Last 10 things seen at the theatre: #069

11th to 30th January.


List the last 10 things you saw at the theatre in order:
1. The Fever (May Fair Hotel)
2. A Series of Increasingly Impossible Acts (Tricycle)
3. Bull (Young Vic)
4. Meeting Point/P.L.A.Y./Value for Money (The Place)
5. The Changeling (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse)
6. Love's Labour's Won (Royal Shakespeare Theatre)

7. Love's Labour's Lost (Royal Shakespeare Theatre)
8. Oppenheimer (Swan Theatre)
9. The Play That Goes Wrong (Duchess)
10. Assassins (Menier Chocolate Factory)

Who was the best performer in number one (The Fever)?
ONE MAN SHOW. IT WAS A ONE MAN SHOW. (So Tobias Menzies.)

Why did you go to see number two (A Series of Increasingly Impossible Acts)?
There was a bit of a dearth of things I wanted to see in January and I was compiling my top ten of 2014 at the time of booking. When one gets a second (or, in this case, third) chance to see a beloved show that eventually will cease to exist in that bittersweet way that theatre has, then it would be foolish to pass it up. I have yet to regret seeing a show too many times, but there are countless shows I would've liked to have seen more than once, so see things while you can!

Can you remember a line/lyric from number three (Bull) that you liked?
I liked many of the lines but the only one I can remember right now, for better or worse, is "stop shuffling around like an autistic penguin". I blame it on the amount of penguin-based literature I've been reading recently.

What would you give number four (Meeting Point/P.L.A.Y./Value for Money) out of ten?
I don't know WHAT was going on, but for sheer enjoyment I'm going with a 9.

Was there someone hot in number five (The Changeling)?
New rule: once we get to a point where the answer to this question is "basically half the cast" or more, I'm not going to bother naming names. Life is too short, and people may start questioning my theatre-going motivations.

What was number six (Love's Labour's Won) about?
One man's acquisition of power leading to his using the world's best toy set to play out his pet theories.

Who was your favourite actor in number seven (Love's Labour's Lost)?
When they announced that these two plays would star Ed Bennett and Michelle Terry, I had to take time out of my day to do a little cry of joy. What a delightful pair of faces to share an afternoon with.

What was your favourite bit in number eight (Oppenheimer)?
I liked the opening of act 2, where Bob and Charlotte Serber got together to spread false information ("ELECTRIC ROCKETS") and ended up harassing the audience in most charming fashion. In fact, I liked any bit that involved Bob and Charlotte Serber, as it's such a disgracefully rare treat to see a happily married couple who are loving and supportive and allowed by the writer to just get on with being delightful.

Would you see number nine (The Play That Goes Wrong) again?
Sure! I mean, I've got a lot of other plays to see first, but I would never rule out a return trip to something so exceedingly and unashamedly silly.

What was the worst thing about number ten (Assassins)?
Not having a ticket was pretty stressful. I've never joined a returns queue before, and just because you know and accept it's going to be a gamble doesn't make it any less nerve-wracking as you sit on the big red sofa and hope that a) some people have had better offers and b) they've thought to return their tickets for resale. It's definitely a show worth making the effort for, and the system was extremely civilised (and the box office staff EXTREMELY delightful about respecting the rightful order of the queue), but nevertheless I don't think I'll be making a habit of it.

Which was best?
Frankly, between Assassins and Oppenheimer, I'm about ready to draw a line under 2015 already.

Which was worst?

Did any make you cry?
I definitely welled up some at Oppenheimer. I think I got away with it for all the others.

Did any make you laugh?
Definitely! A Series of Increasingly Impossible Acts, Bull, Meeting Point/P.L.A.Y./Value for Money, Love's Labour's Won, Love's Labour's Lost, Oppenheimer, The Play That Goes Wrong, and almost certainly Assassins.

Which roles would you like to play in any of them?
I still neeeeeeeeed to play Beatrice but would accept Hero in the meantime. Any lady in Love's Labour's Lost is a-okay with me. Ditto Assassins.

Which one did you have best seats for?
We wound up with front row centre for Meeting Point/P.L.A.Y./Value for Money. I also picked a good spot for Bull, didn't mind my seat for The Changeling as much as I feared I might, and we were given much better seats for The Play That Goes Wrong than the box office lady had originally pointed to when we asked what our theatre tokens would get us.