Lovesong, Lyric, Hammersmith

I love the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith: aside from the fact that it is a just a bus ride from home, Hammersmith is a nostalgic place for me, just round the corner from the school where I spent seven years. The theatre itself has a lovely auditorium, much like a small West End venue. The Lyric is a lively environment to experience and the press evenings here are always fun with music jamming, friendly mingling and fresh hot pizza handed round, it's a blast.

This month the Lyric welcomes Abi Morgan’s touching love story, ‘Lovesong', a production by FRANTIC ASSEMBLY, an exciting contemporary physical theatre company I have wanted to see in action for a while. The play spans forty years: the marriage of Maggie and Billy, the aging process they endure and how their love changes over time. We watch the youthful couple William (Edward Bennett) and Margaret (Leanne Rowe) in their 20s excitedly embarking on a life together, and also their older selves Maggie (Sian Phillips) and Billy (Sam Cox) as they remember and reminiscence. The action is delicately and completely intertwined, flicking between the two eras constantly… Maggie opens the wardrobe and Margaret slips out instead. I found the older couple more convincing; Sam Cox gives a sensitive rendition of the helpless husband while Sian Phillips is heartbreaking as the dying wife.

The script is very fluid but can be disorientating - at times I wished for more detail, especially regarding Maggie’s dehabilitating illness. However this is where the dance and clever choreography works so well, as the physicality effectively captures the passing of time: beautifully lyrical and transient movement that each of the four actors handled impressively. The play is accompanied by Carolyn Downing’s powerful soundtrack, it supports the script if a little vague and abstract at times.

Lovesong manages to grip the audience for the full ninety minutes, and the day I went, the theatre remained eerily silent throughout, everyone seemed captivated by the truthful love affair.

You would have to be pretty cold-hearted to leave the theatre feeling completely untouched, I was certainly worried about my mascara smudging.

Lovesong continues at The Lyric until 4 February, book here.

Haunted Child, Royal Court

Haunted Child was a disappointingly poor offering from the Royal Court. Joe Pentall’s play is a very bizarre and flawed study of a fictional spiritual/ religious/ scientific cult. Before attending, I was terrified at the prospect of a ghost story about a child, a narrative that would usually deeply affect me, however this play lacks any kind of thrilling effects, and the play’s title bears little resemblence to the script and production.

A man, Douglas, returns home unexpectedly to his confused wife and son. He is disorientated and a mess, his teeth have been knocked out and his hair falls lank and dirty, worse still he cannot explain fully where and why he has been away, without word, for so long. His poor, anxious and upset wife, Julie is utterly bewildered and their son, Thomas very disturbed. Gradually details of Douglas’ new group become known, a ridiculous cult of students and mentors who camp in a disused building chatting about science and spirituality. Unfortunately the facts just don’t add up, and when Douglas begins insisting his son is in fact his reincarnated father, I couldn’t help but snigger in disbelief.

Sophie Okonedo is said to be a brilliant actress, indeed I’ve seen her on stage before and she impressed me, but here she falls flat, unable to muster any intensity in the role of Julie. I must admit however that I felt deeply unsettled by Ben Daniel’s portrayal of delusional dad, Douglas, and so here the acting should be given some merit. I felt angered and frustrated by this man, though the poor script sometimes made his character laughable and ridiculous.

I was tempted to leave at the interval, not because I hated the play, but because it entirely lacked believability, but I stayed desperate to see an improvement in the second half, alas it did not come. It is a sad, portentous play for Christmas, and not worth wasting the time to see.

Haunted Child continues until 14 January at the Royal Court, visit the website here.

Noises Off, Old Vic, Waterloo

Halfway through the performance I looked around - the audience, panting and wheezing, were delirious with laughter, it was hilarity beyond anything I have ever before witnessed at the theatre. I was at the press night for Noises Off, the very clever and very funny play by Michael Frayn. It was first performed in 1982 but feels fresh and exciting in this sparky revival. Having seen some of director Lindsay Posner’s previous work, I am not surprised to see him produce another hit show.

Noises Off is a play within a play, a small dysfunctional cast are putting the final touches to their production of ‘Nothing On’, a farcical comedy. The group are a mix of theatrical types including an unreliable boozer, a clueless young girl, a worrier who needs reassurance every line, and the infuriated director. Gossip is circulated while the cast rehearse the first act, the day before opening night. As the evening progresses, everything unravels and the situation becomes more and more disorderly and ridiculous. Frayn’s script is genius and comes across very naturally on stage, it is fast paced and fluent, Frayn seems to understand this kind of chaos and the piece never loses momentum.

The production is brilliantly executed, and rehearsed to within an inch of its life, each cast member giving a staggeringly precise and perfect performance, the actors are faultless. I recognised most of the faces: Robert Glenister, who I remember well from TV series ‘Hustle,' is fabulously exasperated as the stressed out director. Celia Imrie is wonderful as ever, fully immersing herself in the ditzy part of Dotty Otley. But the real highlight performance for me comes from Jamie Glover who excels in every comic conundrum, he manages to jump up the stairs with his shoelaces tied together!

Don’t blink or you may miss a moment of humour, Noises Off is honestly a laugh a second, and I felt exhausted by the final curtain. ‘Tis the season to be jolly in London… along with One Man Two Guvnors, our capital city is boasting the best crop of comic plays ever.

