Peggy for You

 

Peggy for You, Hampstead Theatre, 2022.

Cast: Josh Finan, Trevor Fox, Tamsin Greig, Danusia Samal, Jos Vantyler.

Writer: Alan Plater

Director: Richard Wilson

I saw a production of this in 2000 starring Maureen Lipman and remembered it fondly so was really pleased when it was revived, especially with the brilliant Tamsin Greig in the lead role. It's one of those performances that makes you remember it as a one woman show when clearly it wasn't. I'd see this again. Also, it's a lovely theatre in Hampstead.

A Single Man

 

A Single Man, Park Theatre, 2022.

Cast: Olivia Darnley, Theo Fraser Steele, Freddie Gaminara, Miles Molan, Phoebe Pryce.

Adapted by Simon Reade

Director: Philip Wilson

I really like the Park Theatre and the programme and the material all suggest class but I remember nothing about it. Perhaps it could have done with a slightly better known cast? Perhaps it was enough that there had been a film of it already?

Cruise

 

Cruise, Apollo Theatre, 2022.

Cast: Jack Holden

Writer: Jack Holden

Director: Bronagh Lagan

A few people I know saw this and absolutely loved it so I got a cheap ticket near the back at the end of the run and also loved it. It was a brilliant play about gay London oion the 80s, just the kind of thing I want to see more of. I was wondering what Jack did next and as I write this he's just won an Olivier award. I hope he does something else brilliantly gay soon. 

A Little Night Music

 

A Little Night Music, Leeds Playhouse, 2022.

Cast: Dame Josephine Barstow, Gillene Butterfield, Corinne Cowling, Helen Évora, Amy Freston, Fiona Kimm, Quirijn de Lang, Sam Marston, Agatha Meehan, Christopher Nairne, Tim Ochala-Greenough, Claire Pascoe, Amy J Payne, Sandra Piques Eddy, Dean Robinson, Ivan Sharpe, Lucy Sherman.

Music & lyrics: Stephen Sondheim

Book: Hugh Wheeler

Director: James Brining 

This was part of my attempt to go to the theatre more outside London and it was a triumph even before I got into the auditorium. Leeds was lovely, the theatre was lovely, and then the show. I've only seen this once before so I don't know it that well but it was beautiful. I'd love to go back and see something else there but I suspect I won't.

Mary

 

Mary, Hampstead Theatre, 2022.

Cast: Douglas Henshall, Rona Morison, Brian Vernel, Meg Watson, Alexa Bauer, Nichaela Farrell, Natalie Glover, Zyna Goldy, Kara Hakanson, Mayuko Kawai, Diana Kozak, Lara Leboff, Maria Cole, Racks Nieto, Saskia O'Hara, Theresa Pine, Jo Shane, Roshini Sridhar, Jane Staiano, Nicola Thorpe.

Writer: Rona Munro

Director: Roxana Silbert

I was very excited about this because Rona wrote The James Plays, three plays about the first three King James of Scotland, which I saw all in one day in Norwich from a seat on the stage and it's easily one of my top ten theatre performances ever. Plus I'm mildly obsessed with Mary Queen of Scots, partly because she was imprisoned on an island in Loch Leven and we used to have family holidays near there. And also because some tapestries that she worked on with Bess of Hardwick are on display in Oxburgh Hall, my nearest National Trust place. And I think Douglas might have just announced he was leaving Shetland.

The reality was a bit boring. The staging was very stark which initially looks striking but you soon realise there's nothing to interest the eye so when the play doesn't work as well where does your mind wander? I still think there's room for a really good play about Mary Queen of Scots (Mary Stuart also isn't it).

Jack Absolute Flies Again

 

Jack Absolute Flies Again, Olivier Theatre, 2022.

Cast: James Corrigan, Theo Cowan, Laurie Davidson, Kelvin Fletcher, Peter Forbes, Shailan Gohil, Kerry Howard, Jordan Metcalfe, Caroline Quentin, Akshay Sharan, Natalie Simpson, Tim Steed, Helena Wilson, Millie Hikasa, Chris Jenkins, George Kemp, Joanne McGuinness, Geoffrey Towers.

Writers: Richard Bean & Oliver Chris

Director: Emily Burns

This was a joy. A romp. A really fun afternoon in the theatre. Big set, bit cast, big props, lots going on. Like a kids trip to the theatre for adults. And it's not often you can say that about the National Theatre.

Murder on the Orient Express

 

Murder on the Orient Express, Chichester Festival Theatre, 2022.

Cast: Henry Goodman, Matt Addis, Philip Cairns, Taz Munyaneza, Sara Stewart, Samuel Collings, Patrick Robinson, Marc Antolin, Joanna McCallum, Joanna Van Kampen, Timothy Watson, Laura Rogers, Kelvin Ade, Joelie Dyson, Jacqueline Tate, Sophie Bye/Eleanor Sebastian.

Adapted by Ken Ludwig

Director: Jonathan Church

I was intrigued by how they were going to do the train on stage and in the end it was small pods, almost like a narrow gauge railway, but with the huge front of the train at the back of the stage occasionally. [In the touring version I saw a few years later they did the carriage differently and they worked a bit better, which surprised me as usually the touring version would be the "cheaper" one.] The lost a couple of characters to make it all a bit more manageable and although I knew how it ended I really enjoyed it. Poirot is tricky character to play but I think he did okay with this.