Theatre Revue - Week 1
OK, so one of my very loose resolutions for this year is to try and keep a record of what I'm seeing theatre wise and what I've thought about it, mostly because my memory is truly apalling. So, hopefully, once a week-ish I'll post a round-up of what I've been to. This week I'm cheating a little as I'm going to include things from before the turn of the year (though I won't count them) and won't talk about some things that do count - because I already did and will do again in at least one case. Also, a question for those out there who may be as pedantic as I am - I'm not going to count shows more than once in a year (i.e. repeat viewings) - but should I count shows I've seen in previous years? They're not new for me, but they are new for the year? Decisions, decisions.
So this week (ish) I've seen:
a. 30th December 2010 - The Three Musketeers, Rose Kingston (Musical)
b. 31st December 2010 - Get Santa!, Royal Court (Musical / Kids)
1. 1st January 2011 - The Winter's Tale, RSC at the Roundhouse (Shakespeare)
2. 1st January 2011 - Romeo and Juliet, RSC at the Roundhouse (Shakespeare)
3. 3rd January 2011 - An Ideal Husband, Vaudeville Theatre (Wilde)
THE THREE MUSKETEERS
I have to admit that a big part of the appeal of this show for me was the excuse to go to Kingston for the day, especially after being locked in work for six days, because it reminds me of a slightly less historical Shakespearey Stratford. Though also I do try to see vaguely new musicals when I can and I like a good swashbuckle (also we are clearly overdue a grand TV mini-serial remake of the Three Musketeers).
My feelings about this were very mixed. I'm excessively fond of The Rose and the set was excellent (there were exciting levels and people swung in on ropes! I am easily pleased). Very good performances, particularly Paul Thornley (Athos) Hal Fowler (Porthos) and Matt Rawle (Aramis). Three really good roles for women. The backstories of the Musketeers were fantastically worked in throughout the play and are really fascinating. And there were some excellent songs like Paris by Night and some truly rousing moments. But there were also forgettable songs, the fight sequences were mostly pants, the story is a bit all over the place with lots of strands forgotten and the ending was very low-key given the build up, it failed to excite and inspire (though it did end with a jig - which since I discovered the Globe makes me grin like a loon). With a bit of re-working though I think it could be excellent, though how much you can do that without breaking from the original is obviously a problem.
GET SANTA!
Not counting the shows I had seen before, this was far and away my favourite of the week. It was utterly insane. Look at the set, look at the costumes, look at the tree decorated in meat, look at our sweet innocent child heroin electrocuting our hero... My favourite play last year was The Drunks at the RSC, directed by Anthony Neilson - so given that he wrote and directed it, I thought it was well worth checking out. So, so right. Holly (picture above) is one of my favourite heroines ever, she's bright and determined and declares things; and talks to the audience and comments on the play; her teddy bear is evil; her step-dad is a dog. The songs aren't spectacular but they work and they're funny. There's one that's called "Meat" - which is also the entirety of the lyrics. Bumblehole (also pictured above) has an amazing physicality. There were twists and turns I didn't see coming. They come up with an entirely new canon for Santa and they actually explore what it would be like if it were Christmas every day (the Queen goes a bit nuts). It's offbeat and quirky and silly and brash and I really loved it.
THE WINTER'S TALE
I could not pick just one picture because I love both the bookcases and Greg Hicks and the Shepherds - if there had been any pictures of the bear, you can bet there would have been three pictures. However, though I love this production and will miss it, I'm not going to write anything about it. Because I rambled enough here and here already.
ROMEO AND JULIET
I shall also not be talking about Romeo and Juliet - because I cannot even post links to all the things I have said about it already and also it shall definitely be coming up in my Top Ten of the year, so I shall save my ramblings for then. But just look at these amazing bloody people. Just look at them. :D :D :D
AN IDEAL HUSBAND
This production didn't quite work for me, though I struggled to work out why exactly. Possibly it was just that I found it a little slow and leisurely, the action actually takes place over a very short space of time but this never seemed to gain any momentum. Plus I wasn't sure if the production knew whether it wanted to be a farcical comedy or something more serious. Each time it seemed to be moving towards either end of the extreme it pulled back again fast. The sets were grandiose but I found them after a while repetitive. The costumes though were beautiful, I would love to own all of them. There were some great performances too, with all the lead actors shining at various points. Samantha Bond was beautifully coniving, Alexander Hanson superb in the moments where he lost control, Rachael Stirling as always divinely controlled and Elliot Cowan excellent, particularly when he addressed the audience directly. But for me the play was stolen by the utterly delightful Fiona Button who was lovely in Lip Service and just as lovely in this. So, not sure I liked it exactly but also certainly didn't dislike it.
