Rev Stan's theatre best and worst of 2012
01/01/2013
It was a Jubilee Year, an Olympic year but while all eyes were on the Queen and the lycra wearing athletes I was quietly breaking my annual record with 109 theatre trips. So which were the gold medal winners which took home the booby prizes?
Well it's been a good year for the National Theatre and in particular the Lyttleton which, perversely, is one of my least favourite theatres. And I have to say it's been quite difficult narrowing it down as you can tell from the rather long highly commended list. The flip side is it feels like there has been more obvious stinkers this year although I've only listed the three worst to spare blushes.
The Usain Bolt of my theatre going year was easy: Curious Incident at the Cottesloe. It was a superb and imaginative adaptation of a much loved booked so convincingly performed I saw it twice and might be tempted to give it a third look when it transfers to the West End in the Spring. Here is the full list:
- Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Cottesloe
- Misterman, Lyttleton
- Constellations, Royal Court
- Mercury Fur, Old Red Lion
- Straight, Bush Theatre
- 55 Days, Hampstead Theatre
- Julius Caesar, Donmar Warehouse
- Long Day's Journey Into the Night, Apollo
- Tis Pity She's A Whore, Barbican
- Boys, Soho Theatre
Highly commended: The Effect, Cottesloe; Hedda Gabler, Old Vic; Last of the Haussmans, Lyttleton; Scenes From An Execution, Lyttleton; This House, Cottesloe; The Physicists, Donmar Warehouse
Least favourite:
- In the Republic of Happiness, Royal Court
- Troilus and Cressida, Riverside Studios
- Making Noise Quietly, Donmar Warehouse