Last 10 things seen at the theatre: #046

26th November to 12th December.


List the last 10 things you saw at the theatre in order:
1. Blink (Soho)
2. The Duck House (Vaudeville)
3. Let the Right One In (Royal Court)
4. Jack and the Beanstalk (Lyric Hammersmith)
5. The Scottsboro Boys (Young Vic)
6. The Night Before Christmas (Soho)
7. Jumpers for Goalposts (Bush)
8. A Midsummer Night's Dream (Wycombe Swan)
9. Cinderella: A Fairytale (Unicorn)
10. A Midsummer Night's Dream (Wycombe Swan)

Who was the best performer in number one (Blink)?
You can try making me choose just one performer out of a two-handed play, but I WILL NOT. Because really, how DOES one choose between Harry McEntire and Rosie Wyatt?

Why did you go to see number two (The Duck House)?
Future Dame Nancy Carroll. There is no other reason. There is no need for any other reason. Although I will not sneeze at the discount I got.

Can you remember a line/lyric from number three (Let the Right One In) that you liked?
Oh man, come on, it just wasn't that kind of show. I tried, I really did. I paid careful attention during the play. I bought the playtext. I've read the playtext several times. But it's not a cut-me-down-into-quotable-snippets play. The beauty comes from the slow build-up, not dialogue-based gymnastics.

What would you give number four (Jack and the Beanstalk) out of ten?
7, I think. It lost track a little and I hear it wasn't as good as last year's, but I laughed my ass off for the entire duration, and shouted, and sang, and twerked, and did everything required of a good pantomime audience member with no hesitation or regrets.

Was there someone hot in number five (The Scottsboro Boys)?
Absolutely Kyle Scatliffe, in EVERY sense of the word.

What was number six (The Night Before Christmas) about?
I'm not sure, actually. There was an elf. And a Furby. And singing.

Who was your favourite actor in number seven (Jumpers for Goalposts)?
Andy Rush. I'm not proud. His beard has come on some since Watford!

What was your favourite bit in number eight (A Midsummer Night's Dream)?
The interval sing-along! There are some people who can play mandolin. And harmonica. And squeezebox. And musical capability is extremely attractive actually. And it was a good bunch of songs. I did also like the play. Especially when there are some people who play Helena. Basically any part involving Dan Wheeler.

Would you see number nine (Cinderella: A Fairytale) again?
ABSO-FREAKIN'-LUTELY. Definitely in my top ten for the year, teetering ever so close to the prime position.

What was the worst thing about number ten (A Midsummer Night's Dream)?
As I watched it, I really truly got some insight into Hippolyta. But... through absence. I don't like to be mean, but I do think Hippolyta was played aaaaall wrong, and it's only partly due to Michelle Terry's superb performance earlier in the year.

Which was best?
Cinderella, TOTALLY. But Let the Right One In, The Scottsboro Boys, and Jumpers for Goalposts were excellent too.

Which was worst?
Probably The Duck House. If you're reading a review that says "this is a FAR better production than the play deserves", then you are reading an accurate review. The production was great, the writing was a bit... flaccid.

Did any make you cry?
I wept at Jumpers for Goalposts. There's nothing wrong with people weeping at your romcom, Tom Wells, it just means they're emotionally invested in the characters, which is surely what you WANT when you're writing a romcom! I also wept constantly throughout Cinderella, so that was nice and awkward when I went a-mingling at the interval and had to tell an extraordinarily lovely FOAF that I had spent the whole evening thus far weeping and wasn't planning on stopping any time soon.

Did any make you laugh?
Shall we say all of them? Let's give Jack and the Beanstalk bonus points for also getting me to sing, shout, and twerk.

Which roles would you like to play in any of them?
Oh, why don't you pick for me?

Which one did you have best seats for?
A Midsummer Night's Dream, both nights. Jumpers for Goalposts. My Scottsboro Boys seat would have been much better without the screen preventing me from actually watching the band.