Last 10 things seen at the theatre: #032

28th January to 27th February.


List the last 10 things you saw at the theatre in order:
1. The Recruiting Officer (St James Theatre)
2. Trelawny of the Wells (Donmare)
3. Port (National; Lyttelton)
4. The Winter's Tale (Royal Shakespeare Theatre)
5. Kiss Me, Kate (Old Vic)
6. Di and Viv and Rose (Hampstead)
7. Great Expectations (Vaudeville)
8. The Turn of the Screw (Almeida)
9. Our Country's Good (St James Theatre)
10. No Quarter (Royal Court)

Who was the best performer in number one (The Recruiting Officer)?
Well I thought the woman who read the part of the pregnant wife in act five was extremely charismatic and entrancing, but her aside, I did especially enjoy John Hollingworth's general all-round excellence.

Why did you go to see number two (Trelawny of the Wells)?
Because I apparently see everything at the Donmar. Also it was a splendidly assembled cast.

Can you remember a line/lyric from number three (Port) that you liked?
No. I didn't like it as much as I was expecting to after experiencing an awful lot of hype.

What would you give number four (The Winter's Tale) out of ten?
Hmmm... 6. It's a favourite play of mine but I've seen it done much better.

Was there someone hot in number five (Kiss Me, Kate)?
If Adam Garcia would like to spend the rest of his career dancing in a vest, then I will happily purchase tickets to watch.

What was number six (Di and Viv and Rose) about?
There were three characters. One was called Di, one was called Viv, and one was called Rose. It was SO much better than I'm making it sound.

Who was your favourite actor in number seven (Great Expectations)?
No. Next question.

What was your favourite bit in number eight (The Turn of the Screw)?
Oh gosh! The thing about horror is it's never guaranteed effective because the things that scare people are so subjective. What terrifies me will not be the same that terrifies you, and so on and so forth. So I'm always hopeful for creepy plays but never expect them to get under my skin. Except this one did manage to pinpoint one particular fear of mine - the fear of uncurtained windows after dark - and exploit it MOST effectively.

Would you see number nine (Our Country's Good) again?
I liked the play, production, and cast, but seeing it again would be an expensive prospect.

What was the worst thing about number ten (No Quarter)?
I liked the themes I believed it was exploring, but I thought it could have done with a little less repetition and heavy-handedness in the second act.

Which was best?
Definitely Di and Viv and Rose.

Which was worst?
Definitely Great Expectations.

Did any make you cry?
I always weep at The Winter's Tale. I believe I also wept at Di and Viv and Rose.

Did any make you laugh?
The Recruiting Officer, Trelawny of the Wells, and Di and Viv and Rose.

Which roles would you like to play in any of them?
I believe my desire to play certain ladies in The Winter's Tale has been well documented. I do think there'd be a lot of fun to be had out of being in The Recruiting Officer properly.

Which one did you have best seats for?
My seat for The Recruiting Officer was a little too good. I had my favourite seat for The Turn of the Screw. And I was unexpectedly fond of my restricted view seat for Di and Viv and Rose.