Welcome to Rev Stan's theatre blog
18/04/2010
OK, so I'm addicted to theatre. I love the thrill of watching a live performance, of knowing that the particular performance I'm watching is unique.
I like to see the real tears in the actors' eyes, the sweat on their brow and the spittle fly when they are in full flow.
Back when I was a student in Liverpool I used to go to the theatre a lot as I could get really cheap tickets but, when I came to London to work in 1992, I couldn't afford it and got out of the habit.
About three or four years ago I realised that I could afford it again and looked around for something that took my fancy.
That play was Equus with Daniel Radcliffe. I studied psychology at University and I knew nothing about the nudity until after I'd booked my ticket, despite what people might think.
And I'm also a Harry Potter fan.
After the performance, I walked out of the theatre feeling alive and my love of theatre was reawakened. And I've been gradually going more and more ever since.
So far this year I've seen 16 plays including my first ever trip to New York (I'm a bit of a Ben Whishaw fan as you will soon discover and he was making his Broadway debut).
I like all sorts of plays, apart from musicals which just aren't for me.
My favourite theatres in London are the National Theatre, Donmar Warehouse and the Royal Court but equally, I've seen some fantastic stuff at more offbeat places such as the Southwark Playhouse and a cute village hall type place up near Kings Cross.
I don't know reams and reams of stuff about plays and I'm not witty like the West End Whingers but I like writing about what I've seen, what I liked and what I didn't and how a play made me feel.
And after four years of using my blog over on Vox decided it was time for my theatre love to have a blog all of its very own...