While Matthew Warchus at the other end of the Cut from the Young Vic, may have the Old Vic that he presides over (without any subsidy) dark, too, actually the theatre has been in use regularly and has continued to produce throughout the pandemic, with its “In Camera” broadcasts of live performances that have been staged in its empty auditorium.
20 of the things that inspired, moved, amused & delighted John Chapman in 2020
I’ve selected 20 of the things that inspired, moved, amused and delighted, which have pushed the boundaries of what it possible and continued to fly the flag for theatre in the UK.
‘Will only go from strength to strength as the run continues’: A CHRISTMAS CAROL – Old Vic (Online review)
Andrew Lincoln brings a real gravitas to proceedings in A Christmas Carol, anchoring the production and delivering a performance of variety and skill that will leave you hoping he returns to the stage more often in the future.
NEWS: Andrew Lincoln will star as Scrooge in The Old Vic’s In Camera production of A Christmas Carol
Andrew Lincoln will star as Ebenezer Scrooge in this year’s Old Vic: In Camera version of Jack Thorne’s A Christmas Carol from 12-24 December 2020.
NEWS: Three prizes each for & Juliet, Dear Evan Hansen & Emilia as Olivier Awards 2020 winners are announced
The winners of the Olivier Awards 2020 with Mastercard were announced in a special ITV programme filmed at The London Palladium, and on Official London Theatre’s YouTube channel.
NEWS: The Inheritance receives 11 Tony Awards 2020 nominations
Stephen Daldry has been nominated in the Best Director category for his staging of Matthew Lopez’s The Inheritance, originally at London’s Young Vic Theatre before its West End transfer to the Noel Coward Theatre. The Olivier Award-winning play which transferred to Broadway in November 2019 received 11 nominations.
‘A haunting & spellbinding play’: FAITH HEALER – Old Vic (Online review)
The third of the Old Vic’s ‘In Camera’ live streamed performances is Brian Friel’s 1979 play Faith Healer, often described as his masterpiece.
‘Showcases 3 actors at the top of their game’: FAITH HEALER – Old Vic (Online review)
Ultimately this Old Vic in Camera production of Faith Healer, starring Michael Sheen, David Threlfall and Indira Varma, is a flawless rendition of a deeply engrossing and emotional text.
‘A play we are sure to see again & again’: THREE KINGS – Old Vic (Online review)
Good things come to those who wait, an axiom that applies in duplicate to Stephen Beresford’s latest play Three Kings screened via the Old Vic’s innovative In Camera series for just five performances.
‘Gives Scott even more scope to sprinkle his performance magic’: THREE KINGS – Old Vic (Online review) ★★★★★
Three Kings, beautifully written by Stephen Beresford, gives Andrew Scott even more scope to sprinkle his performance magic. Created especially for the Old Vic’s In Camera season, it is described as a scratch performance but only the lack of embellishments like set and fancy lighting give any sign of this.
‘There is not a dud piece in the pack’: THE GREATEST WEALTH – Old Vic (Online review)
The series of monologues under the collective title The Greatest Wealth was first performed at The Old Vic Theatre in 2018 as part of the celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the NHS.
NEWS: Andrew Scott will star in new play Three Kings as part of the Old Vic’s In Camera season
Following the success of The Old Vic’s socially distanced In Camera production of Lungs, featuring Claire Foy and Matt Smith, Andrew Scott will star in new Stephen Beresford play Three Kings, streamed live from the venue’s empty auditorium.
‘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.
‘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.
‘This is our humanity. And sheer genius’ – Andrew Scott in SEA WALL
Lockdown occasionally spawns some real delights. Like the surprise appearance of a strange creature from the profoundest depths. One of these must be Andrew Scott’s superb performance in Simon Stephens’s Sea Wall.
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.
10 wish-list productions for future National Theatre At Home screenings
Following on from the instant success of National Theatre At Home streaming event, it’s got me thinking about all the other wonderful NT Live screenings that I’d love to come to the small screen as part of this series. I have narrowed it down to my top 10.
NEWS: West End & UK theatres to close with immediate effect
In light of the continued coronavirus emergency and advice from Prime Minister Boris Johnson that people should avoid “pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues” during the pandemic, SOLT and UK Theatre has announced that member venues will close from the evening of Monday 16 March 2020.
NEWS: Death Of A Salesman, Rosmersholm, Cyrano plus & Juliet lead the Olivier Awards 2020 nominations
The nominations have been announced for this year’s Olivier Awards which take place on 5 April 2020 at the Royal Albert Hall.
Text of the Day: Endgame
Random and topical thoughts and quotes gathered by My Theatre Mates contributor Aleks Sierz, first published on www.sierz.co.uk.