In the months from May to December 2021, it was, once again, possible to see live shows and review them in London and across the country: for me Birmingham, Sonning, Lowestoft, Ipswich, Norwich, Colchester, Northampton and elsewhere.
Looking back on the last two plague years: Part 1, The Onset
I set out to chronicle and celebrate the return of live theatre since May 2021. And this will follow. But when I totted up the 2021 score – 60 theatre nights, 30 being completely new plays and 19 brand-new productions – it seemed to me only decent to pause, look back at the year before.
Out of 346 shows seen, what were Ian Foster’s Top Ten #theatre2017 picks?
Well, we made it, just. 2017 passed by with just the 346 visits to the theatre, I don’t really know why I do it to myself! Out of those, 33 were return visits to shows I’d already seen and I got out of London for 32 shows – not too bad considering I don’t do Edinburgh and no one is covering my travel expenses!
It wasn’t all good: Debbie Gilpin recalls her 12 least favourite shows of #theatre2017
When you see around 200 different shows, you’re bound to come across a few duff ones, but I’m pleased to say that nearly all of the bad shows I saw can be found in this post.
FosterIAN Awards for Best Supporting Actress
Thinking about this most well-received of plays, it is the role of Aunt Maggie Faraway who lingers most in my mind, the elegiac beauty of her speeches an elegant way of folding in traditions of Irish storytelling and emphasising the deep bonds of family.
New Year’s Resolutions: Break a Leg looks back & plans ahead
2018 – a new year to embrace new shows and experiences in the theatrical bubble I often find myself mooching around in. As I’ve said in my previous more personal blog posts, I rarely take to my own blog to have a chat – but it’s a new year and I felt an update was… Continue Reading →
Matt Merritt’s #theatre2017 hits: ‘It was ultimately a year about women’
It was ultimately a year about women, with Herstory Festival and Bechdel Testing proving that there was plenty of excellent new writing from women, despite Hampstead Theatre claiming otherwise.
My Top 5 Productions of 2017
2017 has been a bumper year for Break A Leg, we’ve literally been all over the place in as many theatres as possible and loving every minute.
MADEUP’s best Liverpool shows 2017
Here we are again at the end of another year; so without further ado, here’s a bit of a list – the best theatre and performance from Liverpool (and surrounds) of 2017.
A year in puppets
After choosing in 2016 to focus on Shakespeare (in the 400th anniversary of his death), I went completely different this year and made it my mission to learn more about, and see more shows featuring, puppets.
Olivia’s top 10 musicals of 2017
This year I saw 105 shows so picking my top 10 was pretty tricky!
An Outsider’s View: Stephanie’s top shows of 2017
As a functioning theatre addict I clocked up 145 different shows in 2017. Which is no mean feat as my amateur status means I paid to see all these shows (as this is an unsustainable addiction, 2018 is gearing up to be much quieter).
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!
There Ought To Be Clowns’ 11 top theatre moments of 2017
As ever, the wait for the end-of-year lists of favourite plays and performances has to continue until I’ve actually stopped seeing theatre in 2017. But in the meantime, here’s a list of 11 of my top moments in a theatre in 2017.
Looking back: The best of Australian opera this year > #theatre2017 #YearInReview
Visiting superstars, theatre renovations, a maestro exposed and the untimely death of a beloved international baritone dominate the 2017 year of opera.
Looking back: The best of Australian musicals this year > #theatre2017 #YearInReview
The boutique musical boom went off the boil in 2017, while on the professional scene, Melbourne’s East End was dominated by one man: Casey Nicholaw.
Kris Hallet’s Year In Review
This was a year where the work touring into Bristol and the work I saw in Latitude, London, the cinema and New York dazzled.
Looking back: Victoria’s top 10 London shows of 2017 > #theatre2017 #YearInReview
I’m not usually crazy about rankings and hierarchy in the creative arts so, please, see this as more of a summary of all the shows that really shook me. Except for the Number One. I’m all about cheerleading that star at the top of my own personal Christmas tree. But I loved each of these shows and, if you caught them, I hope you did too.
Looking back: Caroline’s top 10 shows of 2017 > #theatre2017 #YearinReview
As another year passes it’s time to reflect on this years theatre trips. There have been some massive openings this year, a few well-deserved West End transfers and as always a few little gems Off-West End.
Looking Back: Upstaged Manchester’s top productions of 2017 > #theatre2017 #YearinReview
We’ve had premieres, modern adaptations and watched some shows receive West End transfers – the Manchester stages have been truly brilliant this year. Here is Upstaged Manchester’s round-up of theatrical highlights through 2017.