Review of “Pressure” by David Haig. (LINK) This play features Haig as Dr James Stagg, the D-Day meteorologist who persuaded Eisenhower to delay invasion by a day, after predicting a storm in the English Channel thus saving tens of thousands of lives. So a play about British obsessions: bad weather, World War II and brilliant backroom boffins!
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Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem has been widely cited as the Best Play of the 21st Century so far. Well, until Jez Butterworth did The Ferryman. The 2009-2011 production with Mark Rylance and McKenzie Crook seemed unmatchable. The Watermill Theatre in 2018 is the first professional company to dare to revive it, with Jasper Britton in the lead role. Well, the play’s the thing, and with a new director, cast and set it’s STILL a five star play. Marvellous.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Adam Burton, Jasper Vritton, Jez Butterwortyh, Lisa Blair, Natalie Walter, Nenda Neurer, Peter Caulfield, Revecca Lee, Richard Evans, Robert Fitch, Sam Swann, Santino Smith | Leave a Comment »
Review added of Miss Littlewood, by Sam Kenyon (FOLLOW LINK), at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford. This is a musical based on the life of theatre pioneer, Joan Littlewood. The Swan at the RSC is having an excellent season with this company, supplemented here with Clare Burtand Sophia Nomvete. The cast of 10 women and 3 men cover 42 roles. There are seven “Joans” at various stages of her life. It’s another “must see” production directed by Erica Whyman.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Areth Ayeh, Clare Burt, Daisy Badger, Dawn Hope, Emily Johnstone, Erica Whyman, Greg Barnett, Laura Elsworthy, Natasha Lewis, Sam Kenyon, Sandy Foster, Solomon Israel, Sophia Nomvete, Tam Williams | Leave a Comment »
Review of William Wycherley’s “The Country Wife” (LINKED) (1675) at Chichester Minerva Theatre. The play has been described as “the greatest farce in English” as well as “the filthiest and bawdiest classic English play.” This version takes place in modern Soho with a stellar cast, with Susannah Fielding as “the country wife”.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Ashley Zhangazha, Belinda Lang, Charlotte Mills, Harry Lawtey, Jack North, Jo Herbert, John Hodgkinson, Jonathan Munby, Lex Shrapnel, Michael Elwyn, Natasha Magigi, Robin Weaver, Scott Karim, Soutra Gilmour, Susannah Fielding, Tom Kanji | Leave a Comment »
Review of The Chalk Garden (FOLLOW THE LINK) by Enid Bagnold at Chichester. This 1955 play has been called “the missing link between Coward and Rattigan, and Frayn and Ayckbourn.” It is fascinating, and has a superb cast including Dame Penelope Keith, Amanda Root, Oliver Ford Davies and Matthew Cottle.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Amanda Root, Caroline Harker, Emma Curtis, Matthew Cottle, Oliver Ford Davies, Penelope Keith | Leave a Comment »
Review added of The Two Noble Kinsmen (FOLLOW LINK) at Shakespeares Globe, directed by Barrie Rutter. Music by Eliza Carthy too. Full of comedy, music and dance as befits an outdoor production, though perhaps not the most detailed exploration of Shakespeare’s final play. Picture of the bare stage before the start.
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Review of Classsic Spring’s An Ideal Husband added. (LINK: https://peterviney.wordpress.com/stage/an-ideal-husband-2018/) The third play in their Oscar Wilde season features Edward Fox and Freddie Fox as father and son, as in real life.
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Follow the link to my review of As You Like It at Shakespeare’s Globe. We saw it on May 6th (six performances in, and at full price) but have held the review back until the greatly delayed press night. It’s a long review, discussing the new direction and the idea that an ensemble would get rid of “director-led hierarchies.” Most controversially, it is gender-blind with a man playing Rosalind and a woman playing Orlando. The result for us was the worst play we’ve seen at The Globe. See the review.
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Review of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Watermill, (FOLLOW THE LINK) Newbury. This has a cast of ten, a brilliant tight ensemble. Most play two or three roles, act as fairies and play musical instruments too. Far livelier (and better) than the larger current Shakespeare productions currently running! The one to see this year.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Emma McDonald, Eva Feiler, Jamie Sattherthwaite, Joey Hickman, Lillie Flynn, Mike Slader, Offue Pkegbe, Paul Hart, Sophie Stone, Tyrone Huntley, Victoria Blunt | Leave a Comment »
Review of the American play “The Whale” by Samuel D. Hunter (FOLLOW LINK) at Bath Ustinov Studio. This stars highly-acclaimed American actor Shuler Hensley, who created the role of a 600 pound central figure in New York, with a brilliant British team. One of the best plays I’ve seen in ages. 5 stars.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Laurence Boswell, Oscar Batterham, Rosie Sheehy, Ruth Gemmell, Shuler Hensley, Teresa Banham | Leave a Comment »
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