There’s a line in Trial By Laughter, the new touring production of Ian Hislop and Nick Newman’s play about freedom of the press, where one of the main characters says to the other: “But where are the jokes?” As neat summaries of a play in one line of dialogue go, it’s one of the best I’ve seen.
Mates blogger: Rachel Williams
Rachel Williams is one of over 45 theatre bloggers who are part of the MyTheatreMates collective. This page features Rachel'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.
Rachel Williams stumbled into blogging entirely by accident and mostly as a way of amusing herself and a couple of theatre-loving friends. Several years and a permanent move to South East England later and blogging at viewfromthecircle.blogspot.com has become a real passion (balanced increasingly precariously with a day job in the charity sector). Theatrical passions include Shakespeare, musicals, new writing, new theatres, James Graham and anything Bertie Carvel happens to be doing.
The latest from Rachel on MyTheatreMates
‘A really clever & successful piece of musical storytelling’: VIOLET – Charing Cross Theatre
The way that the story of Violet is told elevates it to something really quite lovely, with huge emotional impact and a surprising timeliness.
‘A straight up great piece of writing’: ANOMALY – Old Red Lion Theatre
Anomaly is a really exciting play. For all that it’s hard to watch and challenging to process, it is immensely rewarding and a great hour of theatre all round. It’s also an amazing showcase of young, female talent doing stuff on their own terms. And I think we can all agree that’s A Good Thing.
‘Just absolute genius’: WAR HORSE – Touring
Somehow, despite the fact it’s been around for about a billion years, it’s taken me until 2019 to finally see War Horse on stage. Weird right? It’s done the National Theatre, it’s done the West End, it’s done Broadway, it’s done countless other countries around the world and tours around the UK but I’ve always missed it.
The Best Theatre & Performances of 2018
Normally I do two of these – Top Ten Shows and Top Ten Performances – but this year I’m combining the two – plus some sundry other awards.
‘A distinct, innovative & raw telling’: THE TRAGEDY OF KING RICHARD THE SECOND – Almeida Theatre
Currently my favourite partnership of Simon Russell Beale and Shakespeare is at work in The Tragedy of King Richard the Second (or Richard II if you prefer, and as the person typing this I very much do) at the Almeida.
‘Shows exactly why we need more women directing in London theatre’: SUMMER & SMOKE – West End
Summer & Smoke, the latest Almeida Theatre West End transfer, is the first thing I’ve experienced in a while where the theatre audience is really, properly engaged in a play. It’s like you could literally hear a pin drop.
‘Top drawer cast, top drawer production’: PINTER FOUR – West End
Like ripping off a dramatic plaster, now that I’ve done one show’s worth of Harold Pinter it’s time to plunge headfirst into another. Pinter Three down, Pinter Four to go.
‘Extremely pleasant surprise’: PINTER THREE – West End
Overall, I really rated Pinter Three. Whether you know your Pinter or not, I’d wager there’s something new for you here. Funny, touching, and staged and performed with real class. Solidly good stuff.
‘Definitely worth your time if you like your theatre experimental’: LANDS – Bush Theatre
If you like your theatre more experimental than I do, then Lands it’s definitely worth your time. And, as ever, you can’t fault The Bush’s bravery in commissioning it.
‘Unlike anything else in London at the moment’: ALL WE EVER WANTED WAS EVERYTHING – Bush Theatre
Yet another pat on the back is due for the Bush Theatre who has knocked things out of the park once again with its latest main house show. All We Ever Wanted Was Everything, written by Luke Barnes and performed by the excellent folk from Hull’s Middle Child, is a superb piece of gig theatre.
‘Gives both politics & theatre a bad name’: I’M NOT RUNNING – National Theatre
I’m Not Running is, for my money, the sort of political theatre that gives both politics and theatre a bad name.
‘Theatrically, it feels like a proper moment’: COMPANY – West End
Marianne Elliott’s new and updated production of Stephen Sondheim’s Company is so utterly necessary. And I use the word necessary very deliberately.
‘This is not a show you can be neutral about’: A VERY VERY VERY DARK MATTER – Bridge Theatre
Having seen the Bridge Theatre’s latest, Martin McDonagh’s A Very Very Very Dark Matter, my bonkers quota is through the roof.
‘An uneven double bill, but it does work well’: HOGARTH’S PROGRESS – Rose Theatre, Kingston
Hogarth’s Progress consists of two plays by Nick Dear: The Art of Success, 30 years old, and a new companion piece, The Taste of the Town, set 30 years later. Both tell the story of William Hogarth, artist and satirist, his wife Jane and a fluctuating cast of friends and enemies.
‘Entertaining enough’: COCK – Chichester Festival Theatre
Cock is by no means classic Mike Bartlett but it is still great fun and, for connoisseurs of supreme social awkwardness in particular, a decently entertaining hour and a half.
‘Ticks pretty much all the boxes’: ANTONY & CLEOPATRA – National Theatre
There is really very little to fault in this Antony and Cleopatra. It is lush, epic and a piece of sheer class. Better than that, it’s that rare theatrical beast: a god production in the Olivier.
‘Great writing, beautifully performed’: AN ADVENTURE – Bush Theatre
An Adventure is a really lovely thing. Great writing, beautifully performed, artfully directed and an excuse to bop around to Brimful of Asha in the interval. Who needs more?
‘One of the best shows I’ve seen this year’: SYLVIA – The Old Vic
Sylvia is one of the best shows I’ve seen this year. So therefore what follows isn’t a review, not really (I’m not going to tell you what the very evident issues were, for a start). It’s just some thoughts, gut reaction, rendered into something slightly more user-friendly than a Twitter thread.
‘A supremely powerful piece’: DUST – Trafalgar Studios
Dust was very much worth the wait for me. It’s a supremely powerful piece, undoubtedly not an easy watch but a necessary one nonetheless.