36 posts tagged “theatre”
Looks like I'm going to get the chance to be on the same stage as Ben Whishaw after all...
Thank you for booking to see Cock here at the Royal Court.
As you may know, the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs is an adaptable studio space that can be configured in many different ways. At the time of going on sale we had not agreed the design for this production, so were unaware of the exact seating arrangements. We can now confirm the seating layout for Cock. As always we have endeavoured to make the seating as comfortable as possible, however the unique design of this production has meant that a proportion of the seats are without back rests. There is also no space underneath the seating for coats and bags. We would therefore ask that you deposit all such items, free of charge, in the theatre’s Cloakroom, which is located downstairs in the Stalls foyer area.
Rehearsals are going well, with a current running time of 1 hour, 45 minutes without interval. The production’s design means that all seating is accessed by crossing the stage. We are therefore not able to admit latecomers or readmit anyone who leaves during the performance. We would kindly ask that you arrive in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs in good time before the performance is due to start in order to deposit bags at the cloakroom and make your way to the auditorium.
If you have any concerns with the above information, please do feel free to contact our team who will be happy to discuss these with you. We are contactable on 020 7565 5050, or via email at boxoffice@royalcourttheatre.com.
I do hope you enjoy the performance of Cock and we look forward to welcoming you to the Royal Court.
Best wishes
Dan Alicandro
Deputy Sales Manager
Just over a week ago I wrote about a week in prospect that would take in two plays and two eagerly anticipated films. Did it live up to its cultural and entertainment potential?
I've already written about Bright Star which was certainly the highlight but there was much else to be enjoyed.
The play's writer Pedro Calderon de la Barca was sort of a Spanish Shakespeare and was writing at a time when Spain's golden age of discovery and the wealth and culture it brought with it had be frittered away.
Life is a Dream captures that feeling of having had something so good it was like a dream. It tells the story of Prince Seigusmundo (West) who is secretly imprisoned at birth by his father after hearing a prophesy that he'll be a tyrant. Grown up, his father releases him as a test of his character but having had a closeted life he behaves badly and is taken back to prison having been convinced his time of freedom was in fact a dream.
His existence now known of by the people of his father's kingdom he is broken out of prison and embarks on getting what is rightfully his but this time in constant fear that he is living a dream and is therefore determined to behave better.
It is both comedic and philosophical something some of my fellow theatre-goers had problems but I think the two are inextricably linked.
West put in a stirling performance and I've now ordered first series of The Wire by way of a contrast.
It was an enjoyable play, easy to follow with the language updated in its translation and entertaining enough that the two and half hours flew by.
Next up was The Habit of Art a new Alan Bennett play at the National Theatre. And what a contrast.
It is a play about a play about a fictitious meeting between poet W H Auden and composer Benjamin Britten. On one level it is about two talented men reflecting on their careers at a time when their creativity is dwindling.
On another it is a behind the scenes expose of theatre life: the ego's, the tantrums and again the creative process.
It was very funny with some typically brilliant Bennett one-liners, none of which I can remember. Richard Griffiths as the dial-a-rent-boy loving Auden commands the stage and sparks off the wonderful Frances de la Tour who plays the production manager.
A highly amusing evening all round.
It you try and explain it, it sounds ridiculous: Psychic spies.
The cast is formidable with Jeff Bridges, George Clooney, Ewan McGregor and Kevin Spacey all doing wonderful turns at comedy something which is refreshing to see.
I know it's had mixed reviews but I think it worked really well and perfect Sunday afternoon silliness.
Oh and you get to see McGregor and Clooney walking away from the camera with their bums hanging out of hospital gowns. Perfect.
Which do you prefer? City life or country living?
Without a doubt city life. I grew up in the country and London terrified me to the extent that I vowed I would never live here. After graduating it became immediately obvious that if I was going to get a job in the media I needed to be in London.
So I arranged a couple of interviews at temping agencies, found somewhere to stay for a couple of weeks, packed a few things in a bag and jumped on a train. Didn't know a soul but on my second day I was at the National Gallery when I bumped into someone I knew at University.
That's London for you. I've been here for 17 years now and I can't imagine living and working anywhere else.
Lets face it no where else would satisfy my cinema and theatre addiction and give me such a wide variety of cuisines to dine on beforehand!
My Flickr pages are full of other reasons I love London
The last couple of things I've seen at the NT's Cottesloe Theatre have been a bit of a disappointment: Black Album and Dido, Queen of Carthage.
