There Ought To Be Clowns

Review: Julius Caesar, Bridge

2018-01-30T23:19:00.000+00:00

"He thinks too much - such men are dangerous"

Though it is billed as 'a promenade staging' and the website refers to 'mob tickets' and 'immersive ticket holders', make no mistake that if you're in the pit for Julius Caesar, you're standing. For two hours. There's a bit of movement, as in five paces that way or this when a new bit of the set has to wheeled into place but don't be distracted into thinking there's anything more on offer here than can be gotten further along the South Bank at the Globe (apart from a roof of course, which allows them to charge five times the price, or three times if you book your tickets via TodayTix).

And as with being a groundling, there are decided pros and cons to experiencing theatre this way. The first half of Shakespeare's political thriller works extremely well under this modern-dress treatment from Nicholas Hytner. As you enter the Bridge's auditorium, reconceived into the round here, the pit is filled with a rock gig, vendors sell beer and baseball caps, a febrile energy fills the space which carries through to the arrival of David Calder's populist Caesar with his red cap and puerile slogan 'Do this!' (Contemporary allusions are clear but later on you may find the mind gets weirdly drawn to Murdoch more than Trump...).

Being in the middle of the action this way brings with it some thrilling moments. As Caesar pontificated just before his assassination, Michelle Fairley's excellent Cassius was stood right next to me and for a few minutes, I couldn't help but just watch the stunning detail of her reactive acting as she psyched herself up for the bloody deed ahead. Having to drop to the ground in the organised chaos once shots were fired got the heart pounding, as did the eruption of riots and street fighting in our very midst. You won't get that punch-in-the-gut feeling from a seated ticket that's for sure.

Bunny Christie's design of rising platforms means that sometimes, sightlines aren't a problem though Hytner's decision to keep having people sit at desks or on sofas negates that somewhat and the reality is that you're always at the mercy of someone taller than you popping up in front of you at the point where you can no longer move freely (something that feels easier to write off when you're only paying a fiver...). And at one point, I nearly experienced death by fabric which wasn't the best feeling. That said, I'd still recommend going for the pit rather than seats because of how electric the atmosphere gets down there in this production.

As for the play itself, it is one that I find I like rather than love, even when done at its best. The relevances to modern times come thick and fast - shameless political manoeuvring for personal gain, the whipping up of courts of public opinion, suggestions of fake news, the rise of would-be autocratic leaders, the inability of those in power to ever admit that they're wrong. And Ben Whishaw's Brutus and David Morrissey's Mark Antony, along with Fairley's beautifully spoken Cassius play these out powerfully. It is rarely a play that moves you though and so it is here, even though it does provide moments of intellectual stimulus.

Running time: 2 hours (without interval)

Photos: Manuel Harlan

Booking until 15th April, Julius Caesar will also be broadcast to cinema as part of National Theatre Live on 22nd March

Review: Tumulus, VAULT Festival

2018-01-26T23:40:00.000+00:00

"I've never had a lover die on me before"

Chemsex is one of those subjects that always seems to pop up at festivals and sure enough, in week 1 of the VAULT we find a new play on the very subject by Christopher Adams. But with a sparkingly fresh and darkly witty take and some intelligent and imaginative direction from Matt Steinberg, Tumulus emerges as a cracking piece of theatre, a "chilling queer noir" that entertains as much as it elucidates.

Anthony is well and truly addicted to the chemsex scene in London. He's holding down his job as an assistant curator at the British Museum just about fine, though that promotion always seems to elude him, as his evenings and weekends are taken up with chasing the next amazing high, the next unmissable party, the next insatiable guy. This high-functioning addict has his certainties shaken though when his one of his latest hook-ups turns up dead on Hampstead Heath.

Adams' masterstroke is to filter his story through a noir crime genre that never takes itself too seriously. So in Ciarán Owens' hands, Anthony's investigations take on a faintly hilarious quality ("with a swish of my raincoat, I left the police station", "I am myself not yet 33") even though the appearance of a second body twists the plot into darker, more murderous territory. It also provides much needed occasional lightness as Owens' spares us nothing of the underlying anguish of this addict.

Steinberg's direction takes Tumulus to further interesting places in a number of ways. A refusal to use sex to sell the production (either in the publicity or in the production itself) is hugely refreshing and focuses the attention away from the salacious. And having co-stars Ian Hallard and Tom Rhys Harries be foley artists as well as playing all the supporting parts adds to the atmosphere in the creation of an increasingly unnerving soundscape, keeping audiences on their toes as much as the twisting mystery that unfolds. Recommended.

Running time: 60 minutes (without interval)

Booking until 28th January

Review: Great Again, VAULT Festival

2018-01-26T23:20:00.000+00:00

"What kind of person isn't interested in politics"

A black man, a woman and a young gay lad walk into an Ohio bar - it may sound like the set-up for a joke but as they start to talk about how much they like Trump, we realise it is a nifty little conceit at the heart of new musical Great Again. Sidestepping the predictable, writer Isla van Tricht uses this trio to spearhead her investigation into the ideology behind young conservatives and the ways in which they coalesced behind the unlikeliest of presidential candidates in 2016.

In their Midwestern home of Beavercreek, Ohio, Josh and Kelsey are both first time voters but given that their feelings lie to the right of centre, at odds with the liberal views of the friends and family around them, they have to look elsewhere to find kindred political souls. Tagging onto the campaign trail for Trump when it rocks up in their state, they connect with a side of America chomping at the bit to have their voices heard but as their political understanding develops, personal connections become strained.

It's a worthy attempt into understanding how are political mindsets are cultivated and reinforced, and not just in those who one might consider are typical Republican voters. Guy Woolf's brightly attractive score pulls in a range of voices - Alexander McMorran's blue-collar worker lamenting a better life, Andy Umerah's silver-tongued college grad John, and Eleanor Jackson and Jacob Bradford as the young'uns who find their new-held convictions tested in the extreme.

The musical's strongest scene is its loudest, an all-out row between left and right, blue and red, which typifies much of what counts for political discourse nowadays, on either side of the ocean. But it also reveals the slight shortcomings of the piece, directed by Joseph Cunningham, in that it doesn't have the boldest of plots or sharpest of insights to accompany its set-up. If further developed, and I hope Old Sole Theatre do so, a bit more of a dramatic edge might serve Great Again well.

Running time: 70 minutes (without interval)

Booking until 28th January

Review: Tomorrow Creeps, VAULT Festival

2018-01-26T23:17:00.000+00:00

"He received them with a strange delight"

As an intellectual exercise, Golem!'s Tomorrow Creeps is something of a delight - a new play by David Fairs stitched together from 16 works by Shakespeare and shot through with lyrical inspiration from Kate Bush. And in the dark and dank surroundings of the Cavern, with creepingly textured sound work from Odinn Hilmarsson and a powerfully atmospheric lighting design (uncredited), the potential of the piece is palpable.

The reality is something a little more elusive though. In this shadowy world, strangeness abounds. The Hollow Hero has imprisoned The Fallen Tyrant but needs his help for something or other; the malevolent Tyrant misses his dead wife as she is called The Spectral Queen, it turns out she's closer to hand than he thinks; and the supernatural haunts everything they do with noted kook Hecate willing to cause nuisance at the shake of a salt cellar.

The unforgiving acoustics of this space mean that it is hard enough to work out this much and there well have been much more to it. But there isn't a huge amount of clarity in the storytelling either, something exacerbated by the nature of the text which ends up feeling like Shakespeare's greatest hits, as the mind can't help but wander in working out where each line is coming from (and feeling a little smugly satisfied when you do recognise one).

