Last 10 things seen at the theatre: #064

12th to 29th October.


List the last 10 things you saw at the theatre in order:
1. Twelfth Night (Watford Palace)
2. The Wolf From the Door (Royal Court)
3. Our Town (Almeida)
4. Uncle Vanya (St James)
5. The Angry Brigade (Watford Palace)
6. Women of Twilight (RADA)
7. Made in Dagenham (Adelphi)
8. Albion (Bush)
9. Secret Theatre: Show 6 (Arts Depot)

10. The Comedy of Errors (Shakespeare's Globe)

Who was the best performer in number one (Twelfth Night)?
I've been giving it a lot of consideration, and while this was overall a very sturdy and cohesive ensemble, thus making it extremely difficult to pick out an individual, I think I'm going with Brian Protheroe. I often find it hard to get on with Fools, but his Feste was excellent.

Why did you go to see number two (The Wolf From the Door)?
It's difficult to resist the opportunity to see Anna Chancellor or Pearce Quigley on stage, especially with bonus Sophie Russell. (Calvin Demba was new to me, but also excellent.)

Can you remember a line/lyric from number three (Our Town) that you liked?
I was initially untrusting when Mr Webb started telling George about the advice he'd received from his own father upon getting married. As the play hails from the earlier half of the twentieth century, it was entirely possible that the advice being delivered might have been sincere. Until Mr Webb followed it with "So I took the opposite of my father's advice and I've been happy ever since."

What would you give number four (Uncle Vanya) out of ten?
A slightly non-committal 6. Nothing really wrong with (though nothing especially inspiring about) the production or performances, but I wasn't overly impressed with this particular adaptation of the play. "Less is more" isn't always true.

Was there someone hot in number five (The Angry Brigade)?
I think we've all stopped being surprised by how attractive Harry Melling is by this point, right?

What was number six (Women of Twilight) about?
It was about unwed mothers in the early 1950s. It was TERRIFIC.

Who was your favourite actor in number seven (Made in Dagenham)?
I don't have one. There just wasn't really anyone who stood out as being a favourite for me over anyone else.

What was your favourite bit in number eight (Albion)?
It's a toss-up between karaoke as a big romantic gesture, or the complete failure of one character to understand how a fist-bump works, depending on whether you'd rather I go for a big favourite bit or a tiny favourite bit.

Would you see number nine (Secret Theatre: Show 6) again?
Oh, probably. I'd like to see all the Secret Theatre shows again, and although this one's not my favourite, it was certainly ambiguous enough and intriguing enough to warrant a return trip.

What was the worst thing about number ten (The Comedy of Errors)?
The old "that it ended" cliché. Not just that the play came to a close when I could have stood to laugh at its joyfulness for much longer, but also that with the closing of this play came the closing of the theatre for the season. I'm sure the Swanamaker will grow on me, but I'm equally sure it's not going to grow on me as firmly as the Globe did.

Which was best?
I think The Comedy of Errors.

Which was worst?
Ooh, erm... least best (rather than worst) might have been Show 6, but that might just be because I was utterly thrown by it only having three cast members rather than the full Secret Theatre complement.

Did any make you cry?
I always weep at Twelfth Night, it's pretty much a given. Our Town hit a little too close to home. Women of Twilight, Albion, and The Comedy of Errors had their moments too.

Did any make you laugh?
I laughed my backside off at The Comedy of Errors and The Wolf From the Door. Show 6, Albion, The Angry Brigade, and Twelfth Night had their moments too.

Which roles would you like to play in any of them?
I still really need to play Olivia. Or Viola, or Feste, or - in an ideal gender-blind world - Orsino. And Sonya. I can't think of anything quite as upsetting as never getting to play Sonya. I'd also like to do Women of Twilight, no particular casting preference.

Which one did you have best seats for?
I managed front row centre for The Wolf From the Door, Uncle Vanya, Albion, and Show 6. Not a bad run!