Gypsy

Gypsy, Savoy Theatre, 2015.

Cast: Billy Hartman, Damian Poole, Isla Huggins-Barr/Scarlett Roche, Holly Hazelton/Lara Wollington, Imelda Staunton, Harry Dickman, Tom Hodgkins, Peter Davison, Lara Pulver, Gemma Sutton, Dan Burton, Kieran Jae, Roger Dipper, Luke Street, Jack Chissick, Julie Legrand, Natalie Woods, Clare Halse, Danielle Morris, Anita Louise Combe, Louise Gold, Lauren Hall, Lucinda Shaw, Liz Ewing, Lauren Ingram, Tom Murphy, Philip Catchpole.

Book: Arthur Laurents

Music: Jule Styne

Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim

Director: Jonathan Kent

Was this the making of Imelda Staunton? Up to this point I'd only seen her in an underwhelming Joe Orton play although I'm sure she'd worked a lot but suddenly everyone paid attention. This was an absolute triumph and her performance was incredible.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Noel Coward Theatre, 2013.

Cast: Stefan Adegbola, Rachel Barry, Stefano Braschi, Jack Brown, Padraic Delaney, Richard Dempsey, Henry Everett, Susannah Fielding, Gavin Fowler, Katherine Kingsley, Alex Large, Sheridan Smith, Lorna Stuart, Sam Swainsbury, Craig Vye, David Walliams, Leo Wringer.

Writer: William Shakespeare

Director: Michael Grandage

This play is top of my list of Shakespeare's plays that I never want to see again - it's ridiculous. And it's interesting how times have changed for the casting - these two were quite the big deal at the time but now I'm unlikely to go near either of them: Sheridan has been overexposed and isn't maybe as talented as everyone suggested, and Walliams is a cunt. 

Putting it Together

Putting it Together, St James Theatre, 2014.

Cast: David Bedella, Daniel Crossley, Janie Dee, Damian Humbley, Caroline Sheen.

Writer: Stephen Sondheim

Director: Alastair Knights

This was the first thing I saw at this theatre, only their second production after opening. I had high hopes that it might be an interesting new addition to theatre in London but so far I've only been back once more. They're not very good at publicising what's on so I forget that they're there and also theatre in London has changed and the small, unknown stuff they put on has other outlets now. As for the show, it's a review of Sondheim's song - I'd be astonished if I didn't love it.

Kinky Boots

Kinky Boots, Adelphi Theatre, 2015.

Cast: Alan Vicary, Beau Cripps/Ben Dawson/Edward Green, Nana Agyeman-Bediako/James Gava/Tumo Restang, Robert Grose, Amy Ross, Killian Donnelly, Michael Hobbs, Jamie Baughan, Amy Lennox, Chloe Hart, Paul Ayres, Matt Henry, Jeremy Batt, Arun Blair-Mangat, Marcus Collins, Luke Jackson, Adam Lake, Javier Santos, Gillian Hardie, Michael Vinsen, Verity Quade, Sophie Isaacs, Sean Needham, Tim Prottey-Jones, Bleu Woodward.

Book: Harvey Fierstein

Music & lyrics: Cyndi Lauper

Director: Jetty Mitchell

Second viewing of this for me and this time in London, which I'm sure I loved because it would be stupid not to. This production was filmed and later show in cinemas and released as a cast recording so it's the one I know best. 

Mr Foote's Other Leg

Mr Foote's Other Leg, Theatre Royal Haymarket, 2015.

Cast: Micah Balfour, Jenny Galloway, Forbes Masson, Dervla Kirwan, Joseph Millson, Sophie Bleasdale, Simon Russell Beale, Colin Stinton, Joshua Elliott, Ian Kelly.

Writer: Ian Kelly

Director: Richard Eyre

This all seems a bit unlikely now but I imagine I went to this because the reviews were good. I can't help thinking I wouldn't be bothered to make the effort now, thinking it perhaps not my cup of tea despite so good people in the cast.

Kinky Boots

Kinky Boots, Al Hirschfeld Theater, 2015.

Cast: Stephen Berger, Graham Montgomery/Jake Katzman, D'Andre Lee/Jeremy T Villas, Eugene Barry Hill, Cortney Wolfson, Andy Kelso, Marcus Neville, Daniel Stewart Sherman, Jeanna de Waal, Natalie Joy Johnson, Jake Odmark, Kyle Taylor Parker, Nick Rashad Burroughs, Paul Canaan, Sean Patrick Doyle, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Kyle Post, Joey Taranto, Abby Mueller, John Jeffrey Martin, Adinah Alexander, Anna Eilinsfeld, Mia Gentile, Eric Leviton, Jennifer Perry, Stephen Tewkesbury.

Book: Harvey Fierstein

Music & lyrics: Cyndi Lauper

Director: Jerry Mitchell

I had to look at my other blog to find out when I saw this, something I've been avoiding doing as I want to see what I remember about things now. I knew we'd spent a lot on the ticket, because things are so much more expensive in New York, but I'd forgotten that we were in the front row of the circle. I'm also surprised to discover that I found the less camp songs a bit "rocky" and hoped they'd be toned down a bit before it came to London and perhaps they were because subsequently I've seen this several times and adore it. It helps that they've broadcast it in cinemas a few times as well - it's just a brilliantly joyful story.

Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense

Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2014.

Cast: John Gordon Sinclair, James Lance, Robert Goodale

Writers: the Goodale Brothers

Director: Sean Foley

I've never read a PG Wodehouse novel and I don't think I ever saw the TV series (was it Fry & Laurie?) so I really shouldn't have gone to this. Maybe it was funny but if it was it certainly wasn't memorable.