Continues until 10 March, 2012, book here.

Old Me, Roundhouse Studio Theatre

I had no idea what to expect when I turned up at the Roundhouse to see the play 'Old Me'. There were a few paparazzi outside, a brass band playing indoors and a host of eccentrically dressed guests. I soon found out that it was also opening night for La Soiree in the main auditorium and this is what everyone was there to see.

After a quick drink in the bar we made our way to the much smaller Studio Theatre, a cute boutique space for more alternative experimental works showcasing at The Roundhouse. At the beginning of 2011 The Roundhouse invited Polarbear to create a new piece of spoken work specially designed for this theatre. The Roundhouse are passionate about exploring and providing a platform for new emerging artists and their work with spoken word, often holding projects for young people to get involved. The result of this dynamic collaboration with Polarbear is shown to us in an intense 60 minute play.

Polarbear wrote Old Me and performs the piece alone on stage, accompanied only by a sparse musical backdrop played by Daniel Marcus Clark on an electric guitar and cello. Polarbear himself is an impressive character actor, slipping into different personas swiftly and with staggering believability. His words seem to be autobiographical and for an hour he acts out and speaks about moments and realisations of note that he wants to share with us. It is an intense performance, very physical, sometimes sad, sometimes aggressive and often witty and funny…a touching balance of emotions from one man eager to share his memories with us. He has an incredible imagination and a skill for storytelling, I was most impressed by the lyrical poetic nature of his words, it was quite beautiful.

'Old Me' is a short and captivating piece, an hour well spent. Look out for Polarbear he is genuinely passionate about his craft and a fine example of raw talent.

Office Party, Product Solutions, London

Office Party is not your conventional piece of theatre: assume nothing, expect the unexpected . The secrets of the production are not mine to tell... to discover them you'll have to go along yourself, but I can guarantee a night of excitement and surprises.

The drama is located at Product Solutions Head Office, Islington North Road, next door to the Pleasance Theatre. Beginning as a smaller project showcasing at Edinburgh Fringe 2007, its popularity and unique appeal has brought Office Party to London. It is a clever concept from the show’s creators, Christopher Green and Ursula Martinez, who also perform and direct.

The most fun comes from the accidental drama provoked by the audience which inevitably varies each night. Speaking to one of the actors after the show, he commended our group as being particularly enthusiastic, bringing the best out of the show’s intentions. I enjoyed myself immensely but found there was a little too much waiting around between the action, and those less patient audience members seemed to be lagging around the edges of the room looking bored.

It is a night of comedy and cabaret with some brilliantly witty performances. I must mention actor Jonathan Broke who I particularly interacted with during the show and who gave a hilariously funny and spontaneous performance. Anil Desai is genius too, plunging himself into his stereotypical character and making the audience chuckle. There is a fair amount of audience participation for those willing and my friend and I revelled in this opportunity; this definitely made our experience more enjoyable.

Office Party is an interactive evening of fun and insanity, be prepared for anything.

One more thing, the show doesn’t start until 8pm but if you’re looking for a bite to eat beforehand there is a lovely establishment just next door: Carpenters Mews is a vibrant gastro pub definitely worth a visit.

Visit the OFFICE PARTY website and book tickets here.

Yes Prime Minister, Gielgud Theatre

I wish I had watched some of the ‘Yes, Prime Minister’ TV series, because at the play I felt I was missing something; most of the chuckling audience were obviously in on the cult. This political farce seems to keep reappearing on Shaftesbury Avenue, which makes me think that it must be very popular with the British public. It's back for a final run at the Gielgud Theatre - I went to see what all the fuss is about.

Having visited Chequers myself (!) I was pleased to see that the set replicated the venue accurately, a well to do living room with vast bookcases and lots of shiny mahogany. The action takes place solely in this room, where Sir Humphrey Appleby (Cabinet Secretary), Jim Hacker (Prime Minister), Bernard Woolley (Principal Private Secretary) and Claire Sutton (Special Policy Advisor) all debate a ridiculously silly conundrum, a dispute which lasts pretty much the whole duration of the play.

Political stereotypes are milked excessively and blatantly so that even I, a political dunce, could laugh at the crude jokes. I must admit, some parts are very funny, and for a fan of the TV series I imagine this provides a great night out. It is also worth mentioning that I was put in a bad mood by the unbearably hot temperature of the theatre. At first I thought I must be getting ill, but during the interval I heard numerous other guests complaining, and throughout the second half doubling up the programme as a fan was the only way to go. The actors seemed to be suffering too, I can only imagine how hot they must have been on stage.

The acting was good throughout with a particularly memorable performance from Chris Larkin as the stammering Bernard Woolley. Simon Williams too gives a smooth and charismatic rendition of Sir Humphrey, tackling the fast wordy passages with gusto and getting the majority of the laughs. Richard McCabe as the Prime Minister is full of energy, though at times reminded me of a hyperactive teenager.

Yes Prime Minister continues until 19th November, book here.

