What I’d usually do here is say I’m aiming to be sensible again, but that clearly doesn’t work – at the most it lasts about one or two months and then anything goes. So I’ll just say that I’ll think carefully about my reviewing commitments, and then everything else can sort itself out organically. What I do want to do is make the most of any spurts of motivation I might have, and do my best to anticipate these mood swings so I’m not overloaded when I really don’t want to be writing all the time. I hope I can also try and instigate a better practice around my emails, but that may be dependent on how many idiotic messages I have to respond to in my day job – it does tend to exponentially decrease my patience and tolerance. (So think carefully before you hit ‘send’!)
A reminder also that I’m still doing a thing or two for BroadwayWorld UK and am also a ‘Mate’. Mind the Blog is still going strong over on Instagram – so give us a follow.
I have a fairly wide-ranging wish list of things I hope to see, including major shows such as Sunday in the Park with George, Evita, Magic Goes Wrong, Uncle Vanya, the Jamie Lloyd Company residency at the Playhouse Theatre, Wise Children’s Wuthering Heights at the National and beyond, West Side Story at the Royal Exchange, and King John at the RSC. I’m also tempted by the immersive Doctor Who show and, as ever, I’m eagerly waiting for the new Globe summer season – all fingers and toes crossed for Henry VIII.
I do have a fair few things booked up for the year already, including: Dial M for Murder, Richmond Theatre; Cush Jumbo as Hamlet, Young Vic; Hello, Dolly!, Adelphi Theatre; Endgame and 4,000 Miles, Old Vic; Henry VI and Richard III, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse; Romantics Anonymous, Bristol Old Vic.
On the non-theatre side, I’m seeing the Stereophonics a couple of times within around six weeks of each other, Seth Lakeman at Southwark Cathedral, plus Karen and Gorka’s Firedance, and (most excitingly) Queen and Adam Lambert.
I’ve got some Mind the Blog and BroadwayWorld UK reviews pencilled in already, a few confirmed and plenty to finalise – my inbox needs a good look through. It will be the VAULT Festival, primarily, for the blog once we get towards the end of the month, and I’ll supplement that with a range of other shows for BWW.
If I can follow UBU! around a bit I most definitely will, plus I booked my provisional accommodation for Edinburgh Festival Fringe back in December. I also hope to bring you another set of challenge weeks on the same themes – one may be a lot sooner than you’d expect…
So, what are my theatre resolutions for 2020? (Yet again, carrying some over from previous years!)
Enter the Book of Mormon lottery (or just book to see it)
Tick off the remaining West End theatres (at least Thriller Live is finally vacating the Lyric!)
Spread out across the country more – increase regional reviews and try out more theatres (invites always welcome)
I’m going to do the seasonal Never Mind the Blog round-ups still, and some more Tuesday Newsdays whenever I can – plus maybe even the occasional Missed The Boat to keep you interested.
My focuses for the year now stand at Shakespeare, puppets, Emma Rice & Arthur Miller – so we’re due something a bit different, I reckon… Lighting design has always intrigued me, and I’ve seen some beautiful examples over the years, so for 2020 I want to learn as much as I can about this aspect of theatremaking. I’m going to pick out my favourite piece of lighting design each month, and hopefully some practitioners will get involved and maybe share their experiences. We’ll see how it all goes!
Tags: 4000 Miles, Adam Lambert, Adelphi Theatre, Bristol Old Vic, BroadwayWorld UK, Cush Jumbo, Dial M for Murder, Doctor Who, Endgame, Evita, Firedance, Gorka Marquez, Hamlet, Hello Dolly!, Henry VI, Henry VIII, Jamie Lloyd Company, Karen Hauer, King John, lighting design, London, Magic Goes Wrong, Off West End, Old Vic, Playhouse Theatre, Queen, Queen + Adam Lambert, Richard III, Richmond Theatre, Romantics Anonymous, Royal Exchange, Royal Shakespeare Company, RSC, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, Seth Lakeman, Shakespeare’s Globe, Southwark Cathedral, Stereophonics, Sunday in the Park with George, theatre, tour, Uncle Vanya, West End, West Side Story, Wise Children, Wuthering Heights, Young VicCategories: all posts, preview, theatre
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