The Famous Five – A New Musical, a collaboration between Chichester Festival Theatre and Theatr Clwyd, brings a fresh vibe that sees writer Elinor Cook and director Tamara Harvey concentrate on family relationships and climate crisis as opposed to spies.
‘Brilliantly acted production’: THE WRITER – Almeida Theatre
The Writer makes a strong case for theatre as a place to debate the most urgent issues of the day and prove that, for some women, experimenting with form is not an option, but a necessity.
‘Mixed results’: OUT OF LOVE/BLACK MOUNTAIN – Orange Tree Theatre
Paines Plough has taken up residency at the Orange Tree Theatre this month with three plays running in rep. I caught up with two of the plays, Elinor Cook’s Out of Love and Brad Birch’s Black Mountain.
Text of the Day: Out of Love
Random and topical thoughts and quotes gathered by My Theatre Mates contributor Aleks Sierz, first published on www.sierz.co.uk.
‘Thought-provoking, playful & fun’: MISALLIANCE – Orange Tree Theatre
George Bernard Shaw was a theatrical superman. A critical attack dog as well as a creator of problem plays both pleasant and unpleasant, he invented the drama of ideas.
THE LADY FROM THE SEA – Donmar Warehouse ★★★★
The grounding comes in Kwame Kwei-Armah’s decision to transplant the play to 1950s Caribbean and in the casting of Nikki Amuka-Bird as Doctor Wangel’s second wife, Ellida giving her racial difference added weight as the family outsider and to her feelings of restlessness.
NEWS: Finbar Lynch & Ellie Bamber join Nikki Amuka-Bird in Donmar Lady from the Sea, Full cast
The Donmar Warehouse has announced full casting for Elinor Cook’s new version of Ibsen’s 1888 masterpiece The Lady from the Sea.
Text of the Day: Pilgrims
Random and topical thoughts and quotes gathered by My Theatre Mates contributor Aleks Sierz, first published on www.sierz.co.uk.
Photos & podcast: With playwright Elinor Cook & the Pilgrims company
Critic Matt Trueman described Elinor Cook‘s Pilgrims, about a pair of young mountain climbers, as the “peak of playwriting”. I got to talk mountain climbing, metaphors and much more with this whipsmart George Devine Award-winning playwright at last night’s Q&A after the performance of Pilgrims at London’s Yard Theatre.
PILGRIMS – The Yard Theatre
The metaphor of mountain climbing resonates with the crisis of masculinity in new sex-war drama.
PILGRIMS – Hightide Festival & touring
rom Wales to this easternmost festival Tamara Harvey – newish artistic director of Theatr Clwyd – brings a new play by Elinor Cook. It’s about two young men – celebrated climbers, Everest-conquerors, bonded buddies – and their interaction with a young woman engrossed in a PhD about “folk songs, war, travel, heroes, the romantic era..”