Ajaxpost Plays: Beyond The Game

Back Before The Lockdown this was a day for the unexpected. in 2015 There are a few actors I adore, whose work is consistently impressive and there are, equally, a few that I just cannot take a liking too. In this latter case it's not necessarily that they are bad actors but often that I have never found any of their characters sympathetic or understandable. Unfortunately Gina McKee falls into that second category so I was a little torn when she was announced as the lead in Florian Zeller's The Mother at the Ustinov Studio in Bath. A year earlier I had seen a production of The Father (from the same author and creative team at the same venue) which was simply magnificent . So, trusting the team at the Ustinov I put my doubts aside and booked and ... boy, did she prove me wrong! Using a similar technique as used for The Father , of presenting the same scene but from slightly different perspectives we are constantly wrong-footed in trying to work out who's view we a...

It's time, once again, for the amateurs on this day Before The Lockdown: in 2018 Having seen quite a few amateur productions in Bath and Bristol, by both community groups and also theatre students in training, I thought it time to check out what London might be able to offer. The community based Putney Theatre Company at the Putney Arts Theatre created an evening devoted to new writing in a showcase of seven short pieces produced and performed by the PTC. Under the umbrella title of Fate Expectations each piece offered a moment in time, either realistic or fantastical, where everything could change. in 2019 The last of this year's Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Directors' Cuts season at the Wardrobe Theatre was How My Light Is Spent . A surreal tale of how one man's life literally starts to disappear. Having lost a 'proper job' and then been replaced by a coin-bin at a zero-hours fast-food joint his disappearing prospects become a physical reality...

Two films appeared on stage on this day Before The Lockdown: in 2015 I don't think I'd even heard about the film so when seeing the Rocky Horror Show 'equal' Shock Treatment on the King's Head Theatre stage in London I had no preconceptions. Like RHS, Brad and Janet are key to the story but this time faced with a bizarrely nightmarish reality TV show rather than transexual Transylvanians! It's similarly sprinkled with catchy songs and comically outrageous characters but didn't quite have the magic that made Rocky Horror such an iconic work. The design, in this cosy pub theatre, was fun and the cast were wonderfully engaging and enthusiastic so you would have to be very hard-hearted not to enjoy yourself. At the end of the day, though, it is just "that other Richard O'Brien play". in 2019 I've not read the much lauded novel, and it's so long since I last saw the film that, once again, I had little pre-knowledge to apply...

A couple of quite different plays on this day Before The Lockdown: in 2007 Through a couple of TV and film appearances I'd become aware of Ben Whishaw and Maxine Peake as two relatively new actors with considerable talent and capable of quite distinctive and eye-catching performances so when both were cast in Leaves of Glass at the Soho Theatre in London... well, it was a no-brainer. Sadly the mists of time have obscured much of my memory of the play but I do recall a sense of considerable violence in a family tormented by past trauma that they have been avoiding for too many years. Although both Ben and Maxine had already accrued many plaudits, they have certainly continued to make more great work across TV, film, and stage. in 2017 Meanwhile, ten years later, it's off  to the Theatre Royal Bath to see a couple of very well established, dare I say 'veteran', TV favourites; Anne Reid and James Bolam. A very topical environmental activism piece called Fracke...

Another 'first time' on this day Before The Lockdown in 2013 It has been in operation since the 1980s but my first visit to the wonderful Finborough Theatre in London was not until 2013, to see Rooms - A Rock Romance . The Finborough is a tiny space but with a very cleverly judged portfolio of productions is rightly recognised as a significant player in the London theatre scene. This one, for example was the European premiere of this off-Broadway hit. It's difficult to imagine a musical, albeit with only two actors, and a four-piece band fitting within the space available but they did! As befitting a 'rock' musical the characters were played large as these two very different people with barely compatible musical tastes journey in search of success  from Glasgow, through London's punk scene and on to New York but the stress of a romance and the inevitable addiction issues make for a rocky road. By no means a great musical, it's not been filling the b...

