Last 10 things seen at the theatre: #005

Is it the 25th again? Okay then! (Well, I've seen another ten shows, it's just coincidence that it's the 25th again.)


List the last 10 things you saw at the theatre in order:
1. Macbeth (Royal Shakespeare Theatre)
2. Three Farces (Orange Tree)
3. Much Ado About Nothing (Wyndham's)
4. A Delicate Balance (Almeida)
5. Doctor Faustus (Shakespeare's Globe)
6. All's Well That Ends Well (Shakespeare's Globe)
7. Butley (Duchess)
8. Betrayal (Comedy)
9. Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare's Globe)
10. London Road (National; Cottesloe)

Who was the best performer in number one (Macbeth)?
Hmmm. I think I'm going to go with Jamie Beamish, actually. It takes a lot for me to not hate the Porter, and I enjoyed the throwback to the First Tetralogy of the Histories Cycle with him acting as the gatekeeper of the Hellmouth.

Why did you go to see number two (Three Farces)?
Edward Bennett + David Oakes = yes, even though it is a trio of farce, I shall go. I guess it kinda helped that a whole bunch of us decided to go. Apparently, at 1am, all decisions are good decisions.

Can you remember a line/lyric from number three (Much Ado About Nothing) that you liked?
"I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes; and moreover I will go with thee to thy uncle's". It's my favourite line in the play and sums the whole thing up perfectly for me - deep and abiding genuine love, with a smattering of filth and a healthy dollop of humour. I swoon a little every time I hear it.

What would you give number four (A Delicate Balance) out of ten?
Eight! I love Edward Albee and it was a great production.

Was there someone hot in number five (Doctor Faustus)?
I know Arthur Darvill has his fans, and there were some super-pretty ladies, especially Sarita Piotrowski and Beatriz Romilly. Also: Chinna Wodu's abs.

What was number six (All's Well That Ends Well) about?
An admittedly arrogant young man being forced into marriage with an unstable young woman who has no sense of boundaries and believes the myth that babies always bring a couple together, no matter how dysfunctional the relationship.

Who was your favourite actor in number seven (Butley)?
It's a toss-up between Penny Downie, who is a favourite actor generally, and Dominic West, who is perfectly cast and terrifically entertaining. Guess it helps that he's in most of the play and most of the supporting cast only get a few minutes each of stage time.

What was your favourite bit in number eight (Betrayal)?
Hmmm. I didn't really have a favourite bit, I'm afraid. I liked that it was easy to follow, for Pinter, despite running in reverse chronological order, but that was it really.

Would you see number nine (Much Ado About Nothing) again?
At the Globe? Definitely! I've already booked to see it twice more, once before the incomparable Eve Best leaves and once to check out her replacement, whoever that ends up being.

What was the worst thing about number ten (London Road)?
That there is no way to tell people how good it is without making it sound terrible. "Remember the prostitute murders in Ipswich? It's that, but a musical. Oh, but it's not songs as such, it's normal people's speech patterns set to music. AND IT'S AMAZING."

Which was best?
Doctor Faustus and Much Ado About Nothing at the Globe. Also London Road. If I had to pick just one, I'd say London Road was definitely best, though Doctor Faustus was my favourite.

Which was worst?
I was pretty disappointed in Much Ado About Nothing at the Wyndham's. It had the BEST DON PEDRO EVER in Adam James, but other than that was a severe case of "all mirth and no matter". I also didn't love Betrayal, but I wasn't feeling at my best so possibly can't judge it fairly.

Did any make you cry?
Much Ado About Nothing at the Globe, when Beatrice and Benedick kissed. It was so utterly wonderful that I just burst into unashamed tears. I'm even tearing up a little at the memory!

Did any make you laugh?
Oh yes! Three Farces despite me not being a big fan of the genre, Much Ado About Nothing (Wyndham's) was very funny in spite of its shallowness, Doctor Faustus was genuinely hilarious, All's Well That Ends Well, Butley, and the other Much Ado About Nothing.

Which roles would you like to play in any of them?
UM BEATRICE. Though I'd be up for Hero or Margaret (already played Ursula). I also wouldn't mind being in All's Well That Ends Well, though possibly not as Helena.

Which one did you have best seats for?
My compadres saved me a pretty fabulous seat for Three Farces. I was in the Best Seat In The Whole Damn Almeida for A Delicate Balance. I got some pretty awesome central standing spots for All's Well That Ends Well and Doctor Faustus. In fact, I was VERY lucky with my spot for Doctor Faustus; a mere two feet to the left, and I'd've had a wet sock wrung onto my head!