Cabaret

 

Cabaret, Playhouse Theatre, 2023.

Cast: Jake Shears, Rebecca Lucy Taylor, Nathan Ives-Moiba, Beverley Klein, Teddy Kempner, Wilf Scolding, Jessica Kirton, Liv Alexander, Natalie Chua, Laura Delany, Taite-Elliot Drew, Damon Gould, El Haq Latief, Grant Neal, Hicaro Nicolai, Travis Ross, Nic Myers.

Book: Joe Masteroff

Music: John Kander

Lyrics: Fred Ebb

I really should have seen this when it opened with Jessie Buckley and Eddie Redmayne but at the time I thought I'd seen this show enough and didn't need to see another production. Then it turned out to be an absolute sensation and it was just a matter of waiting until a cast change really appealed to me. I couldn't resist the idea of seeing Rebecca and Jake was an added bonus although in the end he wasn't performing the day I went (despite me going through the schedule and double checking). I took a risk and spent £100 on a ticket and it was worth every penny. I stumbled out at the end slightly dazed by it all and then had to go and be sociable with a friend. The staging and performances were both incredible. I'd definitely go back again for the right cast. The sticker on the front of the programme was to go over the camera in your phone so you didn't take any photos. A triumph.

The Motive and the Cue

 

The Motive and the Cue, Lyttelton Theatre, 2023.

Cast: Aaron Anthony, Tom Babbage, Allan Corduner, Janie Dee, Elena Delia, Ryan Ellsworth, Johnny Flynn, Mark Gatiss, Phoebe Horn, Aysha Kala, Tuppence Middleton, Luke Norris, Huw Parmenter, David Ricardo-Pearce, David Tarkenter, Kate Tydman, Laurence Ubong Williams, Michael Walters.

Writer: Jack Thorne

Director: Sam Mendes

Based on a true story of the time when Sir John Gielgud directed Richard Burton in Hamlet on Broadway not longer after Burton married Taylor, who was along for the ride but bored. An extraordinary play which I partly liked because I really like Hamlet and any discussion around that is good. But also because it's about celebrity and different kinds of acting. But mostly because the acting is incredible as is the staging - the ending was so theatrical it moved me to tears. I bought the play text and it was just as good to read it as to see it.

The Mousetrap

 

The Mousetrap, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2023.

Cast: Joelle Dyson, Laurence Pears, Elliot Clay, Gwyneth Strong, Todd Carty, Essie Barrow, Kieran Brown, Joseph Reed.

Writer: Agatha Christie

Directors: Ian Talbot & Denise Silvey

I definitely saw the 60th anniversary production but still feel like I've seen another one as well. Perhaps I'll never know. I wonder how many times I'd have to see it before I remember who did it? I remember liking this a lot, finding it a little less wooden and old-fashioned than it might have been.

Standing at the Sky's Edge

 

Standing at the Sky's Edge, Olivier Theatre, 2023.

Cast: Darragh Cowley, Ahmed Hamad, Severine Howell-Mari, Samuel Jordan, Bobbie Little, Robert Lonsdale, David McKechnie, Maimuna Memon, Rachael Louise Miller, Baker Mukasa, Alastair Natkiel, Faith Omole, Adam Price, Consuela Rolle, Nicola Sloane, Jake Small, Deborah Tracey, Rachael Wooding, Alex Young, Amira Anderson/Hallie Barthra/Neriah Boakye, William Barker/Luke Beggs/Harry Weston, Gloria Akinfe, Isabel Barbuk, Margot Edwards, Any Hawthorne, Zsara Jaeger, Rian Perle, Scott Westoby, Akil Young.

Music & lyrics: Richard Hawley

Book: Chris Bush

Director: Robert Hastie

The transfer that took a long while coming because of the pandemic, but when it arrived it felt unchanged from the original production (which was perfect) and was a complete joy all over again. I'm still a bit cross with myself that I didn't go and see the West End transfer, but I was hoping for cheap tickets and it was so popular that there weren't any.

Brokeback Mountain

 

Brokeback Mountain, @sohoplace, 2023.

Cast: Mike Faist, Lucas Hedges, Eddi Reader, Emily Fairn, Paul Hickey, Martin Marquez, Sophie Read.

Writer: Ashley Robinson 

Songs: Dan Gillespie Sells

Director: Jonathan Butterell

I had high hopes for this for several reasons: it was based on a film I loved so much I saw it four times when it was released; Dan Gillespie Sells was responsible for Everybody's Talking about Jamie, which is surely my favourite musical of recent years; and a brand new theatre right in the centre of London (silly name though).

