Top Ten Plays - 2010 - Part 1
Ok, so last year I saw a lot moer plays than musicals (partly because most musicals are just so damn expensive) - so instead of a top 5, I'm going to do a top 10. And in an attempt to keep my sanity I'm going to try and attempt miracles and keep this a bit shorter. Yeah, we'll see how that goes....
10) Les Parents Terrible - Trafalgar Studios / Donmar Warehouse
Another win for Trafalgar Studios 2 and their intense little box of a fear. In my review of Wolfboy I descibed it as having a "suffocating claustrophobic atmosphere" which, luckily enough, suited this play perfectly as well. It also works well as a description of the family at the centre of the drama - particularly if you add slighlty crazy incestuousness to the mix. Glancing through my top ten, my fascination with families (both natural ones and found ones) is obvious and this fits in to that perfectly. It's the relationships between the characters that drives the drama here and that's what I love. I also thought the set was fantastic (once I got past the whole being reflected in the mirror thing). But what really made this stand out for me was the quality of the actors who were all superb - particularly the ladies - Frances Barber, Elaine Cassidy and Sylvestra Le Touzel. I think Tom Byam Shaw will be one to watch out for in the future as well.
9) The Aliens - Bush Theatre
Another tiny little theatre (can you tell I like them) - though this one is slightly marred by it's proximity to Sherpherd's Bush. I forgive it though because it does put on some excellent theatre and it sells playtexts (which make me happy). A fascinating, if heartbreaking story of outsiders and the magnetic pull they can offer. This one was laced through with odd ideas and fragments of poetry and a general sense of wonder that I loved. And one of the images that will definitely stay with me is of Mark Little dancing through the theatre with his sparkler and his eyes lit up. Though it was his character, KJ that touched me the most, and despite some more exceptional acting all round, it was Olly Alexander as the 17 year old Evan who really impressed me - an awesome performance full of nervous twitchyness and gentle awakening intelligence. Hope to see him in something again.
8) Beyond the Horizon - National Theatre, Cottlesloe
This one is really two choices as I find it hard to seperate this from Spring Storm completely in my mind - they both inform each other so much and partly what I loved was the choice of pairing these and repeating the love triangle. Both certainly deserved to be in the top ten as I thought both were superb but in the end I decided to only put one in (too much good theatre last year :D) and I plumped for Beyond the Horizon - though Spring Storm's set was better - because I felt it was the better performance for Liz Armstrong, Michael Malarkey and Michael Thomson - all of whom I adored in both. It was because I was so impressed with them in Spring Storm that I booked for this. Plus this dealt with twisting family relationships and how they mess us up and the choices you have to make and I found the writing utterly compelling. Plus whilst the aging stretched incredulity, I thought they all did it marvellously. And the lighting was stunning in this. (Also I love the Cottlesloe a ridiculous amount).
7) Anne Boleyn - The Globe
The Globe! The Globe! It is a lucky thing that there's a theatre in London to fill in for the RSC for me and the Globe does it wonderfully. Just the theatre itself fills me with joy when I walk inside. Wasn't sure what I was going to get from Anne Boleyn, but I'd loved the cast in Henry VIII and couldn't resist spending a bit more time with them. I loved it. They were all ridiculously delightful and I loved that it allowed Anne to speak to the audience from beyond the grave and the switches in time. Also James I and Buckingham (pictured in the second picture) completely stole my heart with their ridiculousness and cross dressing and dancing and being secretly smarter than everyone around them (the religious debate scene was a masterpiece). And James I hit me in the face with Anne Boleyns dress! I'm really adoring the fact that I'll get to see this again this summer and appreciate it better, even if the cast will likely be different.
6) Henry IV part II - The Globe
And more from The Globe. Can you tell I loved them this Summer? Not sure to start with this one. Like Beyond the Horizon/Spring Storm - I'm finding it difficult to seperate parts 1 and 2 in this - further complicated by the fact that they're part of the same story and I saw them both in one day - which was an utterly overwhelming experience. So even though this says part II, it really is standing in for both parts. I am woefully ignorant of the History plays - other than the previously mentioned Henry VIII, these are the only two I've seen, but what an excellent place to start (and hopefully this year I'll be able to improve my list). I think what really won me over is the way this deals with son-father relationships, both through Hal's relationship with Henry IV and with his relationship with Falstaff. I found it fascinating and it touched something close to my heart. Plus the acting was great - Jamie Parker may be one of my favourite actors ever, Sam Crane was ridiculous and awesome as Pistol and what can be said about Roger Allam's masterpiece of a Falstaff. I only wish I could have seen it again (please release the DVD, masters of the Globe).
