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.
Mind the Blog’s top 2017 performances
This year variety has been the thing (though I’ve still managed to stack up certain repeat attendances), so that means I’ve seen a serious amount of performers – some even two or three times!
2017 Regional theatre recap
Much of my ‘touring’ has been concentrated in Bristol and Chichester; there are a few other UK venues to add to the list, as well as some from my week in New York, of course.
KING LEAR – Chichester ★★★★★
King Lear is the jewel in the crown of Daniel Evans’ opening year as Chichester’s Artistic Director. Ian McKellen is every inch a king in Jonathan Munby’s production that is currently playing a short, sold-out season
KING LEAR – Chichester
As I wrote when the full cast was first announced, “the world is hardly crying for more productions of King Lear, but if you’re going to put it on, you might as well go balls out on some amazing casting”.
Barely-a-review: Testing my prejudices with No Man’s Land
I try to test my prejudices when it comes to playwrights for whom I have little fondness but the reality is that its hard to psyche yourself up in the name of being open-minded. Harold Pinter is one of those writers for me.
Weekly Theatre Podcast: Travesties, No Man’s Land, Oil
This week the London theatre bloggers discuss Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart as double act in Harold Pinter’s No Man’s Land, Tom Hollander in Stoppard’s Travesties, now also transferring to the West End, and Anne-Marie Duff in new play Oil at the Almeida Theatre.
NO MAN’S LAND – West End
Every once in a while the theatrical planets align to create a pairing of such fine actors that it may well be unmatched for a generation. So it is with Harold Pinter’s absurdist gem No Man’s Land, a work that’s always best played by starry knights.
NO MAN’S LAND – West End
“But you see, its ABOUT being rather bored and baffled. Thats the POINT” said a pleading voice in the interval scuffle. She wasn’t entirely offbeam: Pinter is not everybody’s cup of bitter, clouded tea. But boring it could not be, this revival of one if his best plays from the turbulent 1970’s.
Press Pass: Critics revel in McKellen & Stewart’s No Man’s Land ‘masterclass’
So what happens when two knights of the realm at the top of their game spark off one another in a modern classic? Critics have unanimously revelled in the match-up, with many parallels drawn with the play’s original stars, Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud
NO MAN’S LAND – West End
Revival of Pinter’s 1975 classic is a model of clarity, but raises questions about the validity of modernism.
NO MAN’S LAND – Touring & West End
There was no real fear of poor execution from two masters of the stage in Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen. Their double act, supported by fine work from Owen Teale and Damien Molony lifts this more obscure play into something accessible and enjoyable for even the most Pinter-wary.
NEWS: Damien Molony joins Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart in No Man’s Land
It is announced today that Damien Molony, best known for his roles in BBC’s Being Human and Ripper Street, will play the role of ‘Foster’ in Harold Pinter’s No Man’s Land, completing casting for the play. Molony joins the previously announced Ian McKellen as ‘Spooner’, Patrick Stewart as ‘Hirst’ and Owen Teale as ‘Briggs’ in Sean Mathias’ production, which will tour venues across the UK from 3 August prior to a limited engagement at London’s Wyndham’s Theatre from 8 September.