A Dish of Tea with Dr Johnson, Arts Theatre

I already knew a bit about Dr (Dictionary) Johnson as my dad’s work was exhibited last year in his preserved London home now a museum, but I had no idea of the cult following his work engenders. When I went along to the Arts Theatre this week I was amazed by the enthusiasm of the audience, who all seemed very familiar with this genius’ work and words. The new play, A Dish of Tea with Dr Johnson, plays on his witty remarks and many memorable quotes.

Only ninety minutes long it is adapted by Russell Barr, Ian Redford and Max Stafford-Clark from Boswell's ‘The Life of Samuel Johnson’ and ‘The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides’. We are introduced to Dr Johnson and invited to look in on his life. A sparse little living room is set up on stage with only a table and two chairs, an intimate setting for this cabinet work.

The play is performed more as a recitation than a performance. With very few props, it is a compilation of Johnson moments and is very wordy; at times I craved a little more action. The acting is beautiful throughout, with a particularly stunning rendition of Johnson by Ian Redford, delivering the lines with great aplomb and possessing a manic energy that feels appropriate for this fascinating character.

Due to illness, Russell Barr has had to pull out but a very competent Luke Griffin joins the cast, taking on the role of James Boswell and a staggering seven other parts. The poor man barely had a prop to define each character and instead had to work hard to distinguish with contrasting accents and mannerisms. The volume of lines meant at times, he was partly reading the words from his black book, a little distracting, but totally understandable in the circumstances. Trudie Styler has a cameo part towards the end of the show as Johnson’s greatest love, Mrs Hester Thrale, adding another dimension to the play, interacting well with the pair of men, making the final moments more dynamic.

A Dish of Tea with Dr Johnson is a well structured memoir of a great man of literature, giving an insight into his unique legacy.

Continues until 24 September, book here.

Emperor and Galilean at The National, Olivier Theatre

You probably haven’t heard of the play ‘Emperor and Galilean’... I hadn’t before I booked tickets a few months ago. This epic historical drama by Henrik Ibsen was written between 1868 and 1873 and was described by the playwright as his most important work, and yet very little is known of it. In fact the National are the first to take on the brave task of staging it in English.

The play instantly poses many tricky challenges: the original work comes in the form of two plays, consists of ten acts lasting over eight hours in total and the drama takes place over dozens of years and spans thousands of miles of land. The National commissioned Ben Power to write a new adaptation of the piece. Power overcomes all these tests in his engaging adaptation, condensing down Ibsen’s masterpiece into a more manageable three hour performance.

The drama follows the life of Julian, ruler of the Roman Empire from AD361-363. As the nephew of the Roman Emperor Constantius he is under constant restraints in Constantinople. An intelligent young man he is desperate to escape and explore, and when his older brother, Gallus is assigned the role of Caesar, Julian is free to go to Athens. Discovering the allure of worshipping ancient pagan gods, Julian leaves behind belief in Christianity, and consequently his devoted friends too. Personally he struggles constantly with the Christian-Pagan debate, seeking advice and approval fromthe elderly Maximus. Eventually he is crowned Emperor, abolishing Christianity in flavour of Paganism.

It certainly is a tour de force – a cast of over 50, and at least 10 scene changes it is quite a sight to behold. Jonathan Kent has done a brilliant job directing this play, presenting us with a performance that is fluid and imaginative and surprisingly easy to understand. In fact this version of ‘Emperor and Galilean’ is not even very Ibsen-esque, and I enjoyed it a great deal more than I expected to.

Andrew Scott takes on the vast role of Julian and is on stage almost non-stop for the whole performance. The emotional energy he brings to the role is impressive - he gives a passionate and intense depiction that is needed to make such a complex character convincing. Also admirable is his ability to transform and mature so effectively, growing from the pale scrawny teenager, to a great Emperor decades later. Brilliant too is the interaction between Julian and his three friends, his genuine anguish when he decides to leave them is terribly moving and affecting. There is strong support for Scott from the rest of the cast: Nabil Shaban as the cruel Emperor Constantius, and Ian McDiarmid as a menacingly persuasive Maximus. John Heffernan as Peter and Jamie Ballard as Gregory both provided some light against Andrew Scott’s shade, as two kind but feeble friends of Julian. Not every actor was to my taste though. James McArdle was irritatingly limp and monotone as preacher Agathon and Genevieve O’Reilly was ridiculous as Helena, the quiet girl who, after eating a poisoned peach, rips her clothes off and wriths insanely across the stage.

It is a deeply poignant play, and Power’s version only emphasises this more, highlighting the powerful man’s struggle with himself and his beliefs. A few stunning performances and some awesome visuals create an overwhelming performance that deserves a large round of applause at final curtain call - certainly more than my audience gave it, who pathetically seemed to be half asleep by the end.

Emperor and Galilean continues until 10 August 2011, book here.

'Bette and Joan' at The Arts Theatre

Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, two names that conjure up images of beauty, glamour and theatrical glory - both women played important roles in Hollywood history. Anton Burge’s new play ‘Bette and Joan’ shows these two iconic figures in the midst of their comeback film in 1962 Hollywood, "What ever happened to Baby Jane?" Both are nervous to be appreciated, Joan is desperate "to be liked" while Bette is obsessed with her success as a dramatic actress.