In some ways, Tomorrow Creeps might have worked better in being a little more obtuse, rather than trying to craft something of a conventional narrative out of this grab-bag of source material. It's hard not to feel that erring on the side of the moodily atmospheric, thus suiting the random Kate Bush movement numbers inserted here and there, rather than overloading the Shakespearean references would considerably amplify its power.

Running time: 60 minutes (without interval)

Booking until 28th January

Re-review: Beginning, Ambassadors

2018-01-24T23:19:00.000+00:00

"If you knew everything about my life, you wouldn’t like me.

'I don’t think there’s a person in this world you could say any different about.'"

Things worth beginning:

- a nice run of plays transferring into the Ambassadors as it really is a nicely intimate theatre and obvs it has now been released from the long-running tyranny of Stomp

- a playlist based on cheesy tunes in the style of Modjo's Lady (Hear Me Tonight), or maybe just find my copy of Now 47

- a reassessment of David Eldridge (on my part at least) as the troubled memory of The Knot of the Heart far outweighs the glories of In Basildon in my mind

- redecorating the kitchen, using the beautiful tiling from Fly Davis' design as an inspiration

and

- cooking myself a fish finger in said kitchen when I am sober (I honestly don't think I've ever had one sober!) (I'd be using tartare sauce though, none of this ketchup/mayo combo nonsense)

This has been a bit of light-hearted fun but Beginning really is very good indeed. Full of all the wisdom of late-night chats and charged with that strange sexual energy that comes at the end of a party, it speaks to so much of modern dating ("I wish I’d met you online. Everything would be so much easier") and societal pressures (I just want a people carrier), especially in the pressure cooker of the capital. I ranked the play in my top 25 of last year and a more conventional review can be found here.

Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes (without interval)

Booking until 24th March

The finalists of The Offies 2018

2018-01-24T14:00:00.000+00:00

The finalists of the The Offies 2018 have been announced and as ever, there's much of interest there, in the choices made and the breadth of Off West End theatre celebrated. Play-wise, I'm delighted at the love for The Revlon Girl and An Octoroon here, nice to see the Bunker's Eyes Closed Ears Covered rewarded too, plus Will Pinchin's work in Frankenstein.

With the musicals, I'm not down with the love for Promises Promises, an ill-judged revival that added nothing to the conversation (and even less in these #MeToo times) and I'm disappointed that none of the boys of Yank! were recognised. The rest of the Southwark Playhouse's spectacular year does get the appropriate plaudits though, with Superhero, The Life and Working all getting multiple nominations.

And lastly, at times it can seem like all you have to do is sing in your bathroom and you get an Offie nomination 😉 so it is interesting to see how the numbers break down, albeit somewhat vaguely. These 80 or so finalists have apparently been whittled down from over 350 nominations from over 190 shows - there's clearly just a lot of Offies love to share. Should you wish to join in said sharing at the IRL award ceremony on Sunday 4th March at The Albany, Deptford, you can buy tickets here.

PLAYS

Female in a Play

Charlotte Gray / The Revlon Girl / Park Theatre

Katherine Pearce / Low Level Panic / Orange Tree Theatre

Lucy Robinson / Late Company / Finborough Theatre

Mimi Ndiweni / The Convert / Gate Theatre

Male in a Play

Ben Aldridge / Run The Beast Down / Finborough Theatre

Ian McDiarmid / What Shadows / Park Theatre

Ken Nwosu / An Octoroon / Orange Tree Theatre

Patrick Sandford / Groomed / Soho Theatre

Supporting Female in a Play

Jo Martin / Doubt: A Parable / Southwark Playhouse

Molly Hanson / Posh / Pleasance Theatre

Sinead Matthews / Loot / Park Theatre

Vivian Oparah / An Octoroon / Orange Tree Theatre

Supporting Male in a Play

Danny-boy Hatchard / Eyes Closed, Ears Covered / Bunker

Jonathan Blaydon / Lord Dismiss Us / Above The Stag

Tom Rhys Harries / The Pitchfork Disney / Shoreditch Town Hall

Will Pinchin / Frankenstein / Jack Studio

New Play

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins / An Octoroon / Orange Tree Theatre

David Ireland / The End Of Hope / Soho Theatre

Neil Anthony Docking / The Revlon Girl / Park Theatre /

Roland Schimmelpfenning (translated by David Tushingham) / Winter Solstice / Orange Tree Theatre

Most Promising New Playwright

Alex Gwyther / Eyes Closed, Ears Covered / Bunker

Katie Bonna / All The Things I Lied About / Soho Theatre

Natasha Marshall / Half Breed / Soho Theatre

Stephen Unwin / All Our Children / Jermyn Street Theatre

Director

Audrey Sheffield / The Dark Room / Theatre503

Josette Bushell-Mingo / The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin / Theatre Royal Stratford East

Ned Bennett / An Octoroon / Orange Tree Theatre

Ramin Gray / Winter Solstice / Orange Tree Theatre

Ensemble

Bucket List / Battersea Arts Centre

Home Truths / Bunker

The Gap In The Light / New Diorama

Production

An Octoroon / Orange Tree Theatre

Contractions / New Diorama

The Revlon Girl / Park Theatre

Trouble In Mind / Print Room

MUSICALS & OPERA

Female in a Musical

Daisy Maywood / Promises, Promises / Southwark Playhouse

Sophia Mackay / The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin / Theatre Royal Stratford East

T'Shan Williams / The Life / Southwark Playhouse

Supporting Female in a Musical

Alex Young / Promises, Promises / Southwark Playhouse

Sarah-Louise Young / Yank! / Charing Cross Theatre

Sharon D. Clarke / The Life / Southwark Playhouse

Male in a Musical

Gabriel Vick / Promises, Promises / Southwark Playhouse

Joshua Lay / Top Hat / Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Michael Rouse / Superhero / Southwark Playhouse

Peter Polycarpou / Working / Southwark Playhouse

Supporting Male in a Musical

Cornell S. Joh / The Life / Southwark Playhouse

Greg Castiglioni / The Woman in White / Charing Cross Theatre

Jordan Shaw / Tick, Tick… Boom! / Park Theatre

Musical Director

Dean Austin / Death Takes A Holiday / Charing Cross Theatre

Gareth Bretherton / Hair / Vaults

Simon Holt / The Woman in White / Charing Cross Theatre

Musical Production

Hair / Vaults

The Life / Southwark Playhouse

Working / Southwark Playhouse

New Musical

Death Takes A Holiday / Charing Cross Theatre

My Land’s Shore / Ye Olde Rose & Crown Theatre

Superhero / Southwark Playhouse

The Life / Southwark Playhouse

Opera Production

Cosi Fan Tutte / Baseless Fabric Theatre / Morden Civic Centre

L’Incoronazione Di Poppea / Hampstead Garden Opera / Jackson’s Lane

Tosca / King's Head Theatre

CREATIVE & DESIGN

Choreographer

Charlotte Tooth / The Hired Man / Union Theatre

Chris Whittaker / Top Hat / Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Joanne McShane / Salad Days / Union Theatre

William Whelton / Hair / Vaults

Costume Design

Adrin Erra Puente / White Fang / Park Theatre

Jonathan Lipman / Death Takes A Holiday / Charing Cross Theatre

Mike Lees / The Tailor Made Man / White Bear Theatre

Lighting Design

Ben Jacobs / The Wolves Of Willoughby Chase / Jack Studio

David Plater (lighting) & Andzrej Goulding (video) / Room / Theatre Royal Stratford East

Norvydals Genys / Eyes Closed, Ears Covered / Bunker

Zoe Spurr / Phoenix Rising / Car Park, Smithfield Meat Market

Set Design

Lily Arnold / Room / Theatre Royal Stratford East

Max Dorey / Talk Radio / Old Red Lion Theatre

Rosanna Vize / Low Level Panic / Orange Tree Theatre

Sound Design

George Dennis / Guards at the Taj / Bush Theatre

Juan Coolio / White Fang / Park Theatre

Max & Ben Ringham and George Dennis / Killer / Shoreditch Town Hall

SPECIAL AWARDS

TBC Award

Joan / Ovalhouse

The Last Straw / Ovalhouse

Christopher Green / Prurience / Southbank Centre

Lucy McCormack / Triple Threat / Soho Theatre

Review: Austen the Musical, Bread and Roses

2018-01-23T15:59:00.000+00:00

"Must you scribble all the time, Jane?"