Another of my threesome days Before The Lockdown: in 2014 Sometimes you take a bit of a risk, you have an idea that an actor, a company, a theatre usually do something interesting but you actually know next to nothing about the production in question. A couple of actors we'd seen before and liked were part of  an improvisational company that was putting on shows that did not just include improvisation but we ticket buyers had no idea what even the basic concept was. So it was with the Secret Theatre Show 5 - A Series of Increasingly Impossible Acts at the Lyric theatre London. In a room with only a square performance space, no set just a handful of props and a single row of seats around the edge of the room. To be honest, I don't really recall what happened, what it was about, but that it was fast, energetic, demanding of the actors, funny and, at the end of the evening, thought-provoking. And even if it doesn't stick in the memory for years, that still makes for ...

Another return visit on this day Before The Lockdown: in 2016 Way back in 2001 I saw a magnificent cast of Michael Gambon, Rupert Graves, and Douglas Hodge in The Caretaker and fifteen years later I am at the Old Vic in London to see this classic play again and, once more, with an outstanding cast; Timothy Spall, George MacKay, and Daniel Mays. It was only four years ago but I really don't have any particularly distinct memories of this production. As I recall all the performances were fine, as you would expect - I pretty much love everything that Daniel Mays does and he was perfectly cast in this. Likewise George MacKay was, as usual, impressive while Timothy Spall was obviously having great fun as the manipulative tramp who sets up home in their cramped and run-down apartment. I always prefer to be as close to the stage as I can afford to be and I'm thinking that because, for this production, I was sat up in the gods it felt more like watching a performance than beari...

Suspenders at the ready on this day Before The Lockdown: in 2003 Oh dear, this is rather embarrassing! I loved the film, it's iconic and a standard reference point for all of us who do not believe in conformity. Yet. I've only seen the stage show, on which the film was based, once. What is even worse is that I remember so very little of the Rocky Horror Show when I did get to see at the Wimbledon Theatre in London! It must have been fun, how could it not be? But no, I recall nothing. 😢 For some reason, I do not have a programme for this show, and I am almost fanatical in getting programmes! so the image here is one I have found on the Internet and, as far as I can tell, is correct for this particular tour An interesting side-note to this is that when searching for that image I discovered that at the time this show was running Wimbledon Theatre was in severe financial difficulties and did, in fact close for several months until it was rescued by the Ambassador Thea...

As much as I've tried I really can't find a cute thematic bon mot to apply to the theatrical rundown on this day Before The Lockdown... in 2003 Still working out what I really liked about theatre one simple selection method was recognisable names from TV. Office Games at the Pleasance Theatre in London fitted that bill quite nicely With relative stage newcomers Adam Rickitt and Charlie Brooks fresh from Coronation Street and EastEnders respectively and the well established Richard O'Callaghan. A basic office comedy with all the usual shenanigans that follow a important figure being embarrassed by a mistake that is then blamed on a junior who then seeks some sort of revenge. With being set in the British Foreign Office after the first world war this one had the added comedic value of historical attitudes. A modestly entertaining evening I recall little of the plot or the characters but what I do remember is that we bumped into Adam Rickitt at the tube station on...

The story of this particular day Before The Lockdown is of missed opportunity. in 2006 One thing you have to learn about advance booking for the theatre is that you are booking for the play and not the actor! On this day we had booked to see Paul Nicholls (building on his growing reputation as a skilled stage actor) and the estimable and already well established Clare Higgins in Phaedra at the Donmar Warehouse in London. Shortly before it opened it was announced that Paul Nicholls had to be replaced and his part taken on at very short notice by the slightly less experienced Ben Meyjes As I recall it was a  perfectly good play if somewhat prejudiced by the lack of one of our favourite up-and-coming actors, and as good as Ben was, he couldn't offer quite the same energy and intensity that Paul had developed through his previous work, which would have been supplemented by the fact that he had previously worked with Clare Higgins in Vincent In Brixton . Indeed, as one reviewe...