Our Class was theatre-buddy Debbie's choice and if she could apply the same judgement to picking horses she'd be very rich.
It's the first time I've seen the Cottesloe use the flexible seating arrangement it boasts and the stage was in the middle: A bare-boards pit with 10 chairs. The only other decoration was a pile of ash for the second half.
The opening scene is set in a classroom with the 10 each introducing themselves and saying what they want to be when they grow up - the playfulness, innocence and friendship you know is going to be slowly destroyed by horrific anti-semitism, politics and fear.
All actors remained on stage sitting on the edge of pit when not part of the action. There was a mix of re-enactment, first person narrative mixed with children's songs and live music stirred in.
It examines the tragedy of Jedwabne through the eyes of those 10 who lived (and died)
It's a thought provoking and harrowing piece of drama and a great bit of theatre, simply but effectively done.
And here are some others thoughts
Guardian What the play also proves, with unsensational dignity, is that, as one of the characters says, "you can never bury the truth"
Daily Telegraph It is hard to praise the 10-strong cast too highly as they bring the complex
stories of 10 characters, some of them through many decades, to vivid life
PS I can tick yet another Harry Potter actor off the theatre list - Stan Shunpike the bus conductor in Prisoner of Azkaban AKA Lee Ingleby. Shame Michael Gambon has had to pull out of the Art of Class but I get Richard Griffiths instead, although it will be the third time I've seen him tread the boards.
Been to see some great theatre and interesting theatre in recent weeks but have been a bit lax in actually writing about it. So here is a bit of a catch up of the highlights hopefully short and sweet:
Mother Courage and all her Children - National Theatre
Set during the 30 years war in Europe it tells the story of Mother Courage (Fiona Shaw) who profits from the war going from battle site to battle site selling her wares, changing allegiances when profitable and trying to protect her two sons and mute daughter along the way.
There has been much written online about the delay to press night and the various hiccups in the production and even though I saw it during preview, I didn't noticed anything going particularly wrong. Shaw put in an amazingly energetic performance, there was live music and and an Irish singer Duke Special who had the most beautiful voice. Brecht challenged sympathies and perceptions once again and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Oh and I didn't find out until I got home that another Harry Potter actor was also in the play - Harry Melling who plays Dudley. In this he was once again playing Fiona Shaw's son.
Sounds intriguing? Well it was. Relationships and our human need to be with other people is at the centre of the play which sounds a bit wanky but the treatment of the subject matter is, dare I say it again, thought provoking. The cast of four including the excellent John Simm played all nine roles and despite the fact that I cried through most of the first half (more to do with me than the play) it was really, really good. Provocative and thrilling and I haven't done it justice at all so apologies to all involved.
For those unfamiliar it is set in 1940s New Orleans. Faded belle Blanche DuBois (Rachel Weisz) turns up on her sister's doorstep in slightly distressed and flaky state. Stella has married the manly Stanley whom Blanche feels is beneath Stella having both been brought up on a large plantation. Stella lives in a two-roomed house so cue tension and tragedy as personalities clash and the story of Blanche's past is slowly wrung from her.
I'd forgotten how much I loved this play. There is so much I could write about the themes but I won't, go and read it, see the Marlon Brando film or even better see a production - sadly the Donmar is sold out but you can queue for day seats and returns.
Rachel Weisz was amazing, showing real depth and never faltering in making the cold she was suffering from part of the performance. Elliot Cowan was a very manly Stanley, all muscles and brawn and lifting Stella, played by Ruth Wilson, like she was a feather.
It was all marvelously done and gripping from start to finish. The actors had to make three curtain calls.
Nicked this from Minim although I have edited it a bit as I get the impression it was originally devised as a bit of sly market research for computer manufacturers. Haven't done one for ages but I really like reading them...
Alcohol: Wine and at the moment I'm going through a rosé phase
Believe in God?: No I don't believe in God or Gods
Chocolate: Montezuma's because they do vegan truffles
D&D character: Adam. He's the only person I know who plays
Eggs: Soft boiled, gotta love a runny yolk
Food: Yep but have a particular penchant for south east Asian and Japanese
Gemstone: Er...only have semi precious that I've made into necklaces and the choice of stone depends on the colour scheme
Hairdresser: Shingo at the Witches Hut. Genius who never lets me down
Icecream: Dairy upsets my stomach sadly and if I was going to risk it I'd have cheesecake
Jeans: Gap, boot cut, short fitting, stretch
Karaoke choice: Private performances only, my voice is best not shared
Left or right handed: right
Music: Oh gawd this is tricky because it totally depends on my mood and what I'm doing. My favourite band is Muse and I do lean towards guitar-based music but I listen to all sorts from Classic FM at work to Edith Piaf on a sunny Sunday morning
Nationality: British
Occupation: Journalist
Perfume: Jo Malone French Lime Blossom
Quest: To win the lottery, buy a flat in Covent Garden, get a personal yoga instructor and become a patron of the arts. Failing that just to enjoy life as much as possible, it's the only one I've got.