The set is carefully arranged, two adjacent dressing rooms sit with an all important mirror on the wall separating the two actresses. This significantly places the women opposite each other, so at times they are literally staring at one another, almost as reflections, and yet the contrast between the dressing rooms' decor shows their obvious differences in character. Factually Bette and Joan were very alike: both were born after the turn of the twentieth century, both married four times, both were Aries, both were adopted children, both were abandoned by their fathers and the list goes on. However after Crawford’s death Davis was frequently caught saying “we had absolutely nothing in common.” In this play their similarities and differences are explored by Burge throughout.

On stage Crawford is in the dressing room to the right, all glitz and glamour - ostentatious flowers, frocks and jewels, velvet dressing gown, and the all important pepsi filled fridge. Davis, on the left is more of a free spirit, throwing her shoes off in her plain bare room, and smoking constantly while applying her haughty character's make up and generally making a mess.

Both actresses, Anita Dobson as Crawford and Greta Scacchi as Davis, give polished performances, producing impressively nuanced depictions of these great women. It helps that Scacchi looks alarmingly like the real Bette Davis, and with the melodramatic mannerisms is hilariously convincing. Dobson reminded me instantly of a younger "Dot" from Eastenders, all pinched smile and delicate features. Crawford’s clever conniving is played with a devilish humour, and yet she is equally brilliant acting out the sickly sweet side to the actress' character.

The script is dominated by a slanging match between the women, yet a glimmer of friendship is evident towards the end when the girls giggle together bitching about the younger actresses, "like that slag Monroe," who have stolen their limelight. Unfortunately I was rather distracted in the second half by pulsating, blaring music above the theatre, threatening to spoil the mood. And it doesn’t help that the seats at the Arts Theatre are rather uncomfortable, after nearly three hours of viewing I was longing to get up.

‘Bette and Joan’ is an illuminating insight into the lives of two of the greatest screen stars; we frequently see iconic photographs, but never before has such an intriguing and touching ‘behind the scenes’ story been revealed.

Continues until Saturday 25 June, book here.

Wastwater at The Royal Court

Wastwater, by Simon Stephens is a curious triptych of stories, each connected by seemingly unimportant coincidences. Odd little clues are revealed throughout and gradually allow the audience a deeper understanding of the characters and their relationships, though I guarantee you will still leave baffled by the numerous unsolved questions.

Each forty minute piece shows a couple, making a life defining choice; each pair is located somewhere nearby Heathrow airport. The significance of the airport is debatable, it is a soulless place that often enables new beginnings. Its presence is eerily felt throughout with excruciatingly loud plane noises blaring dramatically over our heads.

We first meet Harry and his foster mother Frieda. She has seen many of her kids come and go but feels differently about Harry, who is a thoughtful and kind boy, albeit occasionally stubborn and troublesome. They stand together in Frieda’s garden pondering Harry's fast approaching departure and watching the planes cross overhead.

Next we see Lisa and Mark, an awkward couple who appear to be about to embark on an affair, though neither seem sure why. They are stationed in a comfortable but bland hotel room near Heathrow. Lost and lonely, they give fragments of their stories as they get to know each other.

Finally, in a damp and dingy cellar-like space, Sian and Jonathan are discussing the imminent arrival of a child he has arranged to illegally adopt/buy. This simple transaction soon reveals information about these two characters that is rather more sinister. It is an unpleasant exchange.

Of the three parts, I found the second by far the most engaging, with very strong performances from both Paul Ready (Mark) and Jo McInnes (Lisa). In the third story Sian is spine-tinglingly nasty in her enthusiastic rendition of Stephens’ dialogue, I couldn’t help but be terrified for the quivering Jonathan (Angus Wright) even if his intentions are horrific. I found the opening scene a little pointless, a dull conversation that showed little imagination, I felt sorry for Tom Sturridge (Harry) and Linda Bassett (Frieda) who take on these less exciting roles, and work with what little they have very well.

The whole cast are superb and deeply convincing, characters with little background must be challenging to convey. Each duo has a great set to work with from talented designer Lizzie Clachan. The cold stagnant sensation is conveyed by the set, miraculous considering the warm luxurious feel of this stylish theatre.

This Wastwater trio is intriguing but irritatingly ambiguous, even the choice of title seems a little too abstract (Wastwater is England’s deepest lake and is mentioned once in the play). I suppose as with many contemporary plays we, the audience, are expected to explore and assess the reasons and outcome of the drama ourselves, and each make our own judgement. Wastwater gives free rein and possibility to do this - for me the conclusions are bleak and scary.

Wastwater continues until 7 May 2011, book here.

Mary Broome at The Orange Tree Theatre

‘Mary Broome', written by Allan Monkhouse in the early part of the 20th Century, is a study of relationships: between servant and wealthy employer and secondly between parents and their children. Monkhouse enjoys muddling these divisions up when the younger son in the prosperous Timbrall family is found to have landed the family’s housemaid, Mary Broome, in a spot of trouble.

I faintly remember my last visit to the Orange Tree Theatre, I can’t have been older than twelve and was there on a school trip; the theatre seemed much bigger back then. It is actually a boutique venue sitting in the centre of lovely Richmond, just two minutes walk from the train station. Before seeing the play we stopped into Carluccio’s next door to scoff a quick bowl of pasta, sustenance for the evening’s entertainment.