PART TWO
This entry was originally posted at http://lorannah.dreamwidth.org/6156.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
10) Les Parents Terrible - Trafalgar Studios / Donmar Warehouse
Another win for Trafalgar Studios 2 and their intense little box of a fear. In my review of Wolfboy I descibed it as having a "suffocating claustrophobic atmosphere" which, luckily enough, suited this play perfectly as well. It also works well as a description of the family at the centre of the drama - particularly if you add slighlty crazy incestuousness to the mix. Glancing through my top ten, my fascination with families (both natural ones and found ones) is obvious and this fits in to that perfectly. It's the relationships between the characters that drives the drama here and that's what I love. I also thought the set was fantastic (once I got past the whole being reflected in the mirror thing). But what really made this stand out for me was the quality of the actors who were all superb - particularly the ladies - Frances Barber, Elaine Cassidy and Sylvestra Le Touzel. I think Tom Byam Shaw will be one to watch out for in the future as well.
9) The Aliens - Bush Theatre
Another tiny little theatre (can you tell I like them) - though this one is slightly marred by it's proximity to Sherpherd's Bush. I forgive it though because it does put on some excellent theatre and it sells playtexts (which make me happy). A fascinating, if heartbreaking story of outsiders and the magnetic pull they can offer. This one was laced through with odd ideas and fragments of poetry and a general sense of wonder that I loved. And one of the images that will definitely stay with me is of Mark Little dancing through the theatre with his sparkler and his eyes lit up. Though it was his character, KJ that touched me the most, and despite some more exceptional acting all round, it was Olly Alexander as the 17 year old Evan who really impressed me - an awesome performance full of nervous twitchyness and gentle awakening intelligence. Hope to see him in something again.
8) Beyond the Horizon - National Theatre, Cottlesloe
This one is really two choices as I find it hard to seperate this from Spring Storm completely in my mind - they both inform each other so much and partly what I loved was the choice of pairing these and repeating the love triangle. Both certainly deserved to be in the top ten as I thought both were superb but in the end I decided to only put one in (too much good theatre last year :D) and I plumped for Beyond the Horizon - though Spring Storm's set was better - because I felt it was the better performance for Liz Armstrong, Michael Malarkey and Michael Thomson - all of whom I adored in both. It was because I was so impressed with them in Spring Storm that I booked for this. Plus this dealt with twisting family relationships and how they mess us up and the choices you have to make and I found the writing utterly compelling. Plus whilst the aging stretched incredulity, I thought they all did it marvellously. And the lighting was stunning in this. (Also I love the Cottlesloe a ridiculous amount).
7) Anne Boleyn - The Globe
The Globe! The Globe! It is a lucky thing that there's a theatre in London to fill in for the RSC for me and the Globe does it wonderfully. Just the theatre itself fills me with joy when I walk inside. Wasn't sure what I was going to get from Anne Boleyn, but I'd loved the cast in Henry VIII and couldn't resist spending a bit more time with them. I loved it. They were all ridiculously delightful and I loved that it allowed Anne to speak to the audience from beyond the grave and the switches in time. Also James I and Buckingham (pictured in the second picture) completely stole my heart with their ridiculousness and cross dressing and dancing and being secretly smarter than everyone around them (the religious debate scene was a masterpiece). And James I hit me in the face with Anne Boleyns dress! I'm really adoring the fact that I'll get to see this again this summer and appreciate it better, even if the cast will likely be different.
6) Henry IV part II - The Globe
And more from The Globe. Can you tell I loved them this Summer? Not sure to start with this one. Like Beyond the Horizon/Spring Storm - I'm finding it difficult to seperate parts 1 and 2 in this - further complicated by the fact that they're part of the same story and I saw them both in one day - which was an utterly overwhelming experience. So even though this says part II, it really is standing in for both parts. I am woefully ignorant of the History plays - other than the previously mentioned Henry VIII, these are the only two I've seen, but what an excellent place to start (and hopefully this year I'll be able to improve my list). I think what really won me over is the way this deals with son-father relationships, both through Hal's relationship with Henry IV and with his relationship with Falstaff. I found it fascinating and it touched something close to my heart. Plus the acting was great - Jamie Parker may be one of my favourite actors ever, Sam Crane was ridiculous and awesome as Pistol and what can be said about Roger Allam's masterpiece of a Falstaff. I only wish I could have seen it again (please release the DVD, masters of the Globe).
PART TWO
This entry was originally posted at http://lorannah.dreamwidth.org/6156.html. Please comment there using OpenID.