Oklahoma!

Oklahoma!, Chichester Festival Theatre, 2019.

Cast: Hyoie O'Grady, Josie Lawrence, Amara Okereke, Isaac Gryn, Emmanuel Kojo, Bronte Barbé, Scott Karim, Emily Langham, Nicholas Colicos, Christopher Dickens, Bethany Huckle, Georgie Ashford, Imogen Bailey, Lindsay Atherton, Michelle Andrews, Paige Fenton, Anna Woodside, Alyn Hawke, Jak Skelly, Jeremy Batt, Alex Christian, Michael Lin, Rory Shafford, Rhys West.

Music: Richard Rodgers

Book & lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

Director: Jeremy Sams

I imagine I saw this as it was the big musical at Chichester that year and I hadn't seen it before. Bits of it felt very much of its time, which is fine, but I don't think I need too see it again.

 

Another Country

Another Country, Trafalgar Studios, 2014.  

Cast: Will Attenborough, Rob Callender, Mark Donald, James Parris, Rowan Polonski, Cai Brigden, Mark Quartley, Dario Coates, Bill Milner, Julian Wadham.

Writer: Julian Mitchell

Director: Jeremy Herrin

I'm very fond of the film of the same name but had never realised it's based on a play. I don't remember much about either, just vague stuff about Cambridge and spies. I wonder if they managed to make it look as beautiful as the film does?

The Pride

The Pride, Trafalgar Studios, 2013.

Cast: Hayley Atwell, Harry Hadden-Paton, Matthew Horne, Al Weaver.

Writer: Alexi Kaye Campbell

Director: Jamie Lloyd 

I have fond memories of this without actually remembering what it was about other than it was a "gay" play. I'd also forgotten that Matthew Horne was in it and more significantly that Jamie Lloyd directed it. As I type this he's having a bit of a moment, premiering Evita this weekend. This explains how he got Hayley Atwell to do his Shakespeare thing earlier in the year. I'd be up for a revival of this if anyone is in the mood.

King Charles III

King Charles III, Wyndham's Theatre, 2014.

Cast: Tim Pigott-Smith, Katie Brayben, Oliver Chris, Richard Goulding, Nyasha Hatendi, Adam James, Margot Leicester, Miles Richardson, Tom Robertson, Nicholas Rowe, Tafline Steen, Lydia Wilson.

Writer: Mike Bartlett

Director: Rupert Goold

I loved this which wasn't necessarily a given as I have mixed feelings about the Royal Family and it's written in iambic pentameter (I think). But it was a brilliant play. Interestingly I bought the DVD of it years later and couldn't bring myself to watch it in case it wasn't as good, and now he's actually king I think the moment has definitely passed. So this just existed, for me at least, in the moment I saw it and in memory which is sometimes how theatre needs to be.

The James Plays

The James Plays, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2016.

Cast: Rosemary Boyle, Daniel Cahill, Ali Craig, Malin Crépin, Blythe Duff, Nicholas Elliott, Peter Forbes, Andrew Fraser, Dani Heron, Brian James O'Sullivan, Sian Mannifield, David Mara, Steven Miller, Calum Morrison, Matthew Pidgeon,Sally Reid, Andrew Rothney, John Stahl, Andrew Still, Fiona Wood.

Writer: Rona Munro

Director: Laurie Sansom

One of the best experiences I've ever had in the theatre. Three plays in one day, one each about James I, II & III of Scotland, with the same cast performing in each. And I had a seat on the stage so I was right in the thick of it. Details are hazy but I remember it being incredible.

Mrs Henderson Presents

Mrs Henderson Presents, Noel Coward Theatre, 2016.

Cast: Tracie Bennett, Ian Bartholomew, Emma Williams, Jamie Foreman, Robert Hands, Matthew Malthouse, Samuel Holmes, Katie Bernstein, Lizzy Connolly, Lauren Hood, Liz Ewing, Sarah Bakker, Rhiannon Chesterman, Victoria Hay, Oliver Jackson, Alexander Delamere, Andrew Bryant, Katrina Kleve, Tania Newton, Sam O'Rourke, Neil Stewart, Dickie Wood, Emily Goodenough, Ian Gareth Jones, Lauren Logan, Graham Vick.

Book: Terry Johnson

Lyrics: Don Black

Music: George Fenton & Simon Chamberlain

Director: Terry Johnson

I'm slightly surprised to have seen this really. I quite liked the film but no more than loads of other films. I expect Tracie Bennett was good, because she always is.

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2015.

Cast: Helen Anderson, Lisa Baird, Eva Bell, Andrew Bone, Ed Brody, Phil Cheadle, Kit Lessner, Marianne Oldham, Robert Styles, Eleanor Thorn, Rosie Wyatt, Jabez Cheeseman/Cameron Duncan/Finlay Wright-Stephens,  Tom Hibberd/Colby Mulgrew/Sam Peterson.

Adapted by Angus Jackson

Director: Joe Murphy

What made this book this is based on so good is the way the story revealed itself, something that could only be done as a book. The film and then this were unnecessary because they're not books and without that element it doesn't matter how good they are, they just become another play or film about WW2.