Published inLove a Good Play·PinnedVanya with Andrew ScottThe Duke of York Theatre. September 23, 2023. The best performance I’ve seen all year. Give this man ALL THE AWARDS. It’s a tour de force, a triumph. It’s bloody brilliant. Scott plays all the characters (and lighting tech, and stage management changing his own scenes and remembering where all the props need to be). He deftly moves…Andrew Scott1 min readAndrew Scott1 min read
Published inLove a Good Play·PinnedPygmalionThe Old Vic. September 16, 2023. “In Hampshire, Hereford and Hertford, hurricanes hardly happen.” Ah the joy of this classic that has spawned so many copies (think Pretty Woman and Educating Rita.) George Bernard Shaw was inspired by the story in Greek mythology. …Pygmalion2 min readPygmalion2 min read
Published inLove a Good Play·Aug 26A MirrorAlmeida Theatre. August 26, 2023 — We are cordially invited to the wedding of Joel and Lydia… Or are we? We are already told “This performance is being staged without a licence from the Ministry. We recognise the risk that each and every one of you is taking by attending, and we salute your courage.” …London Theatre3 min readLondon Theatre3 min read
Published inLove a Good Play·Jul 21When Winston Went to War with the WirelessDonmar Warehouse. July 21, 2023 It’s 1926 and a general strike has just broken out. Stanley Baldwin’s government is being outplayed by the unions who are angered at Churchill, then the Chancellor, taking the pound into the gold standard and causing economic chaos and cost of living increases. The newspapers are stopped so the government…2 min read2 min read
Published inLove a Good Play·May 13Private LivesDonmar Warehouse. May14, 2023 Amanda and Elyot. A match made in heaven and hell. They deserve each other. They belong together. And they certainly shouldn’t contaminate any poor innocent bystanders. Toxic at best. Deadly at worst. This is a riotous remake. I love the Donmar. It’s so perfectly small you…Theatre2 min readTheatre2 min read
Published inLove a Good Play·May 7Dancing at LughnasaOlivier Theatre, National Theatre. May 6, 2023 Lughnasa is the time of the harvest, a time for celebration, dancing and youthful high jinx. Here we have 5 sisters, one brother and a child. This is the story of a family surviving and trying to thrive in rural Ireland. They are…London Theatre2 min readLondon Theatre2 min read
Published inLove a Good Play·Apr 23The Motive and the CueNational Theatre, Lytletton. April 22, 2023 To say this piece is hotly anticipated is a massive understatement. Directed by Sam Mendes. Written by Jack Thorne. Starring Johnny Flynn, Tuppence Middleton and Mark Gatiss. This is the story of when Sir John (Gielgud darling) directed the brooding Richard Burton in Hamlet…Theatre3 min readTheatre3 min read
Published inLove a Good Play·Jan 28Lemons, lemons, lemons, lemons, lemonsJanuary 28th, 2023. Harold Pinter Theatre — Imagine if you only had 140 words you were allowed to use per day. And when you’d used them up… silence. That’s Quietude.A law is passed in the middle of Bernadette and Olivier’s relationship. We see the effect of a reduction in words on their lives, their relationship, their intimacy…Aidan Turner2 min readAidan Turner2 min read
Published inLove a Good Play·Dec 31, 20222022. A Theatre Year in Review.Number of plays seen: 16 Best new play: The 47th. Twisting US politics into Shakespearean tragedy. Best revival: Cabaret. What an event. What an experience. Fabulous darling. Best actor: Bertie Carvel as Trump is something I will remember for a long time. The gasps. …1 min read1 min read
Published inLove a Good Play·Dec 31, 2022The Wind in the Wilton’s.December 31, 2022. Wilton’s Music Hall. — A wonderfully whimsical wander through the willows. This is a joy. And today was the final performance. This felt like a band of travelling players had rocked up with a magical performance where they do everything themselves – sing, dance, play instruments, complete set changes – before moving to the…2 min read2 min read