On this day Before The Lockdown, we have a clutch of fresh faces: in 2007 I had seen the film version many years previously but this was the first time I would see Equus on stage (currently at three and counting 😎). The Gielgud theatre in London achieved quite a coup, by getting Daniel Radcliffe to star in his first significant stage role during a break in filming the Harry Potter series. He had already done some other TV work but live in a theatre is quite a different skill. Without the magic of cameras and post-production could he convince as a live actor? In the company of well respected and well-versed stage veterans like the excellent  Richard Griffiths and Jenny Agutter this was a very daring move by the young actor. The problem I have now is that this was thirteen years ago and in 2019 I saw a wholly new version of the play was was simply outstanding and will etched in my memory for years to come. But I cannot recall any specific emotions I felt for this first produ...

Another day of separate lives in 2020 but this day Before The Lockdown is more than a little interesting! First some 'backstory'. 😀 In February of this year I saw a new version of an old classic, Nora: A Doll's House , but it's not the play that is of interest here. As we entered the theatre I said to my friend that we had definitely been here before - he was dubious, especially as I couldn't say when or to see what. But. I had a very clear recollection of being in the theatre cafe, drinking coffee and discussing their unusual selection of bread with the waiter! When I returned home I searched my digital records (from which these posts are derived) but could find no entry for the Young Vic. Until today! in 2009 I had seen a couple of solo shows some years earlier but I reckon this is the one that cemented my appreciation for this type of theatre. In You Can See The Hills with no set and mostly just sat on a chair, William Ash told the story of a young t...

Another triple hit day, I don't think I've found a day across four years yet ... but I'm sure there must be, y'know, probability and all that! Anyway, Before The Lockdown on this day ... in 1999 This is the furthest I have gone back so far and it's quite an interesting one. On this day I was in London to see Rent at the Shaftesbury Theatre. I would actually see this same production again later in the year, for the last performance and then again a couple of years later with a new touring cast. The main motivation for this trip was to see Joe McFadden who had so impressed in recent TV successes The Crow Road and Sex, Chip, and Rock'n'Roll . It had been a smash hit in the US but apparently didn't work quite so well  in London, but I remember enjoying it and although McFadden wasn't perhaps the most convincing lead he had enough charm to carry it off and I thought, as a whole it worked well, and there were certainly some very powerful and e...

Ahh, and we have another busy day in history, Before The Lockdown: in 2002 My first visit, of admittedly few, to the National Theatre in London was to see Vincent in Brixton at the Cottesloe. It's strange what, if anything, you remember of a work. Sometimes absolutely nothing or, as with this production, an odd detail like that they actually had a working kitchen as part of the set! Though, to be fair, I do also recall an impressive performance from Clare Higgins as the landlady of the house Vincent van Gogh was staying in. Escaping a traditional Christian Dutch environment to the more progressive and permissive London, Vincent found a muse of sorts, someone who recognised his talent, and also a love interest or two. As I recall it, a gently paced tale of the two lead characters recognising their likely futures one bright and creative, the other returning to a hum-drum day-to-day existence after a brief moment of excitment. This production was also interesting in terms of...

Well, having taken a rest on 16th April from theatre-going for the last few years, I resume normal service on this day ... but while preparing this day's post I realise something very spooky! On this same day, nine years apart,the two plays I saw were both written by Laura Wade! 😮 So what were they? in 2010 This was actually the first production of Laura Wade's Posh , at the Royal Court, London. Very much an "actors theatre" the Royal Court has seen some of the best talent on it's stages, including many at the start of glittering careers. What we didn't know then was that handsome fellow about town Kit Harrington , in what I think was only his second professional stage role, was already prepping Jon Snow in Game of Thrones! In fact, looking at the cast list now, there are quite a few names that are now frequently seen on TV, Stage, and film. A very British play about the foul underbelly of privilege at the heart of our politics then (and to a larg...