We all squeezed onto the snug press benches: to say it was cosy would be an understatement. Set designer Sam Dowson has created an atmospheric sitting room, and used very effectively the small space he has to work with. Strangely, a piece of furniture is placed in the middle of each side of the square stage restricting one's view, this may be intentional in order to make the audience feel they are peeking into the family drama.

Katie McGuinness is reserved and affecting as the meek maid Mary Broome; she puts on a perfect Pennine accent which makes her stand out from the rest of the characters brilliantly. She never gives too much away, keeping her thoughts coiled in and presenting a plain, rather dumb front. Her shy and hesistant portrayal is sometimes painful to watch.

Jack Farthing made me laugh as overtly camp and frivolous Leonard Timbrell, who is forced to marry Mary by his stern father after getting her pregnant. He is witty and sharp and makes fabulous use of Monkhouse’s fast paced script. Michael Lumsden commands the stage with his bellowing rendition of Mr Edward Timbrell ordering everyone about in a nasty condescending tone. In fact the whole cast is strong and works well as a team, there are no dud performances.

It is a convincing production for the Orange Tree Theatre, though after seeing similar plays such as ‘When we are Married’ and ‘An Ideal Husband’, I’m afraid I didn’t feel as excited watching this smaller scale farce.

Continues until 23 April, book here.

The Red Shoes at BAC

Last week was my first time at Battersea Arts Centre (BAC), a grand old town hall that houses a wealth of arts programmes and performances. I’ve often heard of exciting projects going on there and am glad to have finally visited. Currently they are showing the macabre and menacing ‘The Red Shoes’.

BAC is a short bus ride from Clapham Common tube station and is South London’s biggest hope as an independent theatre venue. The interior has a certain exhilarating grandeur and with a busy bar and restaurant area there is a real buzz about this place. On entering I immediately felt compelled to explore my surroundings.

The Red Shoes is brought to us by quirky and innovative theatre group Kneehigh who originally had success with their production of this play ten years back. Essentially it is a folktale conjuring up a strange world with dark secrets, a story that Kneehigh hope will “resonate with all times, places and people”. I watched wide-eyed, confused and enthralled by what I saw. This piece is certainly completely nonsensical, never has there been such an appropriate use of the word, but this perhaps gives it its appeal.

The cast are a motley crew, in a uniform of plain white men’s underwear, and with shaved heads, they don’t even have hair to characterise them. Before the show they wander amongst the crowded foyer playing their instruments in a melancholic fashion. Their eyes are circled with dark make up, their numb expressions are creepily dehumanised.

Patrycja Kujawska is strikingly scary as the play’s main girl. She is mute throughout but speaks volumes with her glaring eyes and spooky smirk. She dons hard clunky red clogs that although feminine, look extremely heavy and cumbersome. The Girl is obsessed with and eventually possessed by these shoes; they force her to dance continually and relentlessly, and dance she does with endless energy and demonic animation.

Two musicians sit either side of the stage, they too wear the underwear outfit. Stu Barker and Ian Ross play a huge variety of instruments and give the show character and spirited ambience. The music tells the story just as much as the script, the haunting folk melody that frequently returns is beautiful and very similar to the band Beirut’s lilting tunes.

Of the four male actors (who make up the rest of the cast) I was entranced by Giles King as Lady Lydia, the eccentric cross dressing compere. Oddly sexy and mischievous she/he reminded me of Tim Burton’s Willy Wonka. The stage is small but fully adaptable - Lady Lydia stands above on a balcony for much of the play, she manipulates her company to re-enact her dreadful story, and armed with a long fishing line is a cruel puppeteer.

The Red Shoes is a truly dark but magical show, how a derelict building can be transformed and hold such an atmosphere will amaze audiences every night.

If you can’t make it to this show, Kneehigh’s West End production ‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg’ is in full swing on Shaftesbury Avenue.

Continues until 9 April, book here.

Puckoon at the Leicester Square Theatre

Spike Milligan is an acquired taste. On tour across Ireland, the audiences apparently loved his Puckoon and a few nights ago most of Leicester Square Theatre seemed to be chuckling away but I just didn’t get this play. The lead, Dan Milligan asks towards the end, “What is this play about anyway?” and I couldn’t help but wonder. I left completely confused!

This dingy comedy theatre is sandwiched between the cinemas and Chinatown. When we arrived there was a long queue outside eager to get in. Our seats were right at the front so I had ample space to spread out and get comfy. It soon became apparent that there is no real narrative to Puckoon, at least not one that is possible to discern, much like the Red Shoes it is a folktale though with less of a resonant message.

The muso-actors in Puckoon are multi-talented, each taking on a different character every minute. Paul Boyd sits by the piano (as the Writer) providing a running commentary and musical interludes throughout. I enjoyed the music and feel it adds another dimension to the piece. It is impressive to see such a large variety of instruments played including ukulele, flute, harmonica and percussion.

Six witty men make up the cast but the constant manic dashing about means it is difficult to concentrate on any one of them. Russell Morton is particularly engaging. I have seen him previously in Bent at the Tabard and was pleased to spot a familiar face amongst the mayhem. He displays real versatility and even managed occasionally to make me laugh.