This entry was originally posted at http://lorannah.dreamwidth.org/5662.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
So this week (ish) I've seen:
a. 30th December 2010 - The Three Musketeers, Rose Kingston (Musical)
b. 31st December 2010 - Get Santa!, Royal Court (Musical / Kids)
1. 1st January 2011 - The Winter's Tale, RSC at the Roundhouse (Shakespeare)
2. 1st January 2011 - Romeo and Juliet, RSC at the Roundhouse (Shakespeare)
3. 3rd January 2011 - An Ideal Husband, Vaudeville Theatre (Wilde)
THE THREE MUSKETEERS
I have to admit that a big part of the appeal of this show for me was the excuse to go to Kingston for the day, especially after being locked in work for six days, because it reminds me of a slightly less historical Shakespearey Stratford. Though also I do try to see vaguely new musicals when I can and I like a good swashbuckle (also we are clearly overdue a grand TV mini-serial remake of the Three Musketeers).
My feelings about this were very mixed. I'm excessively fond of The Rose and the set was excellent (there were exciting levels and people swung in on ropes! I am easily pleased). Very good performances, particularly Paul Thornley (Athos) Hal Fowler (Porthos) and Matt Rawle (Aramis). Three really good roles for women. The backstories of the Musketeers were fantastically worked in throughout the play and are really fascinating. And there were some excellent songs like Paris by Night and some truly rousing moments. But there were also forgettable songs, the fight sequences were mostly pants, the story is a bit all over the place with lots of strands forgotten and the ending was very low-key given the build up, it failed to excite and inspire (though it did end with a jig - which since I discovered the Globe makes me grin like a loon). With a bit of re-working though I think it could be excellent, though how much you can do that without breaking from the original is obviously a problem.
GET SANTA!
Not counting the shows I had seen before, this was far and away my favourite of the week. It was utterly insane. Look at the set, look at the costumes, look at the tree decorated in meat, look at our sweet innocent child heroin electrocuting our hero... My favourite play last year was The Drunks at the RSC, directed by Anthony Neilson - so given that he wrote and directed it, I thought it was well worth checking out. So, so right. Holly (picture above) is one of my favourite heroines ever, she's bright and determined and declares things; and talks to the audience and comments on the play; her teddy bear is evil; her step-dad is a dog. The songs aren't spectacular but they work and they're funny. There's one that's called "Meat" - which is also the entirety of the lyrics. Bumblehole (also pictured above) has an amazing physicality. There were twists and turns I didn't see coming. They come up with an entirely new canon for Santa and they actually explore what it would be like if it were Christmas every day (the Queen goes a bit nuts). It's offbeat and quirky and silly and brash and I really loved it.
THE WINTER'S TALE
I could not pick just one picture because I love both the bookcases and Greg Hicks and the Shepherds - if there had been any pictures of the bear, you can bet there would have been three pictures. However, though I love this production and will miss it, I'm not going to write anything about it. Because I rambled enough here and here already.
ROMEO AND JULIET
I shall also not be talking about Romeo and Juliet - because I cannot even post links to all the things I have said about it already and also it shall definitely be coming up in my Top Ten of the year, so I shall save my ramblings for then. But just look at these amazing bloody people. Just look at them. :D :D :D
AN IDEAL HUSBAND
This production didn't quite work for me, though I struggled to work out why exactly. Possibly it was just that I found it a little slow and leisurely, the action actually takes place over a very short space of time but this never seemed to gain any momentum. Plus I wasn't sure if the production knew whether it wanted to be a farcical comedy or something more serious. Each time it seemed to be moving towards either end of the extreme it pulled back again fast. The sets were grandiose but I found them after a while repetitive. The costumes though were beautiful, I would love to own all of them. There were some great performances too, with all the lead actors shining at various points. Samantha Bond was beautifully coniving, Alexander Hanson superb in the moments where he lost control, Rachael Stirling as always divinely controlled and Elliot Cowan excellent, particularly when he addressed the audience directly. But for me the play was stolen by the utterly delightful Fiona Button who was lovely in Lip Service and just as lovely in this. So, not sure I liked it exactly but also certainly didn't dislike it.
This entry was originally posted at http://lorannah.dreamwidth.org/5662.html. Please comment there using OpenID.