Making a visit to London in the midst of a UK-wide tour, Rob Winlow's Austen the Musical is a rather low-key affair but one which has moments of delicate beauty. It takes a biographical slant on the novelist's life, focusing on the apparent sparseness of her romantic affairs and how, if at all, this impacted on the richness of her writing, concerned as it was with love and romance and marriage.

It's a slight concept to rest a show on, given the inherent nature of fiction writing, but one which grows in strength the more it relies on its central performance. Edith Kirkson is full of warm personality and gentle charm as Jane, her heart variously open to the variety of suitors that alight at her door yet never distracting from the free-flowing creative spirit that eventually scored a hard-won publishing deal.

Winlow's book both invents potential partners and draws them from real life but director Timothy Trimingham Lee's decision to have the same actor play them all is a neat trick, portraying different facets of contemporaneous masculinity and suggesting the stifling way in which societal rules hemmed it in. With that in mind, Jenni Lea-Jones is good fun indeed as Jane's Bennet-like mother.

The score has its moments too, especially in some delicately stirring solo songs led by co-composer, musical director and Cassandra Austen Arlene McNaught from the piano. More work needs to be done though on the blending of voices, the ensemble rarely balancing as well as it could, particularly in the overly repeated key refrain which earworms its way right into the mind, whether that's good or bad is up to you!

Running time: 90 minutes (without interval)

Booking until 23rd January then touring to

25th January 2018 Stamford | Stamford Corn Exchange | 19.30

26th January 2018 Beverley | East Riding Theatre | 19.30

27th January 2018 Beverley | East Riding Theatre | 14.00

27th January 2018 Beverley | East Riding Theatre | 19.30

8th February 2018 Worcestershire | Atrix | 20.00

27th February 2018 Glenrothes | Rothes Hall | 19.30

28th February 2018 Glenrothes | Rothes Hall | 19.30

7th March 2018 Harborough | Harborough Theatre | 19.30

28th March 2018 Winchester | Chesil Theatre | 19.30

29th March 2018 Winchester | Chesil Theatre | 19.30

2018 Vault Festival - what to see

2018-01-22T13:36:00.000+00:00

On the one hand, that the Vault Festival has expanded to over 300 shows running over 8 weeks is fantastic news for the emerging theatremakers that it supports. On the other, it means making the choice about what to see, even tackling the catalogue alone can feel somewhat daunting. It has taken me a wee while to get round to delving into it myself, but as the festival is set to open this week, here's some of my top tips for each week.

Week 1

Tomorrow Creeps - repurposed Shakespeare via the medium of Kate Bush? Hell, yes.
Tumulus - it's not a festival unless there's a chemsex show
Great Again - likewise a Trump-bashing musical

Week 2

Double Infemnity - gender-flipping noir crime antics in a one-woman show? Whyever the hell not!
Gypsy Queen - gays and boxing, sometimes I'm an easy sell...
Gun - I'll be trying to catch more comedy than I usually do this year, and this western-inspired show very much seems as good a place to start as any

Week 3

Think of England - love, lust and swing dancing in wartime Waterloo - TICK!
Be Prepared - I'm a fan of writer/performer Ian Bonar so definitely looking forward to this one
Douze - Eurovision pop comedy musical fun, nuff said

Week 4

YOU - a thought-provoking look at adoption, drawing on some deeply personal narratives
STUD - gays and football, a combination that usually works wonders for me!
Elsa - a chirpy sounding piece of reflective musical comedy

Week 5

Sparks - Jessica Butcher is a name that people in the know rave about, Anoushka Lucas is a name I have raved about, together they ought to come up with something special
Conquest - a debut show from PearShaped and one which promises to tackle contemporary feminism with real fearlessness
Still We Dream... - I don't see much dance but something about this piques my attention, animalistic movement in non-traditional spaces

Week 6

TESTOSTERONE - experimental work pushing the trans narrative forward, one for the Daily Mail-reading person in your life...
Das Fest - in many ways what the Vault Festival is for, for me, to see the type of thing I would never normally book for (as in Philipp Oberlohr's show last year Das Spiel) and be delighted and not a little freaked out!
The Strongbox - Stephanie Jacob is having a low-key moment, her play Again opens at Trafalgar Studios 2 next month and its final week will overlap with another piece of new writing from her, I suspect they'll both be worth catching

Week 7

Fuck Marry Kill - a work-in-progress from Vera Chok and Amy Mason which uses the game show format to challenge the patriarchy
Bury the Hatchet - the tale of Lizzie Borden is one of enduring fascination and Out of the Forest are no exception here, using bluegrass, nursery rhyme and horror to retell and reexamine this story
Unburied - a folk horror mystery that just seems most intriguing

Week 8

THINGS THAT DO NOT C(O)UNT - I loved No Offence's torn apart at the Hope last year, so I'm much intrigued by this new work
The Dirty Thirty - an ever-changing attempt to perform 30 shows in 1 hour - I'm sold!
Tom and Bunny Save The World - another company I'm a big fan of, Fat Rascal, present a zombie comedy musical that is sure to shake up gender lines as much as apocalyptic survival methods

Review: Woman Before A Glass, Jermyn Street

2018-01-21T22:56:00.000+00:00

"Modern art is never an answer, it is a question"

Woman Before A Glass may be a one-woman show but what a woman it reveals to us. Peggy Guggenheim was born into one of the wealthiest New York socialite families at the dawn of the twentieth century and during a most unconventional lifetime, became a mainstay of the modern art scene. The art, and artists, that she collected made her Venetian palazzo one of the hottest spots to be seen and it is there that we visit her for the three key scenes of this play by Lanie Robertson.

The first is introduced with a wonderfully clever conceit - searching for an outfit to wear for an interview, she sifts through a pile of couture gowns, reminiscing about them all and thus giving us an instant insight into her existence - a strained relationship with her family both immediate and extended, an apparently insatiable sexual appetite, and a genuine love for the collection, protection and encouragement of the modern artists that she gathered around her. Plus she has a nifty way with a cocktail shaker.

And in Austin Pendleton's production, recreated here by Tom McClane-Williamson as the opening salvo in the Jermyn Street's Scandal season, it is a vibrant and fascinating delight which is as much a social history of the twentieth century as it is a personal testament. As she mercilessly rips into Samuel Beckett and James Joyce for their gnomic conversation skills, or Pablo Picasso for his rampant misogyny, one begins to understand the need for the hard shell that Guggenheim built around her.

