Last 10 things seen at the theatre: #012

12th November to 14th December.


List the last 10 things you saw at the theatre in order:
1. Dublin Carol (Trafalgar Studio 2)
2. Judgement Day (Print Room)
3. The Heart of Robin Hood (Royal Shakespeare Theatre)
4. Howl's Moving Castle (Southwark Playhouse)
5. One Man Two Guvnors (Adelphi)
6. The Kitchen Sink (Bush)
7. Death and the Maiden (Harold Pinter)
8. Driving Miss Daisy (Wyndham's)
9. Cool Hand Luke (Aldwych)
10. Inadmissible Evidence (Donmar Warehouse)

Who was the best performer in number one (Dublin Carol)?
Probably Gary Lydon. Though he did have the unfair advantage of having far more to work with than the other two.

Why did you go to see number two (Judgement Day)?
Penny Downie. It is as simple and unprofound as that.

Can you remember a line/lyric from number three (The Heart of Robin Hood) that you liked?
In a rare departure from tradition, there were SO MANY! Except you need the context and the delivery to make sense of why I liked them so much, so I still can't share any. But I tell you, it was a delicious treat to see a funny play where the playwright had taken time out of his day to actually write some jokes! Thanks, David Farr!

What would you give number four (Howl's Moving Castle) out of ten?
It's a tricky one! The use of projections was really clever and creative and well done, but at the same time it was all just a little too filmic. And I'm so deeply devoted to the original book that the necessary trimming down of both story and cast did make me a little woeful. But it managed to show an understanding of the spirit of the original, and Daniel Ings made an excellent Howl, so I shall be kind and give it a 7.

Was there someone hot in number five (One Man Two Guvnors)?
I suppose there's always Oliver Chris, as long as you're willing to accept "hot" and "ridiculously handsome" as synonyms.

What was number six (The Kitchen Sink) about?
Dolly Parton, plumbing, degrees of failure, and family. It was wonderful.

Who was your favourite actor in number seven (Death and the Maiden)?
Well of course it is Tom Goodman-Hill. He's the reason I bothered going to see it in the first place; he's rather splendid and very good at what he does.

What was your favourite bit in number eight (Driving Miss Daisy)?
The whole thing operated on such a gentle and inoffensive level from start to finish that I couldn't possibly single out a favourite bit, although nor could I single out a least favourite bit. It's just a nice gentle way to pass part of an afternoon.

Would you see number nine (Cool Hand Luke) again?
NOPE. Although I would consider watching the film or reading the novel at some point in the future. It needed more banjo to be honest.

What was the worst thing about number ten (Inadmissible Evidence)?
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say the play itself! The set, lighting, and sound were great, the cast varied from pretty good to great, but what on earth was the point of the play? I'm just saying, if you need a play to showcase Douglas Hodge's not inconsiderable talent, there must be HUNDREDS of more attractive options than this one.

Which was best?
The Heart of Robin Hood and The Kitchen Sink. Which just goes to show you should never set your theatre-going in stone and you should always consider last minute trips.

Which was worst?
I really really REALLY didn't like One Man Two Guvnors. It was lazily written, utterly disingenuous, and disappointingly imbalanced. I wasn't huge on Cool Hand Luke or Inadmissible Evidence either, though at least Cool Hand Luke had a banjo in it (as did One Man Two Guvnors; its main saving grace was the truly tremendous music).

Did any make you cry?
The Heart of Robin Hood had me weeping just because the set was so awesome. I didn't really stop either. I've been emotional lately. I'm not entirely sure if I cried at The Kitchen Sink or not, but I certainly had to forcibly resist the urge to comfort forlorn cast members.

Did any make you laugh?
The Heart of Robin Hood and The Kitchen Sink made me laugh a LOT. Howl's Moving Castle made me laugh a bit too.

Which roles would you like to play in any of them?
I would really like to play Alice in The Heart of Robin Hood. She gets to wear fabulous dresses, be deliciously hammy, and fall over. That's my kinda role! I also want to be Sophie Hatter, but that's less "a role I want to play in Howl's Moving Castle" and more "I am forever devoted to Diana Wynne Jones, and I want to BE Sophie Hatter".

Which one did you have best seats for?
I can highly recommend row G in the stalls of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (The Heart of Robin Hood). And I do enjoy throwing myself at the front row and fairly central when it's unreserved seating (Judgement Day, Howl's Moving Castle, The Kitchen Sink).