THE BEST OF 2023
THEATRE
SHAKESPEARE AND CLASSIC
What an unusual year, We haven’t enjoyed The Globe in recent years (since Emma Rice left) but they get first place in the Shakespeare section for a change. But this was an unusually very poor year for the RSC, as the old regime ended, and we’ve seen fewer Shakespeare than usual, and really it was the weakest year for Shakespeare since I started this blog.
Then we missed a few we had tickets for: 12 Angry Men at Bath to Covid, 4000 Miles at Chichester to flight schedules, and Fair Maid of The West at the RSC fell to Covid. Falkland Sound at the RSC fell to food poisoning the night before. Then Merchant of Venice: 1936 (on tour at the RSC) also fell to illness. So the RSC lost three possibles. They might have been the best ones.
On which, if you have to cancel, RSC and Chichester are fabulous. Bath Theatre Royal? We e-mailed and said they might like to re-sell the tickets as it was full, and the theatre would benefit. Not even the courtesy of a reply.
I haven’t expanded on my choices. All have a link to the original reviews.
And no, I have no real way of judging whether actor A in Februry was better than actor B in November. As with all such award systems, the more recent benefit from fresher memory.
AS YOU LIKE IT, The Globe *****
Directed by Ellen McDougall
CYMBELINE, Royal Shakespeare Company ****
Directed by Greg Doran
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, The Globe ****
Directed by Ellie While
KING LEAR, Kenneth Branagh Company ***
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, The Globe ***
Directed by Sean Holmes
ROMEO & JULIET, Brownsea Open Air Theatre not rated
Unfair to rate amateurs against professionals. BUT it was more fun than those below!
That’s about it. None of the Shakespeare plays below would have made the Top Ten in previous years.
AS YOU LIKE IT, Royal Shakespeare Company ***
Directed by Olar Elerian
Good concept, old actors revisiting it. It didn’t work.
MACBETH, Royal Shakespeare Company **
Directed by Wils Wilson
MACBETH, The Globe **
THE TEMPEST, Royal Shakespeare Company **
Directed by Elizabeth Freestone
THE WINTER’S TALE, Wanamaker & Globe
Directed by Sean Holmes
Great idea – two theatres for Sicilia and Bohemia. Unfortunately it didn’t work.
JULIUS CAESAR, Royal Shakespeare Company No stars
Directed by Atri Banaerjee
Quite the worst production of Shakespeare I have ever seen.
MODERN (All plays which were rated 4 stars plus)
A much, much better year for modern theatre.
DR SEMMELWEIS by Stephen Brown & Mark Rylance, West End *****
Directed by Tom Morris
DANCING AT LUGHNASA by Brien Friel, National Theatre *****
Directed by Josie Rourke
FAREWELL MR HAFFMAN By Jean-Philippe Gaguerre, Bath Ustinov *****
Directed by Lindsay Posner
THE EMPRESS by Tanika Gupta, Royal Shakespeare Company *****
Directed by Pooja Ghai
SHIRLEY VALENTINE by Willie Russell, West End *****
Directed by Matthew Dunster
THE VORTEX, by Noël Coward, Chichester *****
Directed by Daniel Raggett
ROMEO & JULIE by Gary Owen, National Theatre *****
Directed by Rachel O’Riordan
PRIDE & PREJUDICE (SORT OF) by Isobel MacArthur, on tour, **** +
Directed by Simon Harvey
THE MOTIVE & THE CUE by Jack Thorne **** +
Directed by Sam Mendes
THE PILLOWMAN, by Martin McDonagh, West End ****
Directed by Matthew Dunster
A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE by Arthur Miller, Chichester ****
Directed by Holly Race Roughan
HAMNET by Maggie O’Farell / Lolita Chakrabarti ****
Directed by Erica Whyman
PRIVATE LIVES by Noël Coward, Donmar Warehouse ****
Directed by Michael Longhurst
MOM, HOW DID YOU MEET THE BEATLES by A & A Kennedy, Chichester ****
Directed by Diyan Zora
HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES by Alan Ayckbourn, Salisbury Playhouse ****
Directed by Gareth Machin
NOUGHTS & CROSSES by Malorie Blackman, on tour ****
Directed by Esther Richardson
MUSICALS
An easy unassailable first place. Best production of the year.
GUYS & DOLLS, Bridge Theatre *****
Directed by Nicholas Hytner
SUNSET BOULEVARD by Andrew Lloyd Webber, West End *****
Directed by Jamie Lloyd
THE SOUND OF MUSIC by Rogers & Hammerstein, Chichester *****
Directed by Adam Penford
ASSASSINS, by Stephen Sondheim, Chichester ****
Directed by Polly Findlay
NOËL COWARD’S BRIEF ENCOUNTER, by Emma Rice, on tour ****
Directed by Douglas Rintoul
ROCK FOLLIES by Howard Schuman / Chloe Moss / Andy Mackay Chichester ****
Directed by Dominic Cooke
ACTOR
Mark Gattis, The Motive & The Cue
&
Mark Rylance, Dr Semmelweis
Nigel Lindsay, Farewell Mr Haffman
Jonathan Slinger, A View From The Bridge
Johnny Flynn, The Motive & The Cue, right
Stephen Mangan, Private Lives
Callum Scott-Howells, Romeo & Julie
Tom Varey, Hamnet
Joshua James, The Vortex
Jamie Wilkes Cymbeline
ACTRESS
Sheridan Smith, Shirley Valentine
&
Lily Allen, The Pillowman
Lisa Dillon, Farewell Mr Haffman
Justine Mitchell, Dancing at Lughnasa
Kirsty Bushell, A View From The Bridge
Rosie Sheehy, Romeo & Julie
Raki Avola, Mom, How Did You Meet The Beatles?
Tanya Katel, The Empress
Lia Williams, The Vortex
ACTOR MUSICAL
Tom Francis, Sunset Boulevard
Cedric Neal, Guys & Dolls
Daniel Mays, Guys and Dolls
ACTRESS MUSICAL
Gina Beck, Sound of Music
Zizi Strallen, Rock Follies (left)
Celinde Schoenmaker, Guys & Dolls
DIRECTOR
Nicholas Hytner, Guys & Dolls
&
Josie Rourke, Dancing at Lughnasa
Matthew Dunster, Shirley Valentine / The Pillowman
Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Boulevard
Lindsay Posner, Farewell Mr Haffman
Polly Findlay, Assassins
Greg Doran, Cymbeline
Rachel O’Riordan, Romeo & Julie
Sam Mendes, The Motive & The Cue
Simon Harvey, Pride & Prejudice (sort of)
BEST THEATRE
- Chichester Festival Theatre (again)
- National Theatre
- The Royal Shakespeare Company
Peter Viney's Blog 
Leave a comment