This is Measure For Measure in a production by RSC supremo Greg Doran and set in turn of the 20th century Vienna. It is and remains a difficult play to pin down but the contemporary resonances remain inescapable.
‘A memorable contribution to online theatre’: MOMENT OF GRACE – Backstory Ensemble – The Actors Centre (Online review)
The first piece Moment Of Grace by Bren Gosling takes us back to the 1980s and the last time the country faced a crisis over a virus.
‘Verbatim theatre with a twist’: It’s True. It’s True. It’s True: Artemisia On Trial – Breach Theatre (Online review)
One of the early entries into the lockdown theatre world was Breach Theatre’s It’s True. It’s True. It’s True: Artemisia On Trial. After some time on furlough it’s now back online and available to watch again.
‘Couldn’t be more timely’: PLACE PRINTS 1-4 (Online review)
Place Prints is a fascinating audio series from writer David Rudkin about places in the UK. There are certain locations where that sense of the past is much stronger than in others. These places have their own stories and voices and Rudkin tells them with a sense of lyricism from which contemporary writers might well learn.
‘Knows what it wants to say’: JANE CLEGG – Finborough Theatre (Online review)
Jane Clegg falls into the category of a well-made play of three acts and is none the worse for that. Its elegant structure and growing sense of tension make it an absolute pleasure to watch.
‘Well constructed with tension rising throughout’: APRROACHING EMPTY – Tamasha Theatre Company (Online review)
In Approaching Empty writer Ishy Din proves himself an authentic voice, telling tales we have not heard before in a muscular and engaging style.
‘Paying tribute to what has been a marvellous season’: Thank you to the National Theatre At Home
So, bravo National Theatre. Others may have joined in the home streaming trend but nobody else did it bigger or better. Time to look for yet another new normal for Thursday evenings.
‘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.
‘A bright future in this new normal’: THE TELL-TALE HEART / WITHIN – Threedumb Theatre (Online review)
The Tell-Tale Heart and Within from Threedumb Theatre are to be applauded for their innovation and their ability to show us that there’s life left in the old (drama) dog yet.
‘A scintillating production which consistently thrills’: AMADEUS – National Theatre (Online review)
Sixteen weeks ago the National Theatre At Home season was launched and this week the final show began its one week run. In Amadeus they may just have saved the best until last.
‘A fascinating premise of role reversal’: GREAT APES – Arcola Theatre (Online review)
Great Apes, originally written by Will Self and adapted for the stage by Patrick Marmion, played at east London’s Arcola Theatre in 2018 and is now available to stream online.
‘There’s some interesting use of technology’: GUANTANAMO BOY/HER – Half Moon Theatre (Online review)
I noticed that there were a pair of Half Moon Theatre productions – Guantanamo Boy and her – which involved Brolly, a collaboration between designer/illustrator Rachana Jadhav and writer/director Dominic Hingorani for whom design is a key element and who integrate live performance with digital technologies.
‘A well-crafted drama with an important message’: THE TAILOR-MADE MAN (Online review)
The Tailor-Made Man was turned into a musical in 2013. This current iteration was filmed in 2017 at the White Bear Theatre when a 25th anniversary production was mounted.
‘Helen McCrory is on fine form’: THE DEEP BLUE SEA – National Theatre At Home (Online review)
In the case of The Deep Blue Sea I find myself firmly sitting on the fence. Good performances? Mostly. Fine production? Mainly. Great play? The jury’s still out.
‘A timely piece of writing’: MOOD MUSIC – Old Vic (Online review)
Mood Music is a timely piece of writing highlighting, as it does, questions of creativity, control, ownership, capitalism and personal well-being.
‘I can’t wait until they are able to perform live again’: OEDIPUSSY – Spymonkey
Like the virus, Spymonkey’s brand of comedy in shows like Oedipussy has proved highly infectious over the last couple of months but at the same time it has also become a regular weekly vaccine against the blues.
‘Foy & Smith seem to have found a new way of interacting at a distance’: LUNGS – Old Vic (Online review)
This was the production of Lungs live streamed from the actual stage of the Old Vic with real actors in real time as part of its In Camera project.
‘A spectacular show which treats its subjects with respect’: ONLY THE BRAVE – Wales Millennium Centre (Online review)
After the 75th anniversary weekend of VE Day, the musical Only The Brave drew my attention as a perfect way to spend an afternoon.
‘Ralph Fiennes & Sophie Okonedo are well matched’: ANTONY & CLEOPATRA – National Theatre (Online review)
I’ve always found Antony and Cleopatra a bit of a slog. There, I’ve said it. Too many scenes which flit about all over the place, too many minor inconsequential characters, deaths which seem interminable.
‘A kind of strange hybrid form’: THIRTY MILLION MINUTES (Online review)
A life distilled to its essentials: 30 Million Minutes indicates the rough length of time that Dawn French had been alive at the time of her solo show recorded in its final incarnation in 2016.
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