In openly defying societal norms - indeed she puts Nora Joyce on blast at one point for wanting to chat about ‘homely’ things - she lays herself open to charges of being a thoughtless mother, a homewrecker, a bad person. Robertson’s writing could perhaps more usefully delve deeper into the psychology of this but what it does point up is the age-old double standard that men and women are held up to and crucially, refuse to allow it to inform this play. So we’re allowed to revel in Guggenheim’s licentiousness ("I’ve always been fascinated by men in baggy trousers"), the husbands she slept with (‘mine, and other people’s...’), the intimate relationships she cultivated with the artists she supported so fully.

Woman Before A Glass is delivered with uncompromising frankness by Judy Rosenblatt, her conspiratorial tone crafting confidences with her audience (I loved the constant references to her estranged uncle's new wife "the bitch of Baden Baden"), sprinkled with occasional moments of emotional gravitas, as in when she relays the tale of her father's passing on the ill-fated Titanic, and a forthright attitude that keeps us rapt throughout this engaging tale.

Running time: 90 minutes (without interval)

Photo: Robert Workman

Booking until 3rd February

Re-review: Amadeus, National

2018-01-20T23:16:00.000+00:00

"We were both ordinary men, he and I."

Though Rufus Norris' tenure hasn't managed to nail a new writing hit in the Olivier, it has had considerable success in finding revivals to fill this voluminous space. Follies was a standout from last year, particularly in how Vicki Mortimer's design swelled to magnificent heights and late in 2016, it was a glorious production of Peter Shaffer's Amadeus that rose to the occasion. So it is no real surprise to see that show return to the schedule, indeed the surprise was that it might even have gotten better.

That this is Michael Longhurst's debut in this theatre makes it all the more impressive and I wouldn't be surprised if his name doesn't soon become one of the ones bandied around the round of musical chairs that is London artistic directorships. And his decisions here remain as pinpoint accurate in nailing the psychological torment at the heart of this drama, from the toxicity of Salieri's jealousy, Mozart's own struggles in dealing with his genius, and how society also has its difficulties in its treatment of those it elevates.

These are played out near-perfectly by Lucian Msamati's pompous Salieri and Adam Gillen's punkish Mozart, both returning from that original production (here's my review from then), supported by a vibrant turn from newcomer Adelle Leonce as Mozart's lover then wife Constanze and Sarah Amankwah and Ekow Quartey as the Venticelli. The use of the Southbank Sinfonia to add real orchestral heft to the production remains a real master-stroke too, particularly in the daunting majesty of the tableau that closes Act 1.

In short, you really shouldn't miss this now you've been granted another chance to see it!

Running time: 3 hours (with interval)

Photos: Marc Brenner

Booking until 24th April

Review: East, King's Head

2018-01-17T23:40:00.000+00:00

"Tell how it chanced that we sworn mates were once the deadly poison of each other’s eye..."

On the one hand, Jessica Lazar's production of Steven Berkoff's East - returning to the very King's Head theatre where it made its debut back in 1975 - is a ferociously charismatic whirlwind of stylised beauty and linguistic gymnastics that is an undoubted visceral thrill to watch and listen to. On the other though, there's a definite sense of style over substance over the length of its two hours, and a problematic niggle about the play's relationship to violence.

Set in the East End of yore, Berkoff uses his bastardised Shakespeare'n'slang prose style to depict the lives there with an extraordinary vigour. Nabbing a cigarette off a pal and violence, sex and violence, racism and violence, day trips to Southend and violence, bus rides on the number 38 and violence, beans on toast and violence - you get the picture. East in unapologetic in the bleakness of its vision for this substrata of society and in some ways, feel eerily prescient in that.

But there's no attempt to flesh out character, provide context or offer commentary, which lends a rather wearying tone to the whole affair. There's only so much nihilistic business you can watch before you too start to wonder what the point of it all is and presenting so much ultra-violence and sexual assault without any accompanying narrative raises uncomfortable questions about its place on the stage.

This is not to deny the seriously impressive work being carried out here. James Craze and Jack Condon as the violent young thugs are an unnerving presence, Boadicea Ricketts and Debra Penny as the various women in their lives do well to work in as much depth as they can, and the whole company - with Russell Barnett as Dad - match a stark physical energy to their reading of the rough poetry. I'm just not sure this was the play to revive.

Running time: 2 hours (with interval)

Photo: Alex Brenner

Booking until 3rd February

Review: Tiny Dynamite, Old Red Lion

2018-01-16T22:13:00.000+00:00

"I know what fucking surf and turf is"

It is always fascinating to revisit the early work of writers who have gone on to bigger things and Tiny Dynamite offers that chance with Abi Morgan, screenwriter of such hits as Shame, The Iron Lady and Suffragette. This play, revived by David Loumgair for Time Productions, is somewhat of a challenge in the forthrightly enigmatic way in which it has been written and a set of creative decisions that show a pleasing affinity for taking risk.

As ever, not all of though decisions pay off. But when they do, Tiny Dynamite is full of small surprises. Anna Reid's design introduces water onto the small stage of the Old Red Lion to powerful effect, especially when combined with the electric effect of Zoe Spurr's lighting. And the gender-swapping of one of the three characters demonstrates the kind of active commitment to redressing gender inequality that remains all too rare in the theatre industry.

The structure of the play though - with its short, opaque scenes tracing a tale of friendship, unhappy pasts and something perhaps a little spooky - feels like something Loumgair hasn't quite got a firm-enough handle on. The introduction of movement (by Natasha Harrison) doesn't quite pay off in the reduced amount of space available. And there's a fatal lack of pace as these sections, plus fiddly scene changes sap much-needed life from the work.

And it is fine work from the three actors. Eva-Jane Willis stands out as the stoically suffering Luce, close friend to Niall Bishop's angsty Anthony who was struck by lightning aged six and has suffered ever since. They take an annual summer holiday together and whilst both profess to be fine, this particular trip is more charged than usual. If I could have done with a tad more bang overall, Tiny Dynamite still has much to commend it as an intriguing look at Morgan's emergent writing style.

Running time: 1 hour 50 minutes (with interval)

Photo: Richard Davenport

Booking until 3rd February

My 10 favourite shows of 2017

2018-01-02T18:21:00.000+00:00

Well we made it, just. 2017 passed by with just the 346 visits to the theatre, I don't really know why I do it to myself! Out of those, 33 were return visits to shows I'd already seen and I got out of London for 32 shows, not too bad considering I don't do Edinburgh and no-one is covering my travel expenses!

For the round-up, I've not included Roman Tragedies (which would have been very high indeed) as I'd seen it before and ranked it #1 that year. (Conversely, I didn't include Hamilton when I saw that last year, which is why it is on this year's list - my blog, my inconsistent rules!). And changing things up a little in reflection of what I want to the site to be, I'm not going to be doing a least-favourite list, nor a Leading Man feature - make of that what you will.

The Revlon Girl, Park

Getting to revisit this show after attending a reading a couple of years ago was an enormous privilege. And knowing in advance what it was going to do made it all the more achingly poignant in its study of life after Aberfan, I didn't cry like that in another theatre all year long, I didn't ovate like that either. One to watch out for should it ever return.
A Little Night Music, Watermill

Maybe I'm biased - this is where the blog gets its name from after all - but Paul Foster's production at the gorgeous Watermill Theatre was masterly. Actor-musicianship at its best, Josefina Gabrielle elevating 'Send in the Clowns' to the gods, a sexy man in uniform...what more do you want from your Sondheim?!
Barber Shop Chronicles, National

A show that utterly transformed what it felt like to sit in the Dorfman. I could watched two hours of the pre-show entertainment in all honesty, it was so entertaining, but Inua Ellams' study of black masculinity was a vital piece of writing
Hamilton, Victoria Palace

If I hadn't seen it on Broadway this would probably have been #1. As it is, the gap between this top 4 was infinitesimal and there's no doubting that Hamilton is an extraordinary success that will hopefully live long at the newly refurbished Victoria Palace.
Everybody's Talking About Jamie, Crucible/Apollo

Whilst I'm delighted it is doing so well in London, it felt important to see this show in Sheffield, its spiritual home as well as its literal setting, new musical theatre writing that is forward-thinking in so many ways, not least its presentation of diversity.
An Octoroon, Orange Tree

And speaking of diversity, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins made us all think a lot harder than we're used to about race and how it is presented on our stages. A triumph for the Orange Tree and the deserved recipient of a NT transfer in the summer.
Follies, National Theatre

The head-dresses! The costumes! Every aspect of the design!

