Category: USA
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Ravens at the Hampstead Theatre review ***
Ravens: Spassky vs Fischer Hampstead Theatre, 18th December 2019 I can see why Tom Morton-Smith would have alighted on the infamous chess match between Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer in 1972 in Reykjavik. There are a ton of tomes on the subject and, after all, if it was good enough…
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Fairview at the Young Vic review ***
Fairview Young Vic Theatre, 11th December 2019 Fell like a bit of a fraud putting pen to paper on this. For, I confess, I did not completely understand Fairview. African-American playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for the play. The conceit is ingenious. A birthday dinner for…
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Two Ladies at the Bridge Theatre review *
Two Ladies Bridge Theatre, 2nd October 2019 Well on the plus side the new season just announced at the Bridge looks to be a humdinger. A revival of Caryl Churchill’s A Number, directed by Polly Findlay with Roger Allam and Colin Morgan as Salter and son(s), Nick Hytner taking on…
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Two Trains Running at the Royal and Derngate review ***
Two Trains Running Royal and Derngate Northampton, 12th September 2019 Another instalment in August Wilson’s Pittsburgh cycle though, four in, the Tourist still has some way to go. Two Trains Running premiered in 1990 and is set in the turbulent 1960s – remember each of the ten play series covers…
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Until the Flood at the Arcola Theatre *****
Until the Flood Arcola Theatre, 10th September 2019 I am in awe of actors, and indeed other performers, who are prepared to step out on a stage alone to entertain, inspire and educate us. A one character monologue is tricky enough. To present multiple characters surely more so. To inhabit…
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Faith Ringgold at the Serpentine Galleries review ****
Faith Ringgold Serpentine Galleries, 22nd August 2019 Once again it has taken the Tourist way too long to gather his thoughts on something he has seen. Which means this snappy retrospective of the work of Africa- American artist has now finished. Sorry. It was Very Good. I guess that doesn’t…
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Radio at the Arcola Theatre review ****
Radio Arcola Theatre, 25th June 2019 Never easy to work out what to sign up for at the Arcola Theatre since so much of quality and interest passes through the doors. So the Tourist has adopted a somewhat whimsical approach and given up worrying too much if he misses the…
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King Hedley II at the Theatre Royal Stratford East review ****
King Hedley II Theatre Royal Stratford East, 6th June 2019 The Pittsburgh (or Century) Cycle. Ten plays written by August Wilson (above) charting the African- American experience in the US in each decade of the C20. All bar one set in the same Pittsburgh Hill district, where August Wilson grew…
At Home He Feels Like A Tourist 