Another day, much the same as the previous and, I dare say, very similar to the next. Yes, staying home, staying safe and protecting my community. Speaking with friends regularly, watching some of the new online theatre broadcasts (must admit to being surprised that they can, actually, work rather well) and doing my weekly stint as a volunteer in our community shop. But in previous years on this particular date ... in 2014 One of my favourite theatres is the Ustinov Studio, part of the Theatre Royal Bath, a small studio space (obviously!) that has an enviable reputation for quality productions. For their Spring 2014 season they put on a series of excellent American plays that had seldom, if ever, been staged in the UK. One of which was A Steady Rain . Taking inspiration from a real-life incident where two Milwaukee police officers returned a distressed young run-away to Jeffrey Dahmer, this two-hander explored issues of morality, trust, loyalty, corruption and betrayal. In...

In recent years I have been able to see much more theatre and these Before The Lockdown memory posts might serve to emphasise what I am missing but I would like to think of them as a warm blanket of nostalgia while we wait out this cold winter of isolation and look forward to a heady summer of new cultural delights. Anyway, on this day... In 2018 In London, returning to the Royal Court for the second time that year after a four year gap to see Instructions For Correct Assembly . A witty and smartly staged comment on what is an age-old desire - that the people we love could be 'better' and more attuned to our own needs. With obvious reference to such familiar tales as The Stepford Wives and more recent TV dramas like Humans it asks what might happen if a family could replace a troublesome child with a 'perfect' synthetic? In 2019 In London again, this time at The Arcola to see a new stage musical of one of my favourite films, Little Miss Sunshine . ...

Some days appear to have been very idle, others, like April 9th, seem to be rather eventful. In 2005 I believe this was the first " post Harry Potter " performance I saw by any of the main actors from the Harry Potter films. On this occasion it was Sean Biggerstaff  (Oliver Wood, in case you need reminding) in The Girl With Red Hair at the Hampstead Theatre in London. Now, to be honest I don't remember much about it apart from it being a quite evocative of a small coastal Scottish community trying to dealing with their emotions. In 2018 I managed to get a seat at the Theatre Royal Bath to see Mary Stuart one of the biggest hits of the year. At the time I wrote " The reviews are right! Mary Stuart is theatre at it's most beautiful; the exquisite wordplay, the toing & froing of plot and empathy, the superb performances, the stark, focused, staging. " The play opens with the toss of a coin to decide which of the two leads, Juliet Steven...

According to me all my records I did nothing of note on 7th April, which might have suggested that this 'daily' record was unravelling but no! Those empty days just go to prove that I did stuff, real stuff, on other days. That's good, isn't it? 😉 So, for example, I do know what I did on the 8th of April ... In 2019 A most entertaining evening at the New Wimbledon Theatre with the 2 Mouthed Men and their surprisingly good beatbox sketch comedy! That's surprising in the sense that beatbox and comedy sketches aren't words you hear together very often, and certainly not when describing the same thing! Oh, and there were some fine hot guitar licks and rapping along the way as well. You can get a sense of their thing' ...

Having got the date wrong for the first post in this series, I shall endeavour to double-check every post from now on! Now, for the 6th of April (honest!) On This Day . In 2003 A very fortuitous visit to see a friend in London on the last weekend that The Laramie Project was at the Cochrane theatre. As far as I can recall this was the first time I'd seen a ' verbatim ' theatre production and it was such an incredible piece. The story itself, of how a small middle American town deals with the aftermath of an horrific murder and their own beliefs and prejudices regarding identity and sexuality was emotional enough but then knowing that the "voices" we were hearing were actually those of the real people involved added a whole other level of connection. The production itself, like most verbatim pieces, was quite sparse but there were some moments, of both an individual's own story and of the visual impact of scenes such as the white Angel Action, that ...