A strange little play that will, I’m sure, amuse some audiences, but was unfortunately really not for me.

Puckoon continues until 27 March, book here.

The Heretic at The Royal Court

The Royal Court is fast becoming my favourite London theatre. The productions here seem to have a style that is strangely magnetic. Conveniently located next door to Sloane Square tube station, it couldn't be easier. I went last weekend to see the Saturday matinee of ‘The Heretic’, the much talked about play by Richard Bean. I purchased £8 ‘under 26’ balcony tickets from the few remaining the day before, snatching an absolute bargain.

When we arrived on the grey afternoon the box office was chaos, with several poor stewards desperately trying to deal with an epic ticket error – many of the seats bought on ‘Last Minute’ had been booked twice, making double the amount of punters to seats. Luckily I booked my tickets on the theatre website so waltzed right through the angry crowds to the busy bar area.

The Heretic deals with the topic of climate change, much like the National’s Greenland, and touches on many of the issues thrashed out in ‘Earthquakes of London’. But unlike the other plays, The Heretic has a more optimistic feel due to the female protagonistic, Dr Diane Cassell (Juliet Stevenson). I enjoyed seeing a play on this delicate subject that argues both sides of the debate convincingly rather than a depressing doom and gloom piece about the inevitable and imminent bitter end of our planet.

Dr Cassell is a leading Earth Sciences lecturer at a Yorkshire University, researching rising sea levels in the Maldives. She is a climate change sceptic preaching to those who will listen about her conclusive results that the sea level is not rising. Her listener turns out to be a lonely but passionate 19 year old student Ben, he admires her studies but is especially interested in her anorexic, manic Greenpeace-obsessed daughter, Phoebe. Cassell’s views inevitably land her in trouble, with death threats and the loss of her job thanks to adversarial colleague and ex-lover, Professor Kevin Maloney.

I found the play thoroughly entertaining though the focus seems to disappear in the second half. Stevenson as the heroine is firmly convincing throughout, commanding the stage with a poignant realism. James Fleet brings another dimension to the cast as Faculty leader Maloney. I felt completely at ease watching him and he makes a serious subject gut-achingly funny.

I admired Johnny Flynn from afar at Hop Farm Festival last summer where he sang with his talented band. He has a delicate yet rich voice, and is a fantastic multi instrumentalist, little did I know he could act so spectacularly too. The young droopy haired lad speaks almost entirely in an upbeat rap style, his crafty innuendo is hysterical. He captures the awkward demeanour of his character perfectly, like the part had been written for him.

The Heretic is on at the Royal Court until 19th March. A clever and witty play, I absolutely loved it.

Book here.

Snake in the Grass at The Print Room

The Print Room continues on its quest to present obscure, controversial and exciting theatre to audiences in the capital with their production of Alan Ayckbourn’s ‘Snake in the Grass’. At their dinky little premises in Notting Hill the company hopes to shed light on this dark forgotten gem. If their version of ‘Fabrication’ didn’t prove their worth then this run of ‘Snake in the Grass’ certainly will.

Alan Ayckbourn is a much celebrated playwright, though this work is little known, and rarely performed - indeed it is the London premiere. The play introduces us to two sisters, Annabel and Miriam who have recently lost their father. It soon transpires that Miriam was in fact responsible for his sudden death, and consequently spends the duration trying to escape prison while being blackmailed by her father’s former nurse, Alice Moody. Her big sister, Annie is preoccupied with fears of her own and is reluctantly dragged into the mess, weighed down with guilt for leaving her family so many years earlier. This macabre ghost story takes many terrible twists, resulting in an unexpected and chilling conclusion.

The play is thrilling, and for those less hardy, quite terrifying. The theatre space has little air and is quite claustrophobic; the seating arrangement allows the performers to be very close to the audience - it is an intimate affair.

The all-female cast of three are brave, brassy and beastly, each of them vile in their own way. I was most impressed by Sarah Woodward as the delusional and calculating Miriam, she is scarily convincing and seems fully absorbed in the character throughout, never losing concentration. I realised, after reading the programme, that many years back I acted alongside her in Stephen Fry’s ‘Bright Young Things’, a surprising if quite cool coincidence. Susan Wooldridge acts as the lonely older sister Annabel, she genuinely seems battered and worn out, bitter and resigned to her failures. Wooldridge acts with real bite, though occasionally stumbled over her lines. The bullying nurse Alice is played by Mossie Smith. Looking at her sweet photo in the programme it is hard to believe she is the horrible girl who stomps onto the stage. In her tacky attire, she spits and grimaces and comes across as a truly awful human being, I soon detested her. Brilliant direction comes from the talented Lucy Bailey. She obviously had a very clear vision for this production, and luckily with such an experienced cast it is well realised, her passion for the job is evident just from watching her actresses perform. Eerie lighting and music made the play even more affecting.

The Print Room have William Dudley to thank for the phenomenal set. Dudley, who has picked up seven Olivier awards for his designs, transforms the plain space into a decrepit old tennis court complete with attendant detritus: it is hauntingly atmospheric and mysterious. The floor is covered in real green moss, the walls are made of wire fencing, and scrub and bushes crowd the entrances and exits. The remains of a tennis court are clear to see in every little detail.

