Private Lives

Private Lives, Vaudeville Theatre, 2010.

Cast: Lisa Dillon, Matthew Macfadyen, Simon Paisley Day, Kim Cattrall, Caroline Lena Olsson.

Writer: Noel Coward

Director: Richard Eyre

I imagine Kim Cattrall was good in this, far better than a recent production I saw with Nigel Havers and Patricia Hodge. I think it might be time to rest this play for a bit and look at some of Noel's other plays instead.

Shakers

Shakers, 1992, venue unknown.

Cast: Nicola Vickery, Rebecca Clay, Tracy Sweetinburgh, Joanne Wootton.

Writers: John Godber & Jane Thornton

Director: John Godber

Another one of John Godber's slightly interchangeable plays, which I assume was set in a cocktail bar although the programme doesn't give much away. The more of these I uncover the more curious I am to see one again.

Evita

Evita, Adelphi Theatre, 2006.

Cast: Elena Roger, Philip Quast, Matt Rawle, Greg Castiglioni, Lorna Want, Paul Basleigh, Stephanie Bron, Vivien Carter, Dean Chisnall, John Clarke, Emma Dodd, Edward French, Emma Harris, Mark Heenehan, Halcro Johnston, Pip Jordan, Jackie Marks, Anna Mateo, Kirsty Mather, Aoife Nally, Grant Neal, Adam Pearce, Mark Powell, Joseph Prouse, Fiona Reyes, Sarah Ryan, Jeremy Secombe, Kate Tydman, Jez Unwin, Gary Watson, Imogen Byron, Tanyel Hassan, Hayley Miller, Charlotte Rogers, .

Lyrics: Tim Rice

Composer: Andrew Lloyd Webber

Director: Michael Grandage

My third Evita so far but unlikely to be the last. Notable for the fact that Elena Roger was the first Argentinian to play Eva Peron, I'm guessing it's in the whole world. They didn't feel the need to be quite so authentic with her husband which then makes the whole thing look more like a stunt. I'd forgotten it was directed by Michael Grandage who might end up being the director whose work I've seen most. What I remember most about it was that it was a bit dull sadly.

On the Town

On the Town, London Coliseum, 2007.

Cast: Rodney Clarke, Ryan Molloy, Sean Palmer, Joshua Dallas, Helen Anker, Caroline O'Connor, Lucy Schaufer, June Whitfield. Andrew Shore, Janine Duvitski, Alison Jiear, Garry Sutcliffe, David Campbell, Christopher Speight, Christopher Ross, Jane Powell, Lucy Anderson, Danielle Young, Stephane Anelli, Alex France, David Dyer, Simone Sault, Ashley Day, EJ Boyle, Ashley Halee.

Music: Leonard Bernstein

Book & lyrics: Betty Comden & Adolph Green

Director: Jude Kelly

I must have gone to this because I love the film version - singing sailors in New York, what's not to love. I remember nothing about it other than June Whitfield was in it although it must have been a minor role. It was at the London Coliseum and probably my first visit there. The programme doesn't let you forget how fancy it is and actually barely mentions the venue and instead bangs on about English National Opera a lot, which isn't at all welcoming. I wish someone would do a touring version of this because I'd love to see it again.

Billy Elliot the Musical

Billy Elliot the Musical, Victoria Palace, 2005.

Cast: Hadyn Gwynne, Philip Whitchurch, Leon Cooke, Liam Mower, Travis Yates, Ann Emery, Chris Lennon, Craig Armstrong, David Bardsley, Paul Broughton, Erica Ann Deakin, Alex Delamere, Damien Delaney, Susan Fay, Alan Forrester, Tim Funnell, Isaac James, Gillian Kirkpatrick, Tom Linecar, David Massey, Francis Maston, Michelle McAvoy, Kark Morgan, Daniel Page, Tim Parker, Lee Proud, Stephanie Putson, Neil Reynolds, Mike Scott, Phil Snowden, Tessa Worsley, Emma Hudson, Leigh Laurie, Brooke Havana Bailey, Ryan Longbottom, Brad Kavanagh, Joey Philips.

Music: Elton John

Book & lyrics: Lee Hall

Director: Stephen Daldry

The first song of this, with miners and a brass band if my memory serves me correctly, made me cry and I never recovered for it. It was a brilliant show and now I'm cross with myself for not making the effort to see it again while it was still on - I assume these things will be there forever and should make more effort to really appreciate the good stuff. I'd love it to tour but I imagine that's almost impossible with children in the leading roles.