Rant: At the moment, still railing at the NHS for its treatment of my Mum
Seafood: Nommy, nommy, nommy (except whelk and sea snails).
Twitter: Yep for work (increasingly useful) and pleasure (fun and informative)
Uncontrollable urge to: Buy more theatre tickets
Vice: Only because of the amount I spend on it: Theatre and cinema
What I wear to work: Casual/smart-casual/smart depending on mood and/or meetings
X-men character: Can I go for Wolverine because I fancy Hugh Jackman?
Yesterday I: Cleaned the windows, hoovered, met a friend for tea and cake at Patisserie Valerie in Soho, bought friends membership at the Royal Academy and went to the breathtakingly beautiful John Waterhouse exhibition there, went to see Broken Embraces at the Clapham Picture House. (I had the day off work, my Friday's aren't normally so indulgent)
Zodiac sign: I'm full of bull
I've been scouring the internet for months and months for news of when sometime Stanley stalker and actor-fav Ben Whishaw would be treading the boards again.
He's got films in the can (Bright Star & The Tempest) but I crave the live performance, so imagine my joy when I discovered this little golden nugget on a theatre website.
Yep Mr Whishaw is taking to the stage at the Royal Court Upstairs in November in a play called Cock about a man who falls for a women while on a break from his boyfriend. It's in a small intimate theatre, with unallocated seating so I'll be practising my elbows-out dash to the front row between now and Nov 20 (yep booked tickets already). Just hope he doesn't fling anything at me this time.
My sister's been sorting through stuff at my Mum's house and unearthed all sort of stuff from my youth. Most of it is rubbish (why would I want to keep my guide badges?) but there are the occasional hidden gem such a file of old theatre programs from plays I saw as a student.
The performance was also memorable because one of the characters costumes caught light on a candle but no one was hurt fortunately.
Sadly Martin McKellan's career doesn't seem to have taken off in the same way. The most recent listing for him on IMDB is an episode of The Bill. Which is a shame.
Other names you may have heard of are Stephen Beckett who went on to play key characters in Coronation Street and Emmerdale and Toby Jones who has one of those faces you know you've seen in a bunch of stuff and will be voicing Dobby the House Elf in the last two Harry Potters.
I have an expensive theatre habit as regular readers may have guessed. Many a DIY job sits undone because there is always a play I'd rather spend my hard earned cash on and I still don't get to see everything I'd like to. Naturally, I'm always on the look out for cheap tickets or discounts.
And this innovative deal from the Southwark Playhouse, which is a fab tiny little theatre tucked under the railway arches near Waterloo Station, got my attention (thanks to theatre buddy Debbie). I've never seen this type of offer before, but the way it works is that you pay £35 and get five tickets to see any shows at the theatre. That's just £7 a ticket and there is no time limit on when you use them.
The only restriction is you can't use more than two tickets for any one show, so you'd only be able to take one other person but as I quite often go on my own anyway that isn't a problem.
Its a great idea and one that definitely appeals especially as £35 barely covers a decent seat at one of the West End theatres (Waiting for Godot was £52!). I like good seats but Southwark is such a small theatre you are always going to be close to the action.
It's pay day tomorrow so I'm going to sign up. Will keep you posted as to what I go and see.
How many times a month do you eat out in a restaurant? Do you wish you dined out more or less?
This is probably going to sound extravagant but in London it is so easy to eat out relatively cheaply and there is soo much choice. So I tend to eat out once or twice a week regularly but it can be more depending on what I'm up to.
For example last week I was taken out to lunch by a PR to a Chinese restaurant on Baker Street, went to my favourite Phillippine restaurant on Charlotte Street with Mosh on Friday and had a curry with friends in Olney, Bucks on Saturday night (OK that last one wasn't in London).
Tomorrow night I'll have a pre-theatre bite to eat probably somewhere on the South Bank and on Friday am going out for a surprise birthday dinner (about which I can say no more for fear of accidentally spoiling the surprise).
Did I ever mention I love London.
