• The Rape of Lucretia at the Arcola Theatre review ****

    The Rape of Lucretia Grimeborn, Arcola Theatre, 1st August 2018 The Rape of Lucretia is a story with a long historical and artistic pedigree. It lies at the heart of the creation legend of the founding of the Roman Republic in the late 500s BCE, was documented by Livy and Ovid, then St Augustine, appears…

  • The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie at the Donmar Warehouse review ****

    The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Donmar Warehouse, 19th July 2018 The SO obviously is a big fan of Muriel Spark’s novel. We are both big fans of Ronald Neame’s film version, (only the other day I revisited this director’s magnificently cheesy The Poseidon Adventure), though let’s face it that is largely because Maggie Smith…

  • For King and Country at the Southwark Playhouse review ***

    For King and Country Southwark Playhouse, 17th July 2018 You get all sorts of theatre at the Southwark Playhouse. Bold, experimental stuff, new works, revivals, youth theatre, musicals. classics. You name it, someone will put it on. It doesn’t always fly, but very rarely does it disappoint. That would be my overall take on For…

  • Directors’ Festival at the Orange Tree Theatre 2018 review

    Directors’ Festival 2018 Katie Johnstone **** Precious Little Talent **** In the Night-Time (Before the Sun Rises) **** Right it was a brilliant idea last year. It was a brilliant idea this year. And it will be a brilliant idea next year (Directors’ Festival at the Orange Tree Theatre review). As part of their MA’s…

  • Love and Information at Sheffield Theatres review *****

    Love and Information Sheffield Crucible Theatre Studio, 7th July 2018 So here was my cunning plan. LD wanted/needed to have a sniff around the University. I spied this revival on the very evening. A chance to have a good look at this fine city. And, though not the original intention, time to watch the England…

  • One for Sorrow at the Royal Court Theatre ****

    One For Sorrow Royal Court Theatre, 5th July 2018 Sometimes I wonder why I bother with this blog. It takes me so long to get round to seeing and commenting on anything that any post here is worse than useless to the unlucky reader who inadvertently stumbles across it. And all it ever does is…

  • The Turn of the Screw at the Open Air Theatre review *****

    The Turn of the Screw Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, ENO, 29th June 2018 Benjamin Britten. The Turn of the Screw. Members of the ENO Orchestra conducted by up and coming talent Toby Purser. Timothy Sheader directing. A Soutra Gilmour set. At the Open Air Theatre. On a beautiful late June evening. In the company…

  • Monogamy at the Park Theatre review ***

    Monogamy Park Theatre 200, 28th June 2018 This was a curious confection. Playwright Torben Betts (there his is above) has, by all accounts, made a very creditable stab exploring the comic social realism so expertly, and prolifically, mined by his one time mentor Alan Ayckbourn. Here is another to follow the likes of Invincible and…

  • Machinal at the Almeida Theatre review ****

    Machinal Almeida Theatre, 27th June 2018 I always like to do as much reading as I can before seeing a play. Reviews, synopses, articles, cross referencing creatives to previous work. You get the idea. The SO however will have none of that, preferring to go in cold and then see what she makes of it.…

  • America’s Cool Modernism at the Ashmolean Museum review ****

    America’s Cool Modernism: O’Keefe to Hopper Ashmolean Museum, 26th June 2018 Those clever people at the Ashmolean in Oxford have come up with another fine exhibition to rank alongside last year’s survey of Modernism in France Creating Modernism in France at the Ashmolean Museum review ****). There are plenty of paintings, and photographs, on show…

At Home He Feels Like A Tourist