The Dee! The Quast! The Staunton!

This may not be a perfect show but this was the perfect production of it.
Romantics Anonymous, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse

Emma Rice bade farewell to the Globe in the most Emma Rice-ish way possible, with a glorious new musical that brought sound, light and chocolate-making into the Sam Wanamaker like never before (and probably never again!).
Hamlet, Almeida

A thought-provoking, modern interpretation that showed Robert Icke (after last year's Mary Stuart) really establishing his place as one of our most exciting, innovative directors. Andrew Scott wasn't bad either...
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾, Menier Chocolate Factory

I really thought this warm-hearted British musical would have given the Menier another West End transfer but apparently it wasn't to be. A real shame as it was really rather good.

Shows 11-25 below the cut
Yank! A WWII Love Story, Charing Cross
Girl From The North Country, Old Vic
a profoundly affectionate, passionate devotion to someone (-noun), Royal Court
The Ferryman, Royal Court
King Lear, Minerva
Frankenstein, Brockley Jack
Trestle, Southwark Playhouse
Little Women the Musical, Hope Mill
The Glass Menagerie, Duke of York's
Twelfth Night, Royal Exchange
Beginning, National Theatre
Caroline or Change, Minerva
Network, National Theatre
The Life, Southwark Playhouse
Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Wyndham's

Best Actor in a Play + in a Musical

2018-01-02T13:51:00.000+00:00

Best Actor in a Play

Ken Nwosu, An Octoroon

It is great news indeed that this Orange Tree production will be gaining further life in 2018 with a transfer to the National Theatre in the summer. I really hope that as much of the original cast comes with it, especially Nwosu who anchored the complex ideas of the show with confidence and clear-sighted integrity.

Honourable mention: Andrew Scott, Hamlet
In the parlance de nos jours, Scott managed that most difficult of things to really make this most-well-known of roles his own, his collaboration with Rob Icke breathing a conversationally, contemporary life into the part that was utterly mesmerising.

Andrew Garfield, Angels in America
Gary Lilburn, Trestle
Ian McKellen, King Lear
Cyril Nri, Barber Shop Chronicles

Sam Troughton, Beginning

8-10
Bryan Cranston, Network; Conleth Hill, Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf; James McArdle, Angels in America

Best Actor in a Musical

Giles Terera, Hamilton

In the midst of all the hype and expectation that was the first preview, and in a production that had no right to be that polished and on-point, there was no doubt in my mind about who the star of the evening was. Terera's Burr feels very much his own creation and delivers a well-deserved push into the limelight for this most charismatic of performers - I suspect this won't be his first award.

Honourable mention: Scott Hunter/Andy Coxon, Yank! A WWII Love Story
Hitting the right time and place, I first saw Yank! in the afternoon of London Pride and a happier, gayer Clowns I could not have been. And at its heart is the epic, tragic romance of Stu and Mitch, brought to beautiful life by Scott Hunter and Andy Coxon respectively.

John McCrea, Everybody's Talking About Jamie
Philip Quast, Follies
Michael Rouse, Superhero

Jamael Westman, Hamilton

8-10
Alastair Brookshaw, A Little Night Music; Robert Fairchild, An American in Paris; Dominic Marsh, Romantics Anonymous

Best Actress in a Play + in a Musical

2018-01-02T13:50:00.000+00:00

Best Actress in a Play

Hattie Morahan/Kate O'Flynn/Adelle Leonce, Anatomy of a Suicide

How to split these three? Why would you even want to. Their effortless grace, their ferociously detailed complexity, their heart-breaking connectivity, all three will live long in my mind.

Honourable mention: Victoria Hamilton, Albion

Not far behind in the fierceness stakes was this epic role of near-Chekhovian proportions, tailored by Mike Bartlett for one of his frequent collaborators. Quite why this hasn't followed Ink into the West End I'm not sure.

Shirley Henderson, Girl From the North Country
Cherry Jones, The Glass Menagerie
Justine Mitchell, Beginning
Mimi Ndiweni, The Convert
Connie Walker, Trestle

8-10
Laura Donnelly, The Ferryman; Imelda Staunton, Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf; Rosie Wyatt, In Event of Moone Disaster

Best Actress in a Musical

Janie Dee, Follies AND Josefina Gabrielle, A Little Night Music AND Josie Walker, Everybody's Talking About Jamie

A second three-way tie? Hey, it's my blog and my rules! From Dee thoroughly owning the Olivier through song and dance, to Gabrielle making me feel like I was hearing 'Send in the Clowns' for the first time, to the sheer beauty of Walker's uncompromising love for her son, this was only way I could reward a banner year for leading female musical performances.

Honourable mention: Amie Giselle-Ward, Little Women

Sadly ineligible to win since her name doesn't begin with J..., Giselle-Ward nevertheless blew me away at the heart of this gorgeous musical which, if there's any justice, should continue the Hope Mill's admirable record of London transfers.

Sharon D Clarke, Caroline or Change
Kelly Price, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾
T'Shan Williams, The Life

8-10
Carly Bawden, Romantics Anonymous; Sandra Marvin, Committee; Marisha Wallace, Dreamgirls;

Best Supporting Actor in a Play + in a Musical

2018-01-02T13:49:00.000+00:00

Best Supporting Actor in a Play

Fisayo Akinade, Barber Shop Chronicles

To pick someone out of this prodigiously talented ensemble almost feels unfair, but Ellams' narrative did repeatedly land on Peckham and the contested ownership of that salon was given blistering power by Akinade's Samuel, bristling under the control of pseudo-father figure Emmanuel.

Honourable mention: Brian J Smith, The Glass Menagerie
To borrow from a different Tennessee Williams play, Smith was every inch the gentleman caller we all have been fantasising about since high school.

Philip Arditti, Oslo
Gershwn Eustache Jnr, a profoundly affectionate, passionate devotion to someone (-noun)
Fra Fee, The Ferryman
Patrice Naiambana, Barber Shop Chronicles
Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Angels in America

8-10
John Hodgkinson, The Ferryman; Peter Polycarpou, Oslo; Sam Reid, Girl From the North Country

Best Supporting Actor in a Musical

Jason Pennycooke, Hamilton

Getting to play both Jefferson and Lafayette means Pennycooke has twice the opportunity to make an impact and he does so, on both accounts, with real flair. I've long been a fan of his and this show is a brilliant showcase for his talents.

Honourable mention: Mark Anderson, The Grinning Man
New to the cast from Bristol, Anderson's take on Dirry-Moir was inspired in its quirky warmth and the moment where I thought he was going to sit down next to me was a mildly hilarious highlight in a great show.

