David Eldridge’s trilogy about relationships, which started in 2017 with the hit show Beginning, now reaches its second part with Middle, which has opened at the National Theatre.
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
‘Entertaining in its populist stress on feelgood comedy’: THE CORN IS GREEN – National Theatre
Even 20th century drama is under threat. So can the National Theatre buck this trend with this rediscovery of The Corn Is Green, and some help from its star, Nicola Walker?
‘A disappointingly toothless & rather dreary non-satire’: SCANDALTOWN – Lyric Hammersmith
Mike Bartlett is very prolific, but this Restoration-style satire on society at London’s Lyric Hammersmith is sadly timid and predictable.
‘Portrays the male black British experience with joy as well as pain’: For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy – Royal Court Theatre
Ryan Calais Cameron does it again: he portrays the male black British experience with joy as well as pain.
‘Ruth Wilson plays her part to perfection, a masterclass in control and variation’: THE HUMAN VOICE – West End
Ruth Wilson delivers an acting masterclass in Jean Cocteau modernist classic adapted by Ivo van Hove.
‘This is an entertainment that is lit up by the excellence of its acting’: COCK – West End
Mike Bartlett’s Cock invites suggestive comments, but the main thing about the play is that it has proved to be a magnet for star casting.
‘Platonic love is perhaps the hardest kind of emotion to write about well’: SHEDDING A SKIN – Soho Theatre
Feel the love as great staging enlivens this well-written monologue about a cross-generational relationship.
‘In this buzzing show, no one stands still’: RED PITCH – Bush Theatre
Effortlessly and energetically entertaining: Tyrell Williams’ debut play about football and gentrification is pitch-perfect.
‘A brilliant example of a post-dramatic play’: THE FOREST – Hampstead Theatre
Florian Zeller’s superbly anti-naturalistic play is a philosophical puzzle that dissects our existential solitude.
‘Bewitching & beguiling, buzzing in my mind’: THE GLOW – Royal Court Theatre
Bizarre, beautiful and breathtaking – time-travelling fantasia boasts a brilliant staging and a spoof playtext essay.
‘An intelligent & enjoyable example of contemporary political theatre’: THE 4th COUNTRY – Park Theatre
History is a prison. Often, you can’t escape. It imprints its mark on people, environments and language. And nowhere is this more true that in Northern Ireland.
‘A fine slice of time travel with an eye on contemporary political malaise’: BEST OF ENEMIES – Young Vic Theatre
James Graham’s latest history play has an eye on the present but a messy staging.
‘This revival of an American classic is both relevant & fun’: TROUBLE IN MIND – National Theatre
Race, rage and relevance: sensitive revival of American writer Alice Childress’ 1955 anti-racist play shines bright.
‘A farcical comedy or a serious anatomy of our septic isle?’: MANOR – National Theatre
Moira Buffini’s ambitious state-of-the-nation, climate-change play runs straight into the doldrums.
‘A perfect tour de force of visual, intellectual & emotional pleasure’: DEATH OF ENGLAND: FACE TO FACE – National Theatre/Sky Arts
One of the absolute highpoints of new writing in the past couple of years has been the Death of England trilogy.
‘The controversy has generated more heat than the play itself’: RARE EARTH METTLE – Royal Court Theatre
Al Smith’s new play was jinxed before it started – and, bogged down in cartoonish detail, it never really recovers.
‘The writing is always perceptive & convincing’: SESSIONS – Soho Theatre
Intense, but inconclusive: this powerful new play about black men’s mental health fails to reach a satisfying resolution.
‘A mind-expanding experience’: TENDER NAPALM – King’s Head Theatre
I had a mind-expanding experience this week. And, listen, there’s still a chance for you to have one too.
‘Some moments are desperately moving, almost unbearably sad’: OLD BRIDGE – Bush Theatre
Powerful, poetic and profound: this well-deserved winner of the 2020 Papatango New Writing Prize now gets a cracking production on the main stage at the Bush Theatre.
‘This is Shakespeare for the Netflix generation’: MACBETH – Almeida Theatre
Saoirse Ronan makes her UK stage debut in Yael Farber’s testosterone-fest, which is vivid, but much too long.