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.

Tammy Faye

 

Tammy Faye, Almeida, 2022.

Cast: Kelly Agbowu, Amy Booth-Steel, Katie Brayben, Colin Burnicle, Ashley Campbell, Peter Caulfield, Danny Collins, Richard Dempsey, Fred Haig, Georgia Louise, Andrew Rannells, Robyn Rose, Nicholas Rowe, Martin Sarreal, Steve John Shepherd, Gemma Sutton, Katie Bradley, Michael Kent.

Music: Elton John

Lyrics: Jake Shears

Books: James Graham

Director: Rupert Goold

The only time I've been to the Almeida (so far) and it was lovely. Tiny! And by coincidence a friend sat a few rows behind us so that was a nice surprise. As for the show, I remember liking it and finding it funny and well performed, but I couldn't tell you anything about the songs, and the fact that it didn't get a second life probably explains why. Maybe the subject is a bit niche for the UK?

The Mirror Crack'd

The Mirror Crack'd, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2022.

Cast: Susie Blake, Sophie Ward, Joe McFadden, Mara Allen, Oliver Boot, Sarah Lawrie, Lorenzo Martelli, Jules Melvin, David Partridge, Veronica Roberts, Chrystine Symone, Holly Smith.

Adapted by Rachel Wagstaff

Director: Philip Franks

Probably my favourite Miss Marple story so I imagine I loved this although I don't have any recollection of it. 

 

Private Lives

 

Private Lives, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2022.

Cast: Natalie Walter, Nigel Havers, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart, Patricia Hodge, Aicha Kossoko.

Writer: Noel Coward

Director: Christopher Luscombe

I wonder if I left this at the interval? I seem to think that Nigel Havers got a round of applause just for being Nigel Havers. I wonder if it's time to do Coward differently or to stop doing him for a bit?

The second bag

 

This, if my filing is correct, should be full of things for 2022. It's bulging which makes me think I was busy making up for the lost couple of years before, although a lot of the stuff in there is brochures for country houses which I was doing with a vengeance. Hopefully my memory for things more recent will be a bit better.