At Home He Feels Like A Tourist

  • The Exterminating Angel at the Royal Opera House review *****

    The Exterminating Angel Royal Opera House, 24th April 2017 Without a shadow of a doubt the third act of Thomas Ades’s third opera, The Exterminating Angel, is the most powerful piece of musical theatre that I have ever seen. And it is up there with the best theatre I have…

  • The Winter’s Tale at the Barbican review ****

    The Winter’s Tale Silk Street Theatre, 18th April 2017 Now I have always thought if you just cut out the “pastoral comedy” fourth act from the “comedy” The Winter’s Tale, stopped calling it a “romance” because you can’t think of a better name and reined back the “magic” then you…

  • Eduardo Paolozzi at the Whitechapel Gallery review ****

    Eduardo Paolozzi Whitechapel Gallery, 6th April 2017 I guess most Londoners will be familiar with Eduardo Paolozzi’s work from his monumental public sculptures such as Newton outside the British Library, The Head of Invention outside the gorgeous new Design Museum,  a Vulcan on Royal Victoria Dock and the mosaics now restored to…

  • Bach’s St John Passion at the Barbican Hall review ****

    Britten Sinfonia, Britten Sinfonia Voices Barbican Hall, 14th April 2017 Britten Sinfonia Mark Padmore – Evangelist/director Jacqueline Shave –  leader/director Simon Russell Beale – speaker Britten Sinfonia Voices JS Bach – St John’s Passion They were a glum looking bunch these great classical composers weren’t they? It is alright for us with…

  • Verdi Requiem at the Royal Festival Hall review ***

    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Bach Choir Royal Festival Hall, 13th April 2017 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Vasily Petrenko – Conductor Maija Kovalevska – Soprano Karen Cargill – Mezzo-Soprano Saimir Pirgu – Tenor Alexander Vinogradov – Bass The Bach Choir Verdi – Requiem Right. Off to the RFH with BUD for a bit…

  • Tenebrae and the Aurora Orchestra at St John’s Smith Square review ****

    Tenebrae and Aurora Orchestra: Bach and Faure St John’s Smith Square, 12th April 2017 Tenebrae Aurora Orchestra Emma Walshe – Soprano Stephen Kennedy – Baritone Max Baillie – Violin Nigel Short – Conductor Bach – Ach Herr, laß dein lieb Engelein BWV245 Bach – Partita No. 2 in D – Allemande BWV1004…

  • London theatre update

    So a few things to note since the last London theatre update. Booking opens 5th May (earlier for members of various hues) for the new batch of productions at the National Theatre. I reckon tickets for Follies, the Sondheim musical with a cast of thousands and the pocket rocket Imelda Staunton…

  • The Lottery of Love at the Orange Tree review ***

    The Lottery of Love The Orange Tree Theatre, 13th April 2017 Apparently there is even a noun for it, “Marivaudage”. Slightly sarcastically applied, but it describes a way of writing that is precious or affected, and is derived from our friend Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux (I so wish my…

  • Twelfth Night at the National Theatre review ****

    Twelfth Night National Theatre, 10th April 2017 Now I’m not going to lie to you. The first couple of times when I saw Twelfth Night years ago I had no idea what was going on. Mind you I put no effort in and was, on one occasion I recall, knackered…

  • Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead at the Old Vic review ****

    Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead The Old Vic Theatre, 27th March 2017 Sorry I have come a bit late to the party here both in seeing this and then setting down a few thoughts. I am still a Stoppard virgin so you must treat me gently and this is the…