Random and topical thoughts and quotes gathered by My Theatre Mates contributor Aleks Sierz, first published on www.sierz.co.uk.
Mates blogger: Aleks Sierz
Aleks Sierz is one of over 45 theatre bloggers who are part of the MyTheatreMates collective. This page features Aleks's posts on MyTheatreMates. Take a look at our full list of theatre bloggers and our aggregated feed of all our Mates' posts. We’re always looking for new theatre bloggers. Could that be you? Learn about how to join us.
Aleks Sierz FRSA is a theatre critic, and author of the seminal study of new 1990s playwrights, In-Yer-Face Theatre. His other books include Rewriting the Nation, The Theatre of Martin Crimp, John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger, The Methuen Drama Guide to Contemporary British Playwrights and Modern British Playwriting. His latest book (co-authored with Lia Ghilardi) is The Time Traveller’s Guide to British Theatre. He also works as a journalist, broadcaster, and lecturer. Aleks blogs independently at www.sierz.co.uk and tweets at @alekssierz.
The latest from Aleks on MyTheatreMates
‘The whole experiment has a lovely lightness of touch’: EITHER – Hampstead Theatre
Ruby Thomas’ experimental debut play Either is an intriguing questioning of gender identity that retains an air of politeness.
Text of the Day: Hansard
Random and topical thoughts and quotes gathered by My Theatre Mates contributor Aleks Sierz, first published on www.sierz.co.uk.
‘Issues raised remain vivid’: A DAY IN THE DEATH OF JOE EGG – Trafalgar Studios
This sharp and starry revival of Peter Nichols’ taboo-busting fantasia A Day in the Death of Joe Egg is pretty magnificent.
‘Linguistically agile, theatrically pleasurable & emotionally dark’: GLASS. KILL. BLUEBEARD. IMP – Royal Court Theatre
Caryl Churchill’s Glass. Kill. Bluebeard. Imp. at the Royal Court is wonderfully bright and incisively perceptive.
Text of the Day: Two Ladies
Random and topical thoughts and quotes gathered by My Theatre Mates contributor Aleks Sierz, first published on www.sierz.co.uk.
‘Psychological thriller retains its power to disturb’: BLACK CHIFFON – Park Theatre
Scrupulous revival of Black Chiffon, an almost forgotten psychological thriller about class and unconscious desire.
‘A crazy delight’: TWO LADIES – Bridge Theatre
There’s excellent acting in Two Ladies, a play that tickles the senses and the intellect by playfully morphing from one genre to another.
Text Of The Day: Chiaroscuro
Random and topical thoughts and quotes gathered by My Theatre Mates contributor Aleks Sierz, first published on www.sierz.co.uk.
‘Most of the work is done by the actors’: AMSTERDAM – Orange Tree Theatre
New Israeli play Amsterdam about the effect of the past on the present is an open text which owes much too much to Martin Crimp.
‘Superb reimagining’: A DOLL’S HOUSE – Lyric Hammersmith
Tanika Gupta’s superb reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s modern classic A Doll’s House is both entertaining and deep.
Text of the Day: The Doctor
Random and topical thoughts and quotes gathered by My Theatre Mates contributor Aleks Sierz, first published on www.sierz.co.uk.
‘At least its message is clear’: THE KING OF HELL’S PALACE – Hampstead Theatre
New docu-drama The King of Hell’s Palace about the Chinese blood-contamination scandal of 1990s is about corruption and cover-up.
‘Prefers buffoonery over analysis’: A VERY EXPENSIVE POISON – Old Vic
Lucy Prebble’s latest tells the story of the murder of Alexander Litvinenko in A Very Expensive Poison, but prefers buffoonery over analysis.
Text of the Day: Total Immediate Collective Imminent Terrestrial Salvation
Random and topical thoughts and quotes gathered by My Theatre Mates contributor Aleks Sierz, first published on www.sierz.co.uk. Favourite stage direction: “There are two printed versions of this play. One is exclusively used by the actors and audience in the performance. The actors read most of their lines from that book. They invite the audience to turn the pages with …
‘Bright, warm & occasionally wonderfully joyous’: CHIAROSCURO – Bush Theatre
Lively gig theatre revival of Jackie Kay’s Chiaroscuroa, a 1980s account of the black lesbian experience doesn’t quite work.
‘A brilliant meta-theatrical experiment’: Total Immediate Collective Imminent Terrestrial Salvation – Royal Court Theatre
Tim Crouch returns! And Total Immediate Collective Imminent Terrestrial Salvation at the Royal Court, his experimental exploration of belief and determinism, is touched by genius.
‘Writes with wit & clarity’: HANSARD – National Theatre
Simon Woods’ debut play Hansard, about the parliamentary ruling class is timely, and amusingly preceptive, but ultimately unsatisfying.
‘Haunting, both actual & metaphorical, is at its heart’: APPROPRIATE – Donmar Warehouse
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ play Appropriate is a brilliantly acute and entertaining, if a bit depressing, deconstruction of the great American family drama.
Text of the Day: Sam Wanamaker arrives on site
One from the archives: In 1988, excavations began on the site of Shakespeare’s Globe and the occasion called for a symbolic moment.