Fred Haig, Follies
Cornell S John, The Life
Chris Kiely, Yank! A WWII Love Story
Gareth Snook, Romantics Anonymous
Obioma Ugoala, Hamilton

8-10
Rob Fowler, Bat Out of Hell; John Hopkins, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾; Tom Norman, Salad Days

Best Supporting Actress in a Play + in a Musical

2018-01-02T13:48:00.000+00:00

Best Supporting Actress in a Play

Bríd Brennan, The Ferryman

Thinking about this most well-received of plays, it is the role of Aunt Maggie Faraway who lingers most in my mind, the elegiac beauty of her speeches an elegant way of folding in traditions of Irish storytelling and emphasising the deep bonds of family. Breathtaking work from Brennan.

Honourable mention: Kate Kennedy, Twelfth Night (Royal Exchange)
When done well, Olivia is one of my favourite Shakespearean roles and the statuesque Kennedy didn't disappoint with a highly-sexed take on the character which embraced all the physical potential of her height.

Sheila Atim, Girl From the North Country
Laura Carmichael, Apologia
Romola Garai, Queen Anne
Lashana Lynch, a profoundly affectionate, passionate devotion to someone (-noun)
Kate O'Flynn, The Glass Menagerie

8-10
Susan Brown, Angels in America; Jessica Brown Findlay, Hamlet; Denise Gough, Angels in America

Best Supporting Actress in a Musical

Tracie Bennett, Follies

All I have to say is 'I'm Still Here'. I'M STILL HERE!

Honourable mention: Rachel John, Hamilton
Only the tiniest of margins separated these two and it's only really the fact that she's not Renée Elise Goldsberry that held John back from the title.

Christine Allado, Hamilton
Julie Atherton, The Grinning Man
Sharon D Clarke, The Life
Joanna Riding, Romantics Anonymous
Lucie Shorthouse, Everybody's Talking About Jamie

8-10
Nicola Hughes, Caroline or Change ; Cathy Read, Little Women; Sharon Sexton, Bat Out of Hell

The 2017 fosterIAN nominations

2018-01-01T12:14:00.000+00:00

Behold the 2017 fosterIAN award nominations, recognising the acting performances that stood out for me, the ones that made me sit up, and sometimes stand up. As ever, I have used the label 'best', the categories should really be considered 'favourite' as that is what the fosterIANs (fos-tîr'ē-ən) are - my favourites.

Best Actress in a Play

Victoria Hamilton, Albion

Shirley Henderson, Girl From the North Country

Cherry Jones, The Glass Menagerie

Justine Mitchell, Beginning

Hattie Morahan/Kate O'Flynn/Adelle Leonce, Anatomy of a Suicide

Mimi Ndiweni, The Convert

Connie Walker, Trestle

Best Actor in a Play

Andrew Garfield, Angels in America

Gary Lilburn, Trestle

Ian McKellen, King Lear

Cyril Nri, Barber Shop Chronicles

Ken Nwosu, An Octoroon

Andrew Scott, Hamlet

Sam Troughton, Beginning

Best Supporting Actress in a Play

Sheila Atim, Girl From the North Country

Bríd Brennan, The Ferryman

Laura Carmichael, Apologia

Romola Garai, Queen Anne

Kate Kennedy, Twelfth Night (Royal Exchange)

Lashana Lynch, a profoundly affectionate, passionate devotion to someone (-noun)

Kate O'Flynn, The Glass Menagerie

Best Supporting Actor in a Play

Fisayo Akinade, Barber Shop Chronicles

Philip Arditti, Oslo

Gershwn Eustache Jnr, a profoundly affectionate, passionate devotion to someone (-noun)

Fra Fee, The Ferryman

Patrice Naiambana, Barber Shop Chronicles

Brian J Smith, The Glass Menagerie

Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Angels in America

Best Actress in a Musical

Sharon D Clarke, Caroline or Change

Janie Dee, Follies

Josefina Gabrielle, A Little Night Music

Amie Giselle-Ward, Little Women

Kelly Price, The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾

Josie Walker, Everybody's Talking About Jamie

T'Shan Williams, The Life

Best Actor in a Musical

Andy Coxon, Yank! A WWII Love Story

Scott Hunter, Yank! A WWII Love Story

John McCrea, Everybody's Talking About Jamie

Philip Quast, Follies

Michael Rouse, Superhero

Giles Terera, Hamilton

Jamael Westman, Hamilton

Best Supporting Actress in a Musical

Christine Allado, Hamilton

Julie Atherton, The Grinning Man

Tracie Bennett, Follies

Sharon D Clarke, The Life

Rachel John, Hamilton

Joanna Riding, Romantics Anonymous

Lucie Shorthouse, Everybody's Talking About Jamie

Best Supporting Actor in a Musical

Mark Anderson, The Grinning Man

Fred Haig, Follies

Cornell S John, The Life

Chris Kiely, Yank! A WWII Love Story

Jason Pennycooke, Hamilton

Gareth Snook, Romantics Anonymous

Obioma Ugoala, Hamilton

11 of my top moments in a theatre in 2017

2017-12-29T08:30:00.000+00:00

As ever, the wait for the end-of-year lists of favourite plays and performances has to continue until I've actually stopped seeing theatre in 2017. But in the meantime, here's a list of 11 of my top moments in a theatre in 2017, the things that first pop into my mind when someone says 'what did you enjoy this year'. For reference, here's my 2016 list, 2015 list and 2014 list.

Roman Tragedies again, and again

Self-imposed rules being what they are, Toneelgroep Amsterdam's Roman Tragedies isn't eligible for the official year-end list as it is a production I've seen before, 8 years ago as it turned out, when it ranked as the best thing I saw in my full first year of blogging. In the intervening period, much has happened - not least Ivo van Hove's rise to the director that everyone best loves to love/hate - and so this epic show had gained something of a mythic status for those without the foresight to see it in 2009 😉 Fortunately, it has lost none of its power and with the added encouragement of using social media throughout, it pushes the bar even further. I loved it so much that I used the onstage wifi to book for a return visit before the first show had even finished.

Getting the Natasha Barnes thing

It's the understudy's dream, getting the call to step up to the plate and nailing it so well that you become a star. But such it was for Natasha Barnes when she filled in for the indisposed Sheridan Smith in Funny Girl, so much so that they co-headlined the UK tour of the show. Obviously I missed out on all of this so it wasn't until this year's concert of Mack and Mabel, presented by the London Musical Theatre Orchestra, that I got to witness her absolute star quality at first hand. Her rendition of 'Time Heals Everything' pretty much stopped the world and brought the house down in its astonishing power - Barnes is fast becoming one to make sure you don't miss in future,

In Other Words, such light and sound

The play that probably affected me the most in 2017, as in had me properly sobbing for most of my journey home, was Matthew Seager's elegiac study of dementia In Other Words. And in a perfectly pitched production, it was the uncompromisingly intense lighting from Will Alder and sound from Iida Aino that, almost unbearably, periodically pitched its audience into disorientating disquiet and thus refusing to shy away from the cruel despair that this condition can wreak.

The great work began

One of the most anticipated theatre events of the year was the return of Angels in America and if the production ended up being something I like a lot rather than truly loving, it was still an immense privilege to be a tiny part of the thundering epic that was the two-show day.

Nowt so queer as theatre folk

And keeping things gay at the National, I really appreciated their Queer Theatre season, a set of readings of seminal LGBT works, reflecting the community's experience in being represented by theatre over the last few decades. An intelligent and thought-provoking set of work accompanied by Q&As which were unafraid to tackle some of the more difficult questions about representing the full spectrum, about intersectionality and how much further we all still have to go.

