Weeks Forward/Back 1510/2012

[SoonerOrLater]

So what has anyone been up to this week?

Last week I saw NTS 'The Monster in the Hall' at the Sherman in Cardiff, which was a very funny interesting piece.

I saw 'Our Boys' in London this week, an excellent play I thought and a very strong cast. Very funny and moving at once, and it's interesting given the current crop of plays about the more recent conflicts our soldiers are involved in, to see this which depicts Soldiers recovering at a hospital in 1984. It also contains two unfortunate references to Jimmy Saville which understandably fell quite flat on Saturday night...

This week I'm off to 'American Idiot' at the WMC.

[mallardo]

Yikes!! on the Jimmy Saville. One would think they would make the necessary adjustment.

For myself, I saw Call Me Madam at the Union and LOVED it! I only knew it from the Ethel Merman/Donald O'Connor movie which is hardly a classic but, thankfully, the show itself is so much better. Lucy Williamson, in the Merman role, is sensationally good and the whole production is terrific. If you're in London and you haven't seen it - go.

This week I hope to catch Desire Under the Elms at the Lyric Hammersmith and maybe Marguerite at the Tabard, although Phantom of London's warning has given me pause.

[zyx987]

This week I caught Northern Broadsides 'A Government Inspector' in Lancaster. I found it quite average and wasn't helped by being sat in the middle of a school group who were clearly bored. Full marks to them for waiting till after the interval to get their mobile phones out so they wouldn't get told off by their teachers. They even resorted to giving loud yawns to show how bored they were.

I also saw 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, it's a great play but this production didn't blow me away. Richard Cordery as Big Daddy was the real stand out.

This week I'm off to see '9 to 5' in Manchester and then on to Bolton for some 'Lighthearted Intercourse' at the Octagon.

[MusicalBoy]

The last things I've caught have been Loserville and American Idiot and I'm feeling far too much like an uncultured youth, so after visiting my sister on her PGCE course in Reading, I'm taking in a double: Hedda Gabler at the Old Vic before Victor Victoria in Southwark.

[Phantom of London]

I went to see Chariots of Fire**, which I didn't seem to enjoy as much as the reviewers, however quiet funny they have onstage seating, so I had the audience facing me from the stage, there was a woman sitting it the front row, who had this dress on and insisting on sitting with her legs apart, enough to put me off with both helpings served up on stage.

Thursday night I saw A Chorus of Disapproval****, which is very good and Rob Brydon is seriously a revelation and i would thought he would be nominated next year.

Saturday afternoon I was supposed to see Marguerite, but the performance was cancelled.

Saturday evening, I went to see to see a enjoyable Desire Under The Elms***.

I want to see 42nd Street and Charlie’s Aunt this weekend.

[SoonerOrLater]

I really liked 'Chariots' but I'd never seen the film, it was the week after the Olympics ended so I guess I was in the mood! The facing the audience is quite distracting (with or without that woman's skirt!) I did love the running track and being sat within the action though.

Re: Jimmy Saville in 'Our Boys' the first was a 'Jim'll fix it' reference, which I understand them keeping (even if the joke falls flat) as in the context, it's what they would have said (and personally I can't think of an alternative) the second reference I didn't pick up on until I read the script, so perhaps they've toned down the 'impression' (or perhaps Lawrence Fox just can't do impressions....)

[jaqs]

This week Ive seen Jesus Christ Superstar in Liverpool, was braced for disappointment but loved it. Diction was poor in the first half which made things a bit difficult but the second half was stunning.
Tim Minchin was utterly brilliant and sounded so much better than expected.
Mel C was better acting wise than I thought she'd be but its disappointing she hasn't got the top notes.
It got a hugely positive reaction from the full arena and could probably have played more than one night there.

Last night I was at Rent at The Cockpit, its billed as an amateur show and it was the first night, so wont say much, but it had sound problems throughout which made it a bit of a frustrating evening.
Some absolutely fabulous voices when they could be heard.

If anyone is going it was boiling in the theatre, wear layers.

Friday Charlies Aunt at the menier and a totally blank diary next week.