Going Wilde for Salome

Long-term readers may recall that around this time last year I was lucky enough to have my first short play, Bystanders, featured as part of the CP Players New Writing Season. Well, the lovely director of that play is now doing another production at the Baron's Court Theatre - a version of Oscar Wilde's Salome. The show runs from 29 May to 3 June, and is very reasonably priced, so why not pop along?

For details, see here.

Week in Theatre - The Suit, 6 Actors and Misterman

Another busy week on the theatre front and, as it seems to be lately, quite a mixed bag. On Wednesday I saw a lovely little piece called The Suit, which is being shown as part of London World Stages at the Young Vic, which is fast becoming one of my favourite theatres. Well-acted, moving and funny (although ultimately quite tragic) it's a story with music set against the backdrop of Apartheid and well worth an hour of your time. (Yes, it's also short, and you know how I like that). Read my review here.

Next up was the far less successful Six Actors in Search of a Director, a new piece by Steven Berkoff. As a writer/director I'm never entirely convinced by Berkoff, and this was true again here, in a piece that was sporadically funny but ultimately self-indulgent and overlong. (Read my review here.)

Last up was the play I had the highest hopes for, Mister Man at the National, starring the lovely Cillian Murphy. But alas this was the most disappointing. Clearly I was in the minority - there was lots of laughter and rapturous applause - but while I thought it was well-staged and well-acted, I rather hated it. (In fact, my friend and I turned to one another a mere 30 seconds into the play with 'oh, God, this is a mistake' expressions of pure dread - that's how not my thing this was.) I must admit in  part this was due to it combining a lot of things I detest: the 'holy fool' idea of someone who is innocent but whose naieté ultimately manifests itself in violence (usually against a woman, usually because she/society has somehow failed to accommodate/has ridiculed said 'innocence'). I dislike plays that use violence against a woman as an easy 'shock' plot, and I found the portrayal of small town Ireland, while very well-executed, immensely grating: it was like watching Father Ted, the Movie, as directed by Lars von Trier. As I said, I was greatly in the minority, so you might love it, but for me it was a major disappointment.

The Suit

A dramatic week

So, after seeing Detroit on Monday, I had a couple more shows this week, both of which I enjoyed more, although one ended up being more dramatic than I had hoped for (and not in a good way!)

Friday was The Thing About Men at the Landor Theatre in Clapham. A lightweight but fun musical comedy, this was an entertaining night out and the Landor is fast becoming one of my favourite small theatre spaces in London. Worth checking out! Read my review here.

Saturday was Children's Children, the world premier of a new play at the Almeida. While I really enjoyed what I saw of it - modern, funny and scathing - the night out was scuppered by the fact that I had a bit of a 'Victorian moment' when I came over all faint and had to leave in the middle of the second half. All a bit alarming (though the staff at the Almeida couldn't have been more charming and helpful). Not really what you want from a night out though...

Children's Children at Almeida. Fainting optional.

So tonight I was supposed to be going to see Richard III as part of the international Shakespeare festival. Alas, as I am still feeling wobbly, it shall be a night in watching Game of Thrones instead...

Disappointing Detroit

More theatre this week. On Tuesday I went to see Detroit at the National Theatre - as it's the UK premier of a Steppenwolf production, I had high hopes, but alas I found it very disappointing: just well-worn ideas about the middle class that neither convinced nor engaged. (In fairness, plenty of people disagreed with me - so if you fancy it, pop along - they have some cheap tickets and you might be one of the folk who likes it). Read my review here.

Photo by Catherine Ashmore: Detroit at the National

The Great Gatsby at Wilton's

Regular readers will know I am a huge fan of Wilton's, the oldest surving grand music hall in the world, and one of London's theatrical - and historical - treasures. So I was thrilled to go this weekend to what is one of its most ambitious projects yet: an immersive staging of The Great Gatsby.

I went with 20s enthusiasts Busy Girl and Pretties All Mine - both of whom actually own a lot of vintage 20s gear - and we all enjoyed it tremendously. The entire venue is part of the show, all decorated in period fashion, and the actors wander around beforehand and in the interval, giving the whole thing a splendidly speakeasy vibe, assited by the fact that so many people had taken the trouble to dress up in period attire for the evening (And if you turned up without any period touches, you could buy some upstairs). We'd booked a table - right at the front! - which added to that feeling of being in a bar, even if it did feel perilously close to the stage at times. The play itself, I would say, wasn't amazing: it's a tough book to translate, and the happy go lucky feel of the evening doesn't serve the tragic langour of the novel that well - but the actors were charming, the sets were great and as an event, it couldn't be faulted. Alas, it's sold out now, but if you can somehow track down a ticket, it makes for a hell of a night out.

Brighton Fringe

Apologies for the radio silence: I have been in Brighton and Lewes, helping cover the Brighton Fringe for Exeunt magazine. Although this has been fun, it has been slightly marred by the frankly apocalyptic weather, which has scuppered all my plans of leisurely walks around Lewes and strolls by the sea in Brighton. Still, I did manage to squeeze in not one but two trips to see The Avengers* - it's that good - and though I have only seen a couple of shows, they've been good ones.

First up was White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, a challenging and interesting idea, performed by a different actor, sight unseen, every night. It was a little too heavy on audience participation for my liking, but worth seeing - you can read my friend Tom's gorgeously written review here.

Second was Interiors, a lovely piece in the Theatre Royal by Vanishing Point - beautifully acted and often very funny, it was quietly moving and very well staged. Read the full review here.

*I refuse to call it Marvel Avengers Assemble. I just do.

MORE notebooks...

As I mentioned in the Rufus post, I had a friend staying this weekend, and as a hospitality gift she brought me... yes... notebooks. This Liberty print hardback and Biba padded hardback are just gorgeous. Though as she's a big fan of my book, Dark Dates, she did give me them with the firm instruction 'I want you to use these to write hot vampire sex'. I think I can manage that...

Yes. More notebooks.