’s the start. Then the trouble begins.