Yesterday the Spouse and I took the day off work, abandoned the kids to school and nursery and went to Chichester to see Frank Langella as King Lear in the Minevra Theatre. This was, I'm rather ashamed to say, the first time I'd ever seen Lear in any sort of performance, nor had I read it thus many aspects of the story were new to me. I knew the ( Read more... )

On Saturday, thanks to the offices of Claire & Rich who entertained the garklet at home, Nick and myself went to Chichester to see their revival of Sweeny Todd. It was the last show in my summer of theatre to celebrate my fortieth and was, in short, a fantastic production.

The loveable and charming Michael Ball was unrecognisable as the demon ( Read more... )

While London was burning, we were on Chichester in the midst of the grey-haired middle classes watching The Syndicate by Eduardo De Filippo in a new translation by Mike Poulton at the Minerva Theatre. I am very ashamed to say I knew little about Filippo until I read the programme notes but know I understand him to be a cross between 'Sahkespeare, ( Read more... )

After a morning of wandering around a slightly damp Bath and lunch in the Old Green Tree (rare beef platter for me washed down with Bitburger Drive which is surprisingly tasty), we headed off to see the penultimate play in the Peter Hall Company's summer season at the Theatre Royal.

Look Back in Anger was far less dated than I expected, although ( Read more... )

I've just booked tickets for nmg and myself to see David Edgar's adaption of Nicholas Nickelby at the Chichester Festival Theatre. It is the first time the RSC's production has been revived since the original production in 1980 which ran until 1982.

We are seeing part 1 and part 2 in one day, starting at 2pm and ending god knows when (okay, I know ( Read more... )

Dragged a more than willing Spouse and the Boy Laurence to the ballet last night, namely New Adventure's Edward Scissorhands, and very good it was too. I particularly liked the suburban scences (especially the driving scene).

But it was also very short so we were out of the theatre and in the car by 9.40 (from a 7.30 start). Unfortunately due to ( Read more... )

Went to see the NT's production of An Inspector Calls on Saturday afternoon. The performances were a bit shouty, good set but very showy and what the hell did it have to do with the play? (okay no need to answer that but if the audience has to work it out from reading the programme notes, then I think it has failed in its objective). Nevertheless ( Read more... )

Just been to see David Starkey supposedly speaking about the corination of Edgar in Bath in 973 but it was nothing so dry. Instead it was an essay on Romanish and non-Romanish (i.e anglo-germanic culture). Digs at the Archbishop of Canterbury ("sympathic to the oppressed and poor - as long they're not gay"), the EU (too numerous to mention but it' ( Read more... )

I'm off to the ballet tonight! nmg will be down in So'ton supping pints in the Staff Club after a really busy day, and I'll be at the Theatre Royal watching the NBT's latest production: La Traviata. I organised a trip for the students on Wednesday (89 went) and apparently it's dead good, as I would expect of the NBT. I doubt it will be as good as ( Read more... )

Swan Lake was magnificant. I bubbled, Dr Gibbins decines to comment on whether he did or not. Saw the New Year in during a Crononauts game and then when for a walk around the war cementary on New Year's Day. I would type more but have been puking for the past two hours and really shouldn't be near a keyboard.