The Print Room is evidence that theatre does not have to have money thrown at it to thrive and produce dynamic drama. I look forward to its next offering - perhaps something a little more cheery?

Snake in the Grass continues until 5 March, book here.

The Rivals at The Theatre Royal Haymarket

Peter Hall recently celebrated his 80^th Birthday and yet seems still in his directing prime, currently reviving Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s 1775 masterpiece The Rivals at The Theatre Royal Haymarket. Amazingly Hall has succeeded in satisfying modern audiences with this witty 18^th Century play, despite changing little to make it relevant.

Peter Bowles as Sir Anthony Absolute and Penelope Keith as Mrs Malaprop are tremendous as the revered guardians. Keith is infectious, mangling the English language at every opportunity with hilarious consequences, my favourite line being: “he is the very pineapple of politeness”, the audience roared with laughter. Sir Absolute is brilliant on stage and seems to enjoy his role, he grumbles constantly (and hypocritically) about his son disobeying his strict orders. I later found out that this pair are the much-loved partners from television sitcom ‘To the Manor Born’ on stage together for the first time in The Rivals.

The narrative follows the ridiculous love chase of the young couple: Jack Absolute and Lydia Languish. They are rather more soppy, in my opinion, though my friend thought Robyn Addison, as damsel-in-distress-Lydia, particularly good and enjoyed her lovesick performance. Both seem resolute in rebelling against their elders, this it turns out is more important than the love they have for each other.

I must admit, that as much as I enjoyed Sheridan’s classic, I found its narrative rather similar to other plays I have recently seen in Covent Garden. The differences between ‘When We Are Married’, ‘An Ideal Husband’ and ‘The Rivals’ blur in my mind; all I seem to remember are the elaborate frocks and velvet clad sets that feature in all three.

I sat on the front row of the circle, seats that have, I decided the best view in the house. Near me hung a huge austere mirror reflecting much of my fellow audience members. At times during the performance I glanced across and delighted myself in watching their reactions, this added to the fun.

The Rivals continues until 26 February 2011.

The Painter at the new Arcola Theatre in Dalston

Hidden away behind Dalston High Street is the new home of the Arcola Theatre, a converted paint factory which Turner and Constable probably frequented at the start of the 19^th Century. Conveniently close to not one but two train stations, this area of London isn’t as distant as you may assume. Having said that, I did get a bit lost, despairing when I ended up in the messy aftermath of Dalston’s Friday food market. Resorting to technology, I consulted my blackberry and found that I’d walked right past the correct turning.

The theatre is still very much a work in progress with wires draped precariously down the walls, and many other temporary measures in place. The other visitors seemed to relish the treacherously trendy surroundings, perching on the edge of the battered sofas, glass of red wine in hand. I guess this kind of venue is what makes East London so cutting edge cool, all very Fringe Theatre.

We were all here for the opening of the new space and the special performance of ‘The Painter,’ a play written specially for the occasion by Rebecca Lenkiewicz. At 7.15 we were ushered into the theatre, an intimate auditorium with surrounding brick walls, I was immediately struck by the charming character of the place. The lighting is what makes this stage so magical, the romantic reflections, moody shadows and gentle chiaroscuro transport the audience to another age entirely. The stage is dressed beautifully with pigment stained cloths, pages and pages of drawings, candles and old furniture and most importantly the artist’s easel. When I wished to avert my eyes from the actors there was much to admire and examine on the set. As a daughter of two artists, I can honestly say this messy studio array was very accurate.

The play is split into twenty-three short scenes, fragments of the artist’s life and memories, much like a retrospective exhibition. The mesmerising Dido’s Lament begins and concludes each half of the play. Other musical excerpts are used throughout, and are mostly appropriate, although occasionally reminded me of the ‘Famous Five’ storybooks on cassette! We meet Turner as a young man in 1799, obsessive and strange, as he is starting out his career as an artist. He has just moved into his new studio with his father, to assist him. Lenkiewicz decides to focus on the artist’s emotions and reactions, unfortunately examining his fascinating body of work very little. The painful relationship he has with his vicious mother and his awkwardness with women dominate much of the story. He is loved but seems unable to love anything apart from the glorious seascapes and landscapes that he paints.

Artistic Director Mehmet Ergen has a strong set of actors to work with. Toby Jones is impressive as the great artist, the small man has great expression in his face, and becomes a persuasive lead as the play goes on. Turner’s father is played by Jim Bywater, a reserved man with a quiet demeanor, I found his performance very convincing and even quite moving at times. Niamh Cusack eventually persuades ‘Billy’ into commitment, as Turner’s widowed lover, though seems to later regret it as he ignores her, even when she is carrying his child. Denise Gough is a breath of fresh air as Turner’s prostitute friend and model Jenny, she is exciting to watch and has real presence on stage when speaking up to the arrogant artist.

There was the offer of an after show celebration, but I reluctantly declined remembering the long journey home. As we left, a brave girl stood by the door playing the accordion and singing a lilting Edith Piaf song with great gusto. It was beautiful, and a lovely end to a very memorable evening. I wish the new Arcola the best of luck and look forward to visiting again when they have the central heating working!

The Painter continues until 12 February 2011, book here.

