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‘Magnificent’: THE LEHMAN TRILOGY – Gillian Lynne Theatre ★★★★★

In London theatre, Opinion, Other Recent Articles, Plays, Reviews by Libby PurvesLeave a Comment

Three hour-long plays, two intervals, three men in black frock-coats explain some financial history in a revolving glass box in front of a projected, mainly monochrome, cyclorama. When The Lehman Trilogy triumphed at the National Theatre in 2018 I wrote “this show has no right to be so much fun”. Recast and home again, it still is a treat after waltzing Broadway and LA and winning a Tony for Best Play.

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‘Gripping, funny, tender, superbly well observed, immaculately researched’: THE LEHMAN TRILOGY – National Theatre

In London theatre, Opinion, Plays, Reviews by Rachel WilliamsLeave a Comment

The financial crash of 2008 has much to answer for, I think. Top of the list? Brexit and President Trump. One thing it has yet to really produce though, for my money (pun intended), is any really great theatre. Or perhaps I should qualify that statement: no really great theatre in English.

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HUSBANDS AND SONS – National Theatre

In London theatre, Plays, Reviews, Touring by Libby PurvesLeave a Comment

Tender, fierce, intelligent and humane, this superb production reminds us that D.H.Lawrence was at his best a great interpreter of 20th century change. Years before the showy hysteria of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, (heaven knows why the BBC chose the worst of his works to dramatize) he wrote plays about his Nottinghamshire pit village, vivid with understanding humanity, humble observation and pity. Here are themes of marriage and pride, trapped lives and rich communities, possessive fearful mothers and feckless endangered sons. Here is class and money and the yearning for art and the painful the rift between generations when education takes the young out of manual work. Here too, noted with generosity, is the increasing independence of women.

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NEWS: New National Theatre season includes Anne-Marie Duff in DH Lawrence

In London theatre, Musicals, Native, News, Plays, Press Releases by Press ReleasesLeave a Comment

The National Theatre has announced its new booking period, running from July 2015 to January 2016, with several new productions and some big names – including Anne-Marie Duff, whose previous award-winning NT credits include Strange Interlude and Saint Joan – entering the repertoire, as well as myriad casting updates. NATIONAL THEATRE: JULY 2015 – JANUARY 2016 Shakespeare’s AS YOU LIKE …

NEWS: New National Theatre season includes Anne-Marie Duff in DH Lawrence

In London theatre, Musicals, Native, News, Plays, Press Releases by Press ReleasesLeave a Comment

The National Theatre has announced its new booking period, running from July 2015 to January 2016, with several new productions and some big names – including Anne-Marie Duff, whose previous award-winning NT credits include Strange Interlude and Saint Joan – entering the repertoire, as well as myriad casting updates. NATIONAL THEATRE: JULY 2015 – JANUARY 2016 Shakespeare’s AS YOU LIKE …