Spend Spend Spend

Spend Spend Spend, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2001.

Cast: Barbara Dickson, Rachel Leskovac, Nigel Williams, Grant Anthony, Karen Clegg, Kevin Curtin, Erica Deakin, Peter Edbrook, Mark Halliday, Melissa Jacques, Cheryl Knight, Carl Patrick, Nicola Sloane, Matthew Storey, Anthony Thornley, Graham Vick, Annie Wensak.

Book, music & lyrics: Steve Brown

Book & lyrics: Justin Greene

Director: Anna Linstrum

Choreographer: Craig Revel Horwood (three years before Strictly... started) 

The story of Pools winner Viv Nicholson told as a musical. She was still alive at the time - I wonder what she made of it? Anyone would be pleased having Barbara Dickson play them I think. This feels like the kind of thing that Jonathan Harvey (Beautiful Thing) would do really well, but I suppose now it's been done there'll be no need for another version.

Chicago

Chicago, Adelphi Theatre, 2012.

Cast: Anita Louise-Combe, Leigh Zimmerman, Michael Simkins, Paul Rider, Alison Moyet, Andie Emerson, Simon Green, Jeff Edwards, Elizabeth Cooper-Gee, Emma Gray, Simon Harper, Kerry Jay, Howard Jones, Sarah Keeton, Vanessa Leigh-Hicks, Dee McKechnie, Axel Olzinger, Odette Perdrisat, Rachel Pressland, Michael Small, Spencer Soloman, Alessandro Splendore, Emma Tunmore, Daan Wijnands, Nikki Worrall.

Composer & Lyrics: John Kander & Fred Ebb

Director: Walter Bobbie

I've lost count of how many times I've seen this, party because it toured a lot but also because it opened a long time ago now (1997). This might turn out to be the second time I saw it in the West End. It might be the time me and a friend had front row seats, which is slightly unnerving when you're that close to so many hot dancers. It's the second time I've seen Alison Moyet acting which means I've seen her acting as many times as I've seen her performer as a pop singer. I'd see this again at the drop of a hat.

Richard III & The Comedy of Errors

Richard III & The Comedy of Errors, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2011.

Cast: Tony Bell, Kelsey Brookfield, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart, Wayne Cater, Richard Clother, John Dougall, Richard Frame, Robert Hands, Chris Myles, David Newman, Thomas Padden, Sam Swainsbury, Dominic Tighe, Jon Trenchard.

Writer: William Shakespeare

Director: Edward Hall

Inevitably I remember nothing about these two productions. Lots has changed for Richard III since then - the following year his body was found under a car park in Leicester and he got a proper burial, and people continue to try and clear his name. It does mean that his story is now much more familiar so when I've seen this play since then the plot was much easier to follow.

Frankenstein

Frankenstein, Olivier Theatre, 2011.

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Jonny Lee Miller, Mark Armstrong, Martin Chamberlain, Josie Daxter, Haydon Downing, Steven Elliott, George Harris, Naomie Harris, Daniel Ings, Karl Johnson, John Killoran, Daniel Millar, William Nye, Andreea Padurariu, Jared Richard, Ella Smith, John Stahl, Lizzie Winkler.

Writer: Nick Dear

Director: Danny Boyle

Music & Sound scape: Underworld

This was a very big deal and I'm not sure I realised at the time just how lucky I was to get tickets for it. It's the kind of combination of people that can surely happen only once in a lifetime. The following year Danny Boyle did the Olympics opening ceremony and has only done one piece of theatre since (Manchester, 2023). Benedict Cumberbatch has only done Hamlet since this and I can't imagine he'll be rushing back to a theatre any time soon. The day I went he was playing the creature but I saw it in the cinema with Jonny Lee Miller playing the creature so I completed the set. I'd forgotten it was straight through with no interval. I remember entering the theatre and being impressed by how they'd lit the set. This is how to do a story everyone knows too well.

Hymn

 

Hymn, Lyttleton Theatre, 2013.

Cast: Alex Jennings

Writer: Alan Bennet

Director: Nadia Fall

This was part of a double bill with Cocktail Sticks and I remember nothing of it either. Apparently it was only thirty minutes long and as there was music as part of it there can't have been much acting. It feels like the kind of thing Radio 3 might do for a Bank Holiday weekend and it was recorded for the radio eventually. I wonder if the stuff Bennett writes in the programme about it is more interesting than the piece itself.