Pretty rough and ready, these were originally posted on Facebook, hence all the ‘saw this yesterday’ intros. I’ve removed the box office links for obvious reasons. Oh, and some contain strong language.
Bits of Me Are Falling Apart
Saw this last week. I didn’t think the text was up to much, although thank heavens someone has at last written about having a mid-life crisis, such an under-explored area these days. And a general note to the world, nobody is interested in your kids but you. Please stop going on about them. You’re being boring. Stop it world. However, the saving grace was Adrian Edmondson. It’s a one-man show, and he is such a lovely performer that I could have happily sat and listened to him read out the phone book (remember them?). Which would have been more interesting than hearing about kiiiddddsssss. So 10/10 for Adrian, let’s hope he gets a better vehicle soon.
The Boys in the Band
Went to see this the other week, it’s very well staged and acted, Mark Gatiss (the reason I went to see it) was superb, to be fair all the cast were excellent. However, I’m not sure the play works today as anything other than a museum piece. In 1968 there would doubtless have been some shock value (for want of a better phrase) in a play about gay men, but in 2016 is anyone really going to say “Oh my God they are gays!”. There isn’t enough going on in the script for it to work as a play in its own right. As such, whilst the first half is very funny, the second half degenerates into drunk people shouting, which isn’t terribly interesting. Anyone not familiar with the late 60s New York gay scene may find the dialogue somewhat bewildering – “I can just see her walking down 46th Street wearing a vest if you know what I mean” (I’m paraphrasing, but not much) – and the end result is a play that probably didn’t need reviving. Even though this is a great revival.
A Christmas Carol
If you’re going to see one Christmas show this year, you can’t do any better than this. Pure magic from beginning to end, great text, great staging and of course a great performance by Simon Callow. Don’t, however, sit and play with your phone during it, as you will get snapped at by me. I tell you, it was just like Falling Down. Prick.
Dead Funny
As seen yesterday. Very good, excellent cast, first-rate production. The script could probably do with a little bit of tightening up here and there but that aside, pretty much perfect. Steve Pemberton, as expected is wonderfully funny and touching, Katherine Parkinson makes Ellie both pitiful and slightly dislikeable – it would be easy to portray her as the victim of the piece, and Ralf Little is a revelation as Nick. If, like me, you think of him as “him from that 2 Pints of Lager shite”, then think again, he’s great. No spoilers, but I’ll simply say Mr Chow Mein. And a quick word about the programme, these things can be a rip-off (Breakfast at Tiffany’s I’m looking at you) but this one has a series of well-written articles about comedy and entertainment in the 1970s, marred only by an absurd piece by a woman droning on about wanting a baby. Indulgent, tedious bilge. Highly recommended production, which marked my League of Gentlemen hat-trick. Text book.
The Dresser
Went to see The Dresser, Duke of Yorks a couple of weeks ago. Brilliant stuff, Ken Stott is predictably marvellous as Sir and Reece Shearsmith is astoundingly good as Norman, the part he was born to pay. The supporting cast are uniformly great, especially the excellent Simon Rouse. It’s easy to forget that this is quite a modern play, and also just how funny it is. I saw it years ago at The Poor School, where it failed to make much of an impression. Highly recommended. On a final note, can I say a big thank you to the lady a row or two in front of me who decided to start playing with her phone during the final scene. You stupid fucking cunt.
The End of Longing
Went to see this today, Matthew Perry from The Friends does a very good drunk. Apparently he’s had some practice, but even so, fair play. The papers were rather sniffy about it, but there again they raved about Waste at The National, which was one of the most boring things I have ever seen. And it didn’t have anyone from TV’s The Friends in it either.
The Entertainer
Saw this for the second time yesterday. It’s closing soon, so try and see it if you can. The play is probably John Osborne’s best and this is a stunning revival. Gawn Grainger is excellent as Billy, Greta Scaachi is wonderful as the damaged but still ghastly Phoebe, guzzling gin to numb her feelings of self-pity, and Kenneth Branagh is astounding as Archie. It’s easy to sneeringly label him a “luvvie” (his relationship with Emma Thompson did his image no favours), but he really is an outstanding actor. He succeeds in making us like this tragic, dead behind the eyes monster. Spellbinding.
Hobson’s Choice
Went to see this a few months ago. I was in this years back, and at the time couldn’t see what the fuss was about as it didn’t strike me as funny in the slightest. Well guess what? When done properly, it is very, very funny. I’m not slagging off all Am-Dram – (I doubt I covered myself in glory in our production, I would imagine my accent was ballbags) – some of it is excellent, but you can’t really beat the professionals at their own game, and neither should you try to. Talking of The Professionals, the remaining third of them was playing Hobson and showed a great flair for comedy. A third of All Creatures Great And Small was also delightful, and the performances of Bryan Dick (Willie) and Naomi Frederick (Maggie) were first-rate. By the way, it’s closed now so if you haven’t seen it, too damned late. Although I’m sure there’ll be an amateur production near you soon.