Top of the Twelfth Nights

And speaking of, it was interesting to see some high profile productions of Twelfth Night pushing the boundaries as we got a lesbian Malvolia in the Olivier courtesy of Tamsin Greig and Simon Godwin whilst at the Royal Exchange, director Jo Davies cast transgender performer, writer and activist Kate O'Donnell as Feste to breathtakingly beautiful effect. In a play that has always been about gender fluidity and the questioning of one's identity, this was a production that took audiences by the hand and said look, this is the modern world, full of people who are happy like you, who are sad like you. Infinitely more powerful than all troll-baiting comment you might find on Twitter...

Building a tight connection to my heart

Not being the biggest Bob Dylan in the world, I had my doubts about Girl from the North Country but within one song I knew I'd like it and within three, I knew that it was going to be one of my shows of the year. The key moment was Sheila Atim's delivery of 'Tight Connection To My Heart (Has Anyone Seen My Love)' that completely won me over, a complete reinvention of the song into something full of aching longing and gorgeous restraint. Utterly revelatory and the heartbeat of the show encapsulated in one glorious moment.

Simon Higlett taking Chichester into the round

The upswell in event theatre shows little sign of abating and at its best, inspires all involved to really up their game. And with Blanche McIntyre's revival of The Norman Conquests at the Chichester Festival Theatre, it was Simon Higlett's design - reconceiving the auditorium into the round - that really elevated the production as it allowed the lucky few who got onstage seating to experience the trilogy as if in the intimacy of the tiniest studio.

Deafinitely making up for lost time

It has taken me an appallingly long time to get around to seeing some of Deafinitely Theatre's work but it did mean that my introduction to them was via the blistering social commentary of Mike Bartlett's expert two-hander Contractions, which had the added bonus of being put on in the magnificently bizarre surroundings of the New Diorama's ND2 space. I shall look forward to revisiting both as soon as I can.

Sparking up for Audra

Smoking may be a dirty habit but when none other than Audra McDonald asks you to light her cigarette (as part of the glorious Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill at the Wyndham's) I ain't gonna say no. The transformation of this West End house into a cabaret joint worked perfectly and being that close to perfection was just stunning.

Solidarity with Songs and Solidarity

And a final mention for the herculean efforts of Giles Terera and Danielle Tarento in pulling together the Songs and Solidarity benefit gig at such short notice. A concert in aid of those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire, it made us laugh, it made us cry, it made our hearts sing with joy, it made us dig as deep as we could into our pockets. A powerful reminder of the good in the world even at the darkest of times.

20 shows to look forward to in 2018

2017-12-23T08:30:00.000+00:00

There's all sorts of big productions arriving in the months to come (Long Day's Journey Into Night, the return of Amadeus, PATTI LUPONE!) but I'm using this spot to highlight some of the shows on the London fringe and around the UK (and Amsterdam...) that have piqued my interest and which I hope to get to review.

So in no particular order...

1 Oedipus, Toneelgroep Amsterdam

Robert Icke.

Hans Kesting and Marieke Heebink.

That is all!

2 Tiny Dynamite, Old Red Lion

It's always interesting to look back at earlier works of writers who have gone on to bigger things and January offers the first chance in 15 years to see this Abi Morgan play, with a cast that includes Niall Bishop, Eva-Jane Willis and Tanya Fear.

3 Othello, Liverpool Everyman

With Golda Rosheuvel taking on the title role, Gemma Bodinetz's adaptation promises to shake up Shakespeare in a most fascinating way.

4 Oranges & Elephants: The Musical, Hoxton Hall

A new all-female musical about two rival female gangs in Victorian London? Well go on then! From an idea by Lil Warren and directed by Susie McKenna in the imposing surroundings of this East End landmark, this piece headlines their Female Parts festival.

5 Broken Glass, Watford Palace

The Tricycle's revival of Arthur Miller's neglected classic was an absolute highlight of 2010 and it is a production that has stuck long in my mind - so, not much to live up to! Charlotte Emmerson leads the cast here in a production that marks the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht.

6 Sasha Regan's All-Male Iolanthe, UK tour to be announced

These all-male Gilbert and Sullivan productions have been great fun but for my money, Iolanthe was by far the best, finding a way into the conceit that is both highly effective and deeply moving. So it's great to see that it will be touring the UK 2018, watch this space for more details.

7 The Space - One Festival, The Space

Packed with unforgettable stories, bold new writing and world premieres, 19 brave performers take to the Space’s stage in this final year of the One Festival which celebrates solo performances in all its variety.

8 Wonderland, Nottingham Playhouse

Beth Steel's play was first seen at the Hampstead with an extraordinary design coup, so it will be interesting to see what Morgan Large does with the space for its regional premiere in the area where it is set.

9 The Cherry Orchard, Bristol Old Vic/Royal Exchange

A Bristol Old Vic and Royal Exchange Theatre co-production featuring a new translation of the play by Rory Mullarkey. the twin titanic talents of Kirsty Bushell and Jude Owusu at the head of this ensemble should make this a must-see.

10 Trust, Gate

Jude Christian is one of our most exciting and innovative directors, so to see her working in the intimate space of the Gate again is something not to be missed, especially with this acclaimed German play.

11. Caroline or Change, Hampstead

A much deserved transfer for this stunning musical, which was one of my top shows of 2017 as Sharon D Clarke continues a gorgeously rich vein of form in recent years.

12 Chip Shop Chips, Box of Tricks UK tour

Theatre and fish'n'chips - a match made in heaven. The exciting Box of Tricks company are taking this Becky Prestwich play out to a vast range of unconventional venues and I really hope I get to see it, and not just for the chippy tea...

13 Happy Days, Royal Exchange

The combination of Sarah Frankcom and Maxine Peake has already been proven to be one of the UK's most electric collaboration and this time, they're turning their hand to Samuel Beckett.

14 Kathleen Turner: Finding My Voice, The Other Palace

This is the two-time Tony Award nominee and two-time Golden Globe Award winner's debut cabaret and her "husky alto" seems tailor-made for it - this should be an intimate delight.

15 The Last Ship, UK tour

This musical by Sting didn't quite have the life on Broadway that it was aiming for (though I did quite like it myself) and being a most British show, it ought to do extremely well on this tour. I look forward to seeing who is cast in it.

16 The York Realist, Donmar Warehouse

Donmar productions hardly need more exposure but the cast for this Peter Gill revival makes it definitely worth your attention, with the likes of Jonathan Bailey and Ben Batt onboard, it'll be good.

17 Great Expectations, UK tour

What more could you need than this pic of Nichola McAuliffe as Miss Havisham to convince you to see this?!

18 The Assassination of Katie Hopkins, Theatr Clywd

The clickbaity nature of the title aside, this new musical by Chris Bush and Matt Winkworth about truth, celebrity and public outrage looks like it could tap into something very telling about our society. Could see my first trip over to Mold...

19 Frost/Nixon, Crucible

The iconic Donmar production of this Peter Morgan play was 'before my time' so the chance to see it - in Sheffield - is one that I am certainly interested in taking. Jonathan Hyde and Daniel Rigby take on the roles of the duelling pair.

20 Foul Pages, Hope

I promise I am interested in the play as well, but there are promotional images and there are promotional images that are relevant to my interests. Matthew Parker's directorial choices are always interesting pieces and this fresh take on Shakespearean history looks set to continue that.

What has captured your attention so far? And is there anything else you think I should have in the diary? Let me know, and happy 2018 theatregoing.

Review: Hamilton, Victoria Palace

2017-12-21T22:15:00.000+00:00

"A bunch of revolutionary manumission abolitionists,

Give me a position, show me where the ammunition is"

Change doesn't just happen, it has to be ushered in by visionaries determined to shake up the status quo to allow the rest of us to shuffle in in their wake. This is true of many things but particularly when it comes to diversity in our theatres, which makes it pleasing that this first production of Hamilton outside of the US has maintained its commitment to multiracial casting in its depiction of the travails of ill-fated Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.