The fact that it took me a minute to remember it was a musical suggests that part of the production wasn't a success. And perhaps it's too late to do this - I think people have started to feel different about the film, a "gay" story told entirely by straight people is a bit tricky now. The theatre was nice though, although typically I haven't found an excuse to go back.

The Third Bag

 

This covers 2023 and although it's wedged quite tightly with stuff I don't think there's as much in there as I'd expected. I hadn't gone out less, but the theatre in Norwich made it more difficult to buy programmes so quite often I didn't bother, thereby not knowing who I'd seen until I got home and could look it up online.

Brief Encounter

 

Brief Encounter, Theater by the Lake, 2022.

Cast: Anne-Marie Piazza, Pete Ashmore, Robert Jackson, Natasha Lewis, Lara Lewis, Joey Hickman, Rishi Manuel.

Adapted by Emma Rice

Director: Paul Robinson

I saw this in London years ago and loved it. This was in a beautiful theatre in the middle of a lovely week's holiday. The cast were excellent and one of them came and talked to us in character before it started and gave us a scone, and then we got a nod later. It's brilliantly written and incredibly lovely, a treat.

Dawn French is a Huge Twat

 

Dawn French is a Huge Twat, Cambridge Corn Exchange, 2022.

Cast: Dawn French

Director: Michael Grandage

I love Dawn French. I always describe myself as a twat. This was just an excuse for her to get on stage and tell stories and make us all laugh until it hurt. Amazing.

Jack and the Beanstalk

Jack and the Beanstalk, London Palladium, 2022.

Cast: Dawn French, Julian Clary, Alexandra Burke, Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Gary Wilmot, Louis Gaunt, Rob Madge, Natalie McQueen, Briana Craig, Demmileigh Foster, Belle Kizzy Grane Hind, Emma Hunter, Ediz Ibrahim, Megan Louch, Ciro Lourencio Meulens, Alexandra O'Reilly, Andrew Lyle-Pinnock, Lauren Stroud, Grant Thresh, Maxwell Trengove, Zinzile Tshuma, Jaydon Vijn, Luke Woollaston.

Director: Michael Harrison

Dawn French buggering about with Julian Clary? What's not to love! I suspect Alexandra Burke was underused in this as there are so many people in the cast. Always a joy.

& Juliet

 

& Juliet, Shaftesbury Theatre, 2022.

Cast: Grace Mouat, Cassidy Janson, Oliver Tompsett, David Bedella, Alex Thomas-Smith, Jordan Luke Gage, Melanie La Barrie, Tim Mahendran, Jocasta Almgill, Ivan De Freitas, Roshani Abbey, Rhian Duncan, Kieran Lai, Nathan Lorainey-Dineen, Antoine Murray-Straughan, Kerri Norville, Kirstie Skivington, Alex Tranter, Rhys Wilkinson, Josh Baker, Abiola Efunshile, Jaye Marshall, Billy Nevers, Christopher Parkinson, Sophie Usher.

Music & lyrics: Max Martin & friends

Book: David West Read

Director: Luke Shepphard

This was so good I have no idea why it took me so long to go and see it. And when it closed I went to see it on tour. The songs are of course brilliant and used very cleverly. I've always got time for stuff that reimagines Shakespeare - I think he's a bit like the late Queen, in that he's incredibly familiar and yet we know nothing about him so it's easy to project stuff onto him (like Hamnet, recently).

I'm reminded that the friend I went with didn't pay me for the ticket and isn't it funny how people who don't work for money are always the ones who are odd about money.

Anyone Can Whistle

 

Anyone Can Whistle, Southwark Playhouse, 2022.

Cast: Alex Young, Chrystine Symone, Jordan Broatch, Danny Lane, Samuel Clifford, Renan Teodoro, Nathan Taylor, Kathryn Akin, Marisha Morgan, Teddy Hinde, Hana Iijcha, Shane Convery, Jensen Tudtud. 

Music & lyrics: Stephen Sondheim

Book: Arthur Laurents

Director: George Rankcom

I don't remember a single song from this, just bright costumes and lots going on with the cast. I suspect it's minor Sondheim and I'd like to see them all so it had to be seen. Plus Alex Young is always incredibly watchable, and the Southwark Playhouse is a great theatre. It's been a while since I was there and I miss it.

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.

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?