An Ideal Husband at The Vaudeville Theatre

The brilliant reviews for An Ideal Husband made me particularly excited to see the play. As the programme comments: Oscar Wilde’s play is a ‘stylish critique of politicians and social morality’. I was immediately reminded of the J. B. Priestley play I saw a few weeks earlier, ‘When we are Married’. Both productions have a Victorian grandeur and an eloquent comedic buzz.

The action happens over forty-eight hours when a devastating political scandal about successful Government minister, Sir Robert Chilton is brought about by the conniving Mrs Cheveley. A secret from the distant past manages to turn all their lives upside down, with agonisingly hilarious consequences.

Elliot Cowan is absolutely delightful as the smug Viscount Goring. The play is a mixture of serious subject matter and farcical script and Cowan captures this combination beautifully. He strides about the stage with an air of calm charisma; he is clearly enjoying himself and that makes him very likeable. Rachael Stirling is powerful as the ‘ideal wife’ Lady Chiltern, but I found her a tad irritating to watch after a while. Stirling and her onstage husband, Alex Hanson as Sir Robert Chilton both give measured secure performances, but whenever they were on stage with Cowan my eye was immediately drawn to him. I was pleased to see Fiona Button as the chirpy Miss Mabel Chiltern, I previously saw her in TV series Lip Service and she interacts adorably with Cowan. Samantha Bond certainly causes a stir as blackmailing Mrs Cheveley, known for her part in the Bond films she is a familiar face to the audience. She occasionally stumbled over her words but is impressively powerful and commands real attention in her glorious gowns.

I found the play a little too long; the first half dragged and lacked the energy that grabbed my attention after the interval. Perhaps with a little less of the idle socialising in the first hour the play would work better. Despite this Lindsay Posner’s new production is delectable and complements the strong cast, he definitely does justice to Wilde’s piece with stunning costumes and set very reminiscent of popular BBC period dramas.

An Ideal Husband continues at The Vaudeville Theatre until 19 February 2011, book tickets here.

When we are Married at The Garrick Theatre

The Helliwells, the Soppitts and the Parkers were all married on the same day in the same chapel. Twenty-five years on they meet up to celebrate their joint wedding anniversaries together. Recreating the special moment is all going to plan until the local organist comes to deliver some shocking news: the minister who conducted the service was not authorised to do so and consequently they are all single and carefree.

The thick red curtain lifts to reveal a stunning Victorian sitting room setting (courtesy of Simon Higlett). The audience gasped in admiration. The play, When we are Married, is just over two hours long, but despite the length it feels slightly rushed towards the end, perhaps because the story is brought to an unsatisfactory, abrupt conclusion with little explanation.

The cast are strong and seem to enjoy frolicking about the Garrick stage. They seem to perfectly understand J.B Priestley’s wit and farcical naughtiness. Maureen Lipman is particularly thrilling to watch as the uptight Clara Soppitt. Her character undergoes a mortifying change as her newly unmarried husband realises he is no longer obliged to accept her bullying. The other star is Roy Hudd as the hysterical drunken photographer Henry Ormonroyd. He dances and sings with bounding joy seemingly unaware of what is going on around him. One last mention must go to Ruby Birtle who is a tour de force as the energetic maid Jodie McNee, she is absolutely hilarious to watch.

A most entertaining comedy - definitely worth going to see, Book here.

Black Watch at The Barbican

Black Watch was recommended to me by a friend at work, who swore it was the best piece of theatre she had ever seen. After that bold statement I couldn’t resist going to experience it for myself.

The Black Watch is an esteemed army infantry battalion from the Royal Regiment of Scotland. Their obscure name allegedly came from the dark tartan they used to wear to watch over the Highlands. This regiment has an important history which is explored within the action of the play, a truly fascinating timeline. I particularly enjoyed the sequence in which we watched one soldier being dressed and undressed continually by all the other men to display the regiment’s changing uniform over time. It was quite beautiful demonstrated in this way.

The music that occurs intermittently throughout the show is haunting and moving: various clips of Snow Patrol and Michael Nyman as well as authentic regimental songs are cleverly used. And then of course there are the constant sounds of mortars, IEDs and C-bombs. Often the men sing enthusiastically along to the tunes, with an endearing pride. The language is crude even filthy throughout, and yet it soon feels natural to hear the men speaking in this way. There is an element of dance in this production too, although it is more like atmospheric abstract movement. Violence is shown through stylised miming that is quite balletic, a dramatic juxtaposition with the hard army demeanour.

The narrative focuses on the Black Watch’s involvement in Iraq. Jack Lowden is superb as Cammy, he is devoted and yet understandably bitter. Jamie Quinn is sweet playing Fraz, a strangely evocative performance as a less fortunate soldier. The rest of the all male cast are similarly commendable, and as a whole create a powerful and intense piece of theatre.

I forgot these men are actors, I completely believed, for the 110 minutes that Black Watch runs that the men were soldiers. The Black Watch is known for its exceptionally strong sense of identity and camaraderie, a mindset that is portrayed immaculately by the boys on stage.

Many nights are already sold out, so be quick about getting your tickets for Black Watch, this is a play not to miss.

Black Watch, at the Barbican Arts Centre, until 22^nd January. Tickets £35/40