The Full Monty

The Full Monty, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2014.

Cast: Gary Lucy, Andrew Dunn, Louis Emerick, Rupert Hill, Martin Miller, Bobby Schofield, Liz Carney, Stephen Donald, David MacCreedy, Philip Knight, Andy McSorley, Laura Mould, Jo Mousley, Kate Wood, Raid Clarke/Fraser Kelly/Evan McKevitt/Cameron Stenhouse.

Writer: Simon Beaufoy

Director: Roger Haines

It's disappointing to delve into the box and find a programme for another adaptation of something from another medium. The film this is based on has just celebrated a significant anniversary and there was a lot of stuff about how important it was, which I suspect didn't translate into the stage show (men getting their clothes off will do that).

Priscilla Queen of the Desert

 

Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2013.

Cast: Emma Kingston, Ellie Leah, Laura Mansell, Alan Hunter, Jason Donovan, Julie Stark, Regan Shepherd, Richard Grieve, Giles Watling, Frances Mayli McCann, Leon Kay, Harry Burns/Aaron Ford, James Cohen, Wayne Fitzsimmons, Dann Kharsa, Liam Marcellino, Ashley Rumble, Katie Birtill, Ian Oswald, Aaron Sweeney-Harris, Bleu Woodward.

Book: Stephan Elliott & Allan Scott

Director: Simon Phillips

I loathed this. The mood in the theatre was "hen night" with pink cowboy hats and feather boas because straight women love the gays. All that camp misses the point that it's actually quite a sweet and poignant film but I don't suppose straight people want that from the gays.

Cabaret

Cabaret, The Broadway Theatre, 2013.

Cast: Will Young, Siobhan Dillon, Lyn Paul, Matt Rawle, Linal Haft, Valerie Cutko, Nicholas Tizzard, Carly Blackburn, Emily Bull, Luke Fetherston, Simon Jaymes, Alessia Lugoboni, Callum MacDonald, Alastair Postlethwaite, Oliver Roll, Alexzandra Sarmiento, Shahla Tarrant, Cydney Uffindell-Phillips.

Book: Joe Masteroff

Music: John Kander

Lyrics: Fred Ebb

Director: Rufus Norris

My second viewing of this production on its second tour, and I think there might have been a third for both of us. It was my first time in this theatre, which seemed to have reopened after being closed for a while, but something happened and it changed its name and got taken over by the council. I still want to visit it again. And I'd still like to see Will Young act again, if he's in the mood for it.

Present Laughter

Present Laughter, Cambridge Arts Theatre, 2016.

Cast: Daisy Boulton, Sally Tatum, Martin Hancock, Phyllis Logan, Samuel West, Rebecca Johnson, Patrick Walshe McBride, Toby Longworth, Jason Morell, Zoe Boyle, Elizabeth Holland.

Writer: Noel Coward

Director: Stephen Unwin

I liked this a lot. It's a funny play about an actor being self-obsessed and slightly awful, which is always a fun thing to watch, and Samuel West is just excellent. More recently Andrew Scott did it at The Old Vic although I only got to see the filmed version and I loved that too. Perhaps that means this is my favourite Noel Coward play (although I doubt I've seen more than three or four, which is a very small proportion of his work).

Gypsy

Gypsy, Savoy Theatre, 2015.

Cast: Billy Hartman, Damian Poole, Isla Huggins-Barr/Scarlett Roche, Holly Hazelton/Lara Wollington, Imelda Staunton, Harry Dickman, Tom Hodgkins, Peter Davison, Lara Pulver, Gemma Sutton, Dan Burton, Kieran Jae, Roger Dipper, Luke Street, Jack Chissick, Julie Legrand, Natalie Woods, Clare Halse, Danielle Morris, Anita Louise Combe, Louise Gold, Lauren Hall, Lucinda Shaw, Liz Ewing, Lauren Ingram, Tom Murphy, Philip Catchpole.

Book: Arthur Laurents

Music: Jule Styne

Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim

Director: Jonathan Kent

Was this the making of Imelda Staunton? Up to this point I'd only seen her in an underwhelming Joe Orton play although I'm sure she'd worked a lot but suddenly everyone paid attention. This was an absolute triumph and her performance was incredible.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Noel Coward Theatre, 2013.

Cast: Stefan Adegbola, Rachel Barry, Stefano Braschi, Jack Brown, Padraic Delaney, Richard Dempsey, Henry Everett, Susannah Fielding, Gavin Fowler, Katherine Kingsley, Alex Large, Sheridan Smith, Lorna Stuart, Sam Swainsbury, Craig Vye, David Walliams, Leo Wringer.

Writer: William Shakespeare

Director: Michael Grandage

This play is top of my list of Shakespeare's plays that I never want to see again - it's ridiculous. And it's interesting how times have changed for the casting - these two were quite the big deal at the time but now I'm unlikely to go near either of them: Sheridan has been overexposed and isn't maybe as talented as everyone suggested, and Walliams is a cunt. 

Putting it Together

Putting it Together, St James Theatre, 2014.

Cast: David Bedella, Daniel Crossley, Janie Dee, Damian Humbley, Caroline Sheen.

Writer: Stephen Sondheim

Director: Alastair Knights

This was the first thing I saw at this theatre, only their second production after opening. I had high hopes that it might be an interesting new addition to theatre in London but so far I've only been back once more. They're not very good at publicising what's on so I forget that they're there and also theatre in London has changed and the small, unknown stuff they put on has other outlets now. As for the show, it's a review of Sondheim's song - I'd be astonished if I didn't love it.