Tea drinking features heavily in Dipo Baruwa-Etti’s posh kitchen-set play The Clinic at the Almeida Theatre. But this tea may or may not have intoxicating or calming effects; even those who fervently dislike infusions get a taste for it. And that is The Clinic, a mix of contemporary family drama and something more difficult to put a finger on.
‘You will find much to make you think about’: ALBION – Almeida Theatre (Online review)
If anything, the resonances in Mike Bartlett’s Albion have grown and strengthened as countrywide divisions have hardened.
‘Making sure that talent does not go unnoticed at this difficult time’: SHIFTING TIDES – Almeida Theatre (Online review)
Young writers and performers take a long hard look at climate change with entertaining results in Almeida Theatre’s digital season Shifting Tides.
10 plays that, in hindsight, feel strangely appropriate for lockdown during a pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic and lockdown has thrown a whole new light on certain plays, the ones about isolation, loneliness and surreal landscapes.
The best play I’ve seen for each of the past 10 years (aka the agony-to-choose list)
Not to let a decade of theatre bloggery go by without marking the occasion, to kick things off, I’ve compiled a list of my favourite play for each year I’ve been blogging. It has been fun revisiting my best-of lists but absolute agony narrowing each list down to just one.
‘Meaty, emotional & funny play’: ALBION – Almeida Theatre ★★★★
Albion is a meaty, emotional and funny play with a superb Victoria Hamilton drawing out the complexity of Audrey, even if you don’t feel sorry for her.
‘Enjoyable & gripping production’: THE DUCHESS OF MALFI – Almeida Theatre ★★★★
A magnetic stage presence, Lydia Wilson is a strong woman in The Duchess Of Malfi, clever, kind, stoic and justifiably angry. It makes her an all the more tragic figure.
‘So pitch black that you struggle to see where the laughs are’: VASSA – Almeida Theatre ★★★
Vassa, adapted from Maxim Gorky’s original by Mike Bartlett, is a pitch-black comedy rather than a farce, so pitch black that you struggle to see where the laughs are.
‘Delving beneath the surface of labels & stereotypes’: THE DOCTOR – Almeida Theatre
The performances are superb in The Doctor at the Almeida Theatre, Juliet Stevenson is as formidable as her character and Ria Zmitrowicz’s dry one-liners are a refreshing light relief particularly as the persistent tension can become a bit numbing.
NEWS: Big wins for Sonia Friedman Productions’ The Ferryman & Ink at the Tony Awards while National celebrates Hadestown & Network honours
Sonia Friedman Productions is celebrating after the Broadway transfers of The Ferryman and Ink garnered six wins at the 2019 Tony Awards, while the National Theatre had plenty to be happy about following Bryan Cranston being named Best Leading Actor in a Play for Network and Hadestown (which finished a run at the National in January this year) scooping eight awards.
‘Clumsy mashing of the plots greatly deflates the drama’: THE TWILIGHT ZONE – West End
Maybe in a far-off dimension of time and space, at the crossroads of imagination and reality, our descendants will discover a stage adaption of The Twilight Zone which will fill them with the wonder and mystery of the original. But not here.
NEWS: Company, Come From Away & The Inheritance top the Olivier Awards 2019 nominations
Musicals Company and Come From Away top the Olivier Awards 2019 nominations with nine nods each, while The Inheritance is the most recognised play with eight nominations. The ceremony takes place on Sunday 7 April at the Royal Albert Hall, hosted by Jason Manford.
Rev Stan’s favourite plays of the year (& first six-star production)
It’s time for Rev Stan’s best plays of 2018 overall, gleaned from everything I’ve seen – large productions and small, commercial theatres, subsidised and fringe.
‘Still slow cooked, but mmm… delicious’: THE WILD DUCK – Almeida Theatre ★★★★
Robert Icke’s conversational, documentary production of The Wild Duck at the Almeida Theatre makes this complex morality play immediately accessible.
That was August in Theatreland – news, misses & celeb spots
August was dominated by Edinburgh for me but the London theatre wheels were still turning; here’s my round up of my favourite bits of news, my theatre hits and misses and few celeb spots…
A theatre addict’s latest favourites
While I’m having to scale back my theatregoing this year, the quality of the shows I’ve seen recently has made up for the reduction in volume. For anyone looking for inspiration, here are my latest recommendations.
What’s made Victoria’s Top Twelve shows for March 2018?
There’s this terrible balance between keeping the list short enough to hold attention but making sure great shows get shared. Hence why I’ve been defeated here, yet again, and we have a top twelve.
‘Political dynamite’: MARY STUART – West End ★★★★
In Robert Icke’s arresting adaptation of Mary Stuart, the scene opens with a sober-suited group of men watching two women in identical black velvet suits and white shirts, while a coin is spun to see which will be Queen Elizabeth I. One is Juliet Stevenson, one Lia Williams. They know no more than we do; they will obey the coin.
Mind the Blog’s best shows of 2017
Any number of shows could have been included in this post; frankly it’s ludicrous that I decided to stick with my whole top 12 idea… As I’ve seen about 90 more individual shows than last year.
NEWS: Full cast announced for Almeida’s West End transfer of Mary Stuart, TICKETS ONSALE
The full cast has been announced for the West End transfer of Robert Icke’s new adaptation of Mary Stuart. Following a critically acclaimed, sold out season at the Almeida Theatre in 2016-17, the production will open at the Duke of York’s Theatre from 15 January for a limited run before visiting Theatre Royal Bath, Salford Lowry and Cambridge Arts Theatre.
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