Saturday 3 June 2017

Last 10 things seen at the theatre: #108

16th May to 2nd June.


List the last 10 things you saw at the theatre in order:
1. Barber Shop Chronicles (National; Dorfman)
2. Caroline, or Change (Minerva Theatre)
3. The Treatment (Almeida)
4. An Octoroon (Orange Tree Theatre)
5. The Ferryman (Royal Court)
6. Woyzeck (Old Vic)
7. The Lady in the Van (Drake Hall)
8. Angels in America: Perestroika (National; Lyttelton)
9. Angels in America: Millennium Approaches (National; Lyttelton)
10. Obsession (Barbican)

Who was the best performer in number one (Barber Shop Chronicles)?
It was a proper ensemble piece full of excellent performers, I really don't want to have to choose between them for I loved them all dearly.

Why did you go to see number two (Caroline, or Change)?
A proper Tony Kushner season only comes around once every decade, I didn't miss the last one, and I wasn't going to miss this one either, no matter how difficult they try making it for me to buy tickets.

Can you remember a line/lyric from number three (The Treatment) that you liked?
"I'd like you to meet Clifford." (After all this time I finally remember a line, and it just doesn't work so well out of context! Oh well!)

What would you give number four (An Octoroon) out of ten?
9! I enjoyed it A LOT.

Was there someone hot in number five (The Ferryman)?
I'm just generally attracted to Paddy Considine in all his forms. I may have to rewatch Hot Fuzz.

What was number six (Woyzeck) about?
I don't entirely know what it was about but I'm pretty certain it wasn't about Woyzeck as we may already understand him.

Who was your favourite actor in number seven (The Lady in the Van)?
Local production, actual friends, not willing to start anything by singling anyone out.

What was your favourite bit in number eight (Angels in America: Perestroika)?
I've always loved the bit where Louis says Kaddish for Roy with help from Ethel, and thanks to some quite good acting choices it was even better here than I've seen it before.

Would you see number nine (Angels in America: Millennium Approaches) again?
Well I already booked my return trip, so we'll see if three months is long enough for my tailbone to forget the horror of sitting still in the Lyttelton for over seven and a half hours.

What was the worst thing about number ten (Obsession)?
OH MY GOODNESS WHERE DO I START. The turgid dialogue? The glacial pace? The complete lack of clarity of place or time that was less sexily ambiguous and more infuriatingly baffling? The fact that I was in the middle of a row and couldn't escape without disturbing over thirty people in either direction? That ridiculous godforsaken TREADMILL? I scarcely remember when I have enjoyed myself less in a theatre, and I think Ivo van Hove owes me a personal letter of apology. (In hindsight I am less inclined to be as cross with the actors as I was when I first emerged. At least I only had to suffer through it once; their punishment for my pain is that they must struggle through it night after night after night. And having seen their performances, "struggle" is ABSOLUTELY the word.)

Which was best?
I appreciate I've got some of The Big Theatre Events on this particular list, but I still want to go with An Octoroon. So I will, because it's my blog and I can so there.

Which was worst?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Did any make you cry?
Definitely Caroline, or Change.

Did any make you laugh?
An Octoroon and Barber Shop Chronicles.

Which roles would you like to play in any of them?
I suppose every woman with an interest in acting has thought about playing Harper at some point or other. Though next time we get an Angels revival, I'll be Angel-age, and the one after that I'll be Hannah-appropriate. These are all acceptable options.

Which one did you have best seats for?
Front row centre for Angels in America was great for proximity but gets marked down for not being really bearable for the full seven hours and forty minutes. My seats for Caroline, or Change and An Octoroon were pretty good, and I'd also like to give props to Barber Shop Chronicles for finally giving me a £15 seat in the Dorfman where I could actually see something.

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