Sure, shows such as Motown the Musical and Dreamgirls offer much-welcomed opportunities for performers of colour. But its the vision of the likes of Michael Buffong and Talawa casting an all-black Guys and Dolls and Hamilton writer Lin-Manuel Miranda and director Thomas Kail making this decision that allows those performers to get the kind of credits on their CV that would otherwise never be gained.

Just look at the bio for someone as exceptionally talented as Giles Terera - by rights he should have been offered Valjean or Javert by now, the Phantom or Miss Trunchbull, the kind of roles that leading men deserve (and maybe has, maybe he turned them down). But looking across the bios for the rest of the cast, it is evident that there's too little effort being made to recognise talent and support it into roles that it wouldn't necessarily be considered for, so that we can move away from considering it unconventional casting.

Which is a long-winded and awkwardly argued way of saying 'hell yes, this is an extraordinary cast getting the chance to shine in extraordinary ways'. Recent graduate Jamael Westman bursts onto the scene and into our hearts as a hugely charismatic Hamilton and Terera graduates to that (co-)leading man status with a supremely confident grace as a too-easily-emotionally-bruised Aaron Burr, Hamilton's rival. Their sparring is perfectly encapsulated in their age difference and the contrasting but complementary energies that they exude.

Obioma Ugoala's George Washington is another deeply impressive performance and there's huge amounts to enjoy in the cracking chemistry between Jason Pennycooke (Lafayette and Jefferson), Tarinn Callender (Mulligan and Madison) and Cleve September (Laurens and Hamilton Jnr). And representing for the women, Rachel John is superlative as Angelica Schuyler, nailing the greatest moment in modern musical theatre ('Satisfied', in case you were wondering), and Christine Allado does well as both Peggy and Maria.

You can read my review from Broadway for a description of the show itself, I was more interested in celebrating the work of this cast at this moment in time. I've seen the show twice now (first preview and last night) and the ensemble work was just outstanding at both, delivering Andy Blankenbuehler's choreography to perfection, capturing the all the musical shifts of Miranda's score as if they've been rapping musical theatre all their lives. It's worth the hype yo.

Running time: 2 hours 35 minutes (with interval)

Photos: Matthew Murphy

Booking until forever, probably!

Advent Competition: win three month's subscription to Digital Theatre

2017-12-20T23:18:00.004+00:00

As it is Christmas, the generous folks over at Digital Theatre have offered up a great prize of three months subscription for full access to all of Digital Theatre’s shows for one lucky reader.

You will have access to over 65 productions, the majority of which are exclusive to DT, including: Simon Russell Beale in The Tempest, Paapa Essiedu in Hamlet and Antony Sher in King Lear, all from the Royal Shakespeare Company; Zoë Wanamaker and David Suchet in All My Sons; Richard Armitage in The Crucible; David Tennant and Catherine Tate in Much Ado About Nothing; operas and ballets from the Royal Opera House and the English National Ballet; and concerts conducted by Sir Simon Rattle and starring the London Symphony Orchestra.

All you have to do to enter is finish this phrase in the best way you know how - "all I want for Christmas is..." Email your entry to ianfoster32@gmail.com, and if you like my Facebook page and/or follow me on Twitter, you will get an extra entry into the competition for each.

The competition closes at midday on 24th December and the winner will be notified by email.

Review: The Grinning Man, Trafalgar Studios

2017-12-20T21:03:00.002+00:00

"A tale so tragic it could only be true"

I'm no real fan of the Trafalgar Studios to be honest - its seating can be cramped, its angles severe, the toilet situation far from ideal, plus the coffee machine there takes an inordinate amount of time to produce a drink. But credit where it is due, director Tom Morris and designer Jon Bausor have done a fantastically inventive job in reconceiving the space to suit the anarchic energy of The Grinning Man, first seen in Bristol last year (and my favourite musical of the year, too).

A new British musical (book by Carl Grose, music by Tim Phillips and Marc Teitler, lyrics by all three plus Morris) based on a Victor Hugo novel, it's a macabre tale to be sure, but one suffused with a real magic too. And Morris gives it an immediacy which scrubs away much of the distance that audiences can feel in the old Whitehall Theatre as cellists appear through walls, performers clamber into the stalls to sing, couples walk as if on air...

Set in an alternate historical England, the story revolves around Grinpayne, mutilated as a child and now forced to work in a travelling puppet show with his adoptive family. The sight of the 'smile' carved into his face causes rapture in many who witness it and once the royal family catch wind of the new show in town, Grinpayne's destiny changes forever along with the blind lovers, domesticated wolves, unruly princesses, and vicious manservants who swirl around him.

Louis Maskell is just superb as the psychologically as well as as physically scarred Grinpayne and his malleable voice suits the unconventional mood of the score well, especially in songs like 'Labyrinth'. The instrumentation is very much left-of-centre but these tunes have a way of burrowing themselves into the psyche, (I found I remembered several even now, a year down the line). And as the nightmarishly charismatic narrator of sorts, Julian Bleach's Barkilphedro is wickedly enjoyable, both underscoring how much they deserved their fosterIAN awards.

Of the new cast members, it's a joy to see Julie Atherton on the stage once again, this time as the self-possessed queen-in-waiting Angelica, and Mark Anderson's Lord Dirry-Moir is delectably delightful as he deals with the tangled web of his emotions. There's superlative work from Gyre & Gimble's puppetry, Loren O'Dair and James Alexander-Taylor's work with the wolf is exceptional, and the whole show is just as satisfying and challenging and complex and beautiful as I remembered. Recommended.

Running time: 2 hours 45 minutes (with interval)

Photos: Helen Maybanks

Booking until 17th February

Gif review: Five Guys Named Moe, Marble Arch

2017-12-20T20:43:00.000+00:00

"Ain't no party like a Five Guys party"

A time for...

Rather than...

So I'ma say just book a ticket and have yourself a merry little Christmoe...

Re-review: Dreamgirls, Savoy

2017-12-19T23:13:00.000+00:00

"You want all my love and my devotion"

As Dreamgirls goes into its second year in the West End and has just welcomed a new cast into the Savoy, what better time to revisit this most glittering of musicals. I must admit to going in with something of a sceptical mindset last time around, both in trying to resist the hype and letting thoughts of ticket prices and imported US leading ladies play on my mind. But all such things aside, this really is a belter of a show, a glowing, full-throated roller-coaster of an experience.

Marisha Wallace, Moya Angela and Maren Mav now share the role for which Amber Riley has won pretty much every award going and tonight's Effie was the delightful Wallace, a powerhouse of a presence who pretty much nails it from start to finish. Another visitor from Broadway Brennyn Lark's Deena is well played but I really loved Asmeret Ghebremichael's Lorrell, possibly becoming the brightest of the Dreams despite the way the script goes. And off the men, Joe Aaron Reid's Curtis remains a villainous delight.

It's always lovely to see ensemble members be rewarded for their hard work and both Tosh Wanogho-Maud and Kimmy Edwards have made the leap, now playing Jimmy Early and Michelle Martin respectively. And the production as a whole remains as slick and shiny as it did when it first opened - with all those crystals, how could it not! Keep your eyes peeled for deals on the off-chance they pop up, or take a chance on TodayTix's daily lottery - it's worth the shot. And if that weren't proof enough, here's some productions shots courtesy of Dewynters.

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