The Habit Of Art 01/11/2010
![]() I wonder if Alan Bennett specified how old the writer should be in his new play The Habit Of Art. Author of a play (within the play) at the National Theatre about an imagined meeting between WH Auden and Benjamin Britten, he is, in this production, in his mid-30s. While I enjoyed the play enormously, I didn't think for a moment that this character had written what we were seeing on stage - even the deliberately weird bits. And perhaps that didn't matter. But, given that some of the strongest moments in the play come when Auden urges Britten to stop pussyfooting around and deal with things head-on, it's tempting to ponder whether Bennett thought about making the writer himself. Fighting at the Brockley Jack 12/11/2009
My new play Fighting will be produced by the Brockley Jack theatre in south east London from 23-27 Feb 2010. Here's the press release: Write Now: new play season for southeast London at the Brockley Jack Theatre Thank you to all writers and companies who submitted scripts to the Brockley Jack Theatre for our festival of new writing in February and March 2010. The theatre received a tremendous amount of scripts from writers based throughout south London. With some very strong writing and unique voices to consider, it was a challenge to come to the final decisions on the plays we will be working with on this occasion. In February and March we will be giving the first public performances of Joy Wilkinson's Compression, Tom Green's Fighting and Kate Gallon and Katelynn Hocking's Ruthless. Further details of the productions will be released shortly. Update (1st March): Fighting - script and production shots Here's the leaflet for the Write Now Season: Fighting by Tom Green Directed by Kate Bannister Cast: Daniel Brennan, Peter Clapp, Martin Durrant, Davin Eadie, Alex Gatehouse, Laura Glover, Lucy Gratton, Annabel Pemberton Production: Karl Swinyard & Tanith Lindon Design: Kate Bannister & Karl Swinyard Costume: Tanith Lindon Sound design: Joe Churchman Lighting: William Ingham Jerusalem 08/18/2009
I've never witnessed such a reception for a play. Any play, let alone a new play. Standing, cheering, shouting. A stunning, heart-breaking, brilliant performance by Mark Rylance and a wonderful, perhaps great, play by Jez Butterworth. A play about one man, but also about England past and present. I was particularly struck by the sense of the spirit of England belonging to outsiders - in this case a Romany. Incredibly moving - a woman in the circle was sobbing for the last 20 minutes - and very funny. Bravo. Scene & Heard 07/05/2009
Last night was the first Scene & Heard show I've been too... and one of the most enjoyable nights I've spent at the theatre for a long time. Arcadia 06/09/2009
![]() Arcadia is a play that leaves almost nothing to be said. I emerged from the theatre bludgeoned by brilliance. And a little bit tired. Tusk Tusk 04/08/2009
![]() Strange how many plays I've seen in the past year or so that involve people being locked into their own homes. Relocated; The Walworth Farce; The New Electric Ballroom. And now Tusk Tusk by Polly Stenham. The New Electric Ballroom 03/18/2009
I didn't realise until after I'd seen it that The New Electric Ballroom preceded The Walworth Farce. Every Good Boy Deserves Favour 01/28/2009
I loved the audacity of this - a whole orchestra on stage! - and I loved the way that Stoppard integrates the orchestra into his play so effortlessly. It's playful, clever, funny and moving. A Slight Ache 08/03/2008
Not an all together successful 65-minutes of Pinter - more, I think, because of the venue (too much space in the Lyttleton for such a claustrophobic play) and the performance of Simon Russell Beale than because of the play itself. Black Watch 06/24/2008
![]() Notes on the use of pre-show music - part 3: Black Watch by Gregory Burke (currently at the Barbican) is preceded by very loud pipe and drums and sweeping spotlights - apeing a military tattoo. It worked for me, but, when the show started by immediately going into another sound effect, I found myself wishing there had been a nice long silence during which I could have slipped into the world of the play. Silence is at the heart of theatre (even in a show as ear-bleedingly loud as this) and, given the chance, pre-show music can actually emphasise it. Great bagpiping near the end, though. |







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