Last 10 things seen at the theatre: #082

3rd to 17th October.


List the last 10 things you saw at the theatre in order:
1. Measure for Measure (Shakespeare's Globe)

2. Nell Gwynn (Shakespeare's Globe)

3. The Oresteia (Shakespeare's Globe)
4. In the Heights (King's Cross Theatre)
5. The Seagull (Chichester Festival Theatre)

6. Ivanov (Chichester Festival Theatre)
7. Platonov (Chichester Festival Theatre)

8. Medea (Almeida)

9. Measure for Measure (Young Vic)
10. Hangmen (Royal Court)

Who was the best performer in number one (Measure for Measure)?
Probably Mariah Gale, who seemed to be the only performer who hadn't been messing around in rehearsal and been told "that's funny, keep it in!". (None of it was funny. None at all.)

Why did you go to see number two (Nell Gwynn)?
Continued loyalty to the Globe, the usual desire to be there the entire closing weekend, and remembering how sad I was to have only seen Blue Stockings once.

Can you remember a line/lyric from number three (The Oresteia) that you liked?
There was a good one about a horrible stench of rotting flesh that was actually incense (there's been WAY too much incense the last couple of years) but frankly, the closing sequence was so astonishing that there's no way I could possibly remember anything in detail.

What would you give number four (In the Heights) out of ten?
An easy 10.

Was there someone hot in number five (The Seagull)?
Somehow Pip Carter has found his way into the "unappealing man who only gets to marry the unhappy object of his affection because the object of her affection is so thoroughly out of reach" niche despite being one of the most consistently handsome men in Chichester right now. There's also some hot Sam West and Anna Chancellor action, just in case you happen to think the casting director had a point.

What was number six (Ivanov) about?
Same thing all the early Chekhov plays were apparently about: a reprehensible man and the women who inexplicably wanted to be married to him. With fireworks and Hamlet references.

Who was your favourite actor in number seven (Platonov)?
For all the Joshua James and Nina Sosanya, I actually think I liked Sarah Twomey best in this one. Of the whole day, this play probably had the best character work, so there were many good people to choose between.

What was your favourite bit in number eight (Medea)?
There's a child actor around at the moment who doesn't look like my 7 year old nephew, nor does he sound like my 7 year old nephew, and yet there is very much something of my 7 year old nephew about him. I understand there's been some criticism that Medea is not as active in this re-telling as she usually is and some criticism about the ambiguity of the ending, but given my recent emotional state (ie: very tired), I for one was very grateful for such alterations at this time.

Would you see number nine (Measure for Measure) again?
Nah. The cast were terrific and it's a real pleasure to see a production willing to cut back to a two hour running time, but one does occasionally fear that more idiosyncratic directors are verging on becoming parodies of themselves.

What was the worst thing about number ten (Hangmen)?
I was doing quite well avoiding spoilers until somebody said "it sort of reminded me of [insert other McDonagh play here]" which, it turns out, is the absolute minimum amount of information needed to be able to predict the entire second act. Also, for all I liked the play and can see the necessity in this case, I'm getting seriously bored of casts that have five men for every woman, and pasty white face after pasty white face after pasty white face.

Which was best?
In the Heights.

Which was worst?
The Globe Measure for Measure.

Did any make you cry?
In the Heights did, I don't think any others did.

Did any make you laugh?
Nell Gwynn absolutely did, and I think it's safe enough to assume that The Oresteia, In the Heights, and Hangmen did too.

Which roles would you like to play in any of them?
As a keen participant in amateur dramatics, there's nothing I like better than playing a nun, so there's some real scope in Measure for Measure for me. Other than that, there are enough excellent female roles in Nell Gwynn that to play any of them would be a joy.

Which one did you have best seats for?
Probably Hangmen? I mean, sure, it was the back row of the balcony, but I like the back row of the balcony and it's not that big a theatre. Also most of my other seats sucked (though excellent standing spaces were had for Nell Gwynn and The Oresteia).