Thanks to Julie Raby for pointing out that I've been referenced in a book... and described as a 'prominent theatre blogger' no less.
The book is Shakespearean Celebrity in the Digital Age by Anna Blackwell and it refers to this post I wrote on Andrew Scott's Hamlet.
Chuffed that my blog is deemed worthy to be included in such a tome.
The Actor's Nightmare is six short plays, linked by themes of acting, theatre and performance and brought together for the first time at the Park Theatre.
It kicks off with a monologue, Mrs Sorken, which is in part a lecture about the etymology of words such as 'theatre' and part reflection from a theatre-goer.
While observations about the ancient origins of the language around theatre and performance elevate the importance of the medium, the theatre-goer brings things down to earth with a bump, talking about the practicalities of outside theatre and wanting to be home by 10.30.
The irony of the arts perceived lofty importance pitched against mundane reality is refreshing and I'd have liked to have seen more of the audience perspective explored.
If you weren't lucky enough to see Phoebe Waller-Bridge's play Fleabag before it became a TV series and really famous then there is another chance.
Tickets for the West End run at the Wyndhams in the Autumn are going like hot cakes but there are other ways to get tickets - and at a more palatable price.
1. Online lottery - 50 seats at £15 will be available for every performance via TodayTix .
2. Standing tickets - A limited number of £10 standing tickets will be available from the Wyndham’s Theatre box office on the day of each performance
3 Live broadcast - Fleabag will be broadcast live to cinemas around the UK and internationally on 12 September with National Theatre Live.
Fleabag is at the Wyndhams Theatre from 20 August to 14 September.
And yes, I can smuggly say, I did see Fleabag before it was famous. Not at the Edinburgh Fringe but upstairs at the Soho Theatre when it transferred and I remember it vividly and fondly.
My thoughts on it can be found here.
Equus holds a special place in my theatre-going past because it was seeing the 2007 production with Daniel Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths which reignited my love of the theatre. Would this production live up to its predecessor?
Peter Shaffer's 1973 play is based on a real incident in which a teenage boy blinded six horses.
In his play, he explores possible reasons for the horrific act through 17-year-old Alan Strang's (Ethan Kai) sessions with his psychiatrist Martin Dysart (Zubin Varla).
Dysart has to build up trust with the troubled teen before, detective-like, he can unearth what motivated him to carry out such a violent and abhorrent act.
Scenes from Alan's past are re-enacted during his conversations with the psychiatrist.
We see his early encounters with horses, his passionately religious mother and atheist, straight-laced father and his growing pathological obsession with horses.
It is Alan's zeal and fervour which makes Dysart question his own life and the purpose of what he does - what is he saving the boy from?
Continue reading "Review: Equus, Trafalgar Studios - A thoroughbred production?" »
Saw Wife at the Kiln Theatre a few weeks ago but it was a really busy time with work and I got distracted from writing my review - which I now want to quickly rectify because I really enjoyed it.
Samuel Adamson's play spans 60 years and while there is a connection between the different generations it isn't as simple as parents, children and grandchildren.
You have to pay attention as it time jumps, seeking out the connection when it isn't always immediately obvious, starting with an encounter in 1959 between a married woman and an actress.
The actress is starring as Nora in Ibsen's A Dolls's House and that first scene sets out the stall for the key themes - gay relationships and the changing role of women within the structure of marriage and family.
One of the highlights of my trip to the Edinburgh Fringe last year was Nouveau Riché's Queens of Sheba.
It was an exhilarating watch and sparked a strong emotional response so I'm chuffed to see that it is touring the country in the Autumn.
Details of the tour can be found here and if you are London-based, like me, then Queens of Sheba will be at the Battersea Arts Centre 18-23 November.
It's a show I can't recommend enough and if you want to know more, you can read my review here.
The Illusionists are back in London for the summer season with their mix of illusion, thrilling feats, humour and family fun.
Seven illusionists with seven different styles of 'magic' from the nail-biting and seat squirming to the awe-inspiring and gasp-inducing make up an exciting and varied evening's entertainment.
And while you won't find rabbits being pulled out of a hat there is still a lot that is familiar - sleight of hand, female assistants sliced up in boxes, objects disappearing and death-defying escapes.
But The Illusionists has the slickness and gloss of 21st-century sophistication - Paul Daniel's magic show this isn't - mixed with a new style of 'magic' making the most of digital technology for something that you may not have seen before.
It made me feel young and old, angry and ashamed, it was interesting, revealing and funny.
London's theatre scene is awash with productions which offer a 'fresh' take on classics but Jasmine Lee-Jones' play Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner demonstrates exactly what really 'fresh' theatre is - and should be.
Closeted in her bedroom, Cleo (Danielle Vitalis) is venting her anger and frustration at the world using Twitter.
However, she doesn't anticipate the storm she will create not just on social media but with her friend Kara (Tia Bannon).
It starts with Cleo's sarcastic tweet under her handle @incognegro about reality TV star Kylie Jenner being described as a 'self-made billionaire':
"YT woman born into rich American family, somehow against all odds manages to get more rich..."
She goes on to call out the hypocrisy pointing out the cultural appropriation, colourism and inequality.
A glib death threat becomes a musing on how you kill a 'social media figure' and the ensuing Twitter storm serves to highlight not only the toxicity that exists on social media but within society.
So we are halfway through 2019 which means time to look back and reflect on what London's theatre scene has offered up so far and this year:
"Yes, Emilia is an angry play about the frustration of inequality and how it limits opportunity but the message and call to arms is served well with a mixture of sharp humour, merriment and music."
"This is a challenging, difficult play with humour and wit inflected with wisdom, carefully balancing entertainment without detracting from the seriousness of the subject matter."
Betrayal, Harold Pinter Theatre
"Hiddleston, Ashton and Cox deliver precise, layered performances in a production that grips with tension."
Continue reading "London Theatre 2019 in review - the highs and lows so far..." »
While Sal and David may be passionate about righting the wrongs of the world and creating a more equal and inclusive society, when it comes to embarrassing their children it's a different matter.
Writer Jack Thorne and John Tiffany last worked together on the Harry Potter plays but family dynamics is the only parallel with The End of History at the Royal Court.
The play is set during three family gatherings in 1997, 2007 and 2017, in the Newbury home of Sal (Lesley Sharp) and David (David Morrissey).
They are left-leaning liberals who've brought their children up to be inquisitive and be socially aware.
Elder children Carl (Sam Swainsbury) and Polly (Kate O'Flynn) are at good universities and younger sibling Tom (Laurie Davidson) is still at school but when they come together it is a mixture of banter, jibes and warm familial bonds.
Sal and David's liberal approach to parenting combined with their rigid views on social justice has taken its toll on their children.
In the first act, the gathering is to meet Carl's new girlfriend Harriet (Zoe Boyle). Behind closed doors, the kids are almost used to their parent's frank revelations and views but it is a different matter when Harriet arrives.
The fact that she comes from money is an itch that Sal, in particular, just can't help scratching with amusingly cringe-worthy consequences.