Theatre in 2015

I had to demand a recount from myself (because I didn’t quite believe it) but my theatrical obsession reached terrifying new heights in 2015 with an insane 81 shows seen. With that much choice, it was no easy task to narrow down to just a handful of shows but here are my top picks of 2015 in alphabetical order.

Casa Valentina
by Harvey Fierstein
at Southwark Playhouse

Matthew Rixon as Bessie and Tamsin Carroll as Rita
Matthew Rixon as Bessie and Tamsin Carroll as Rita

2015 was a vintage year for the husky-voiced New Yorker with the opening of Kinky Boots at the Adelphi and the UK premiere of this play, that originally debuted on Broadway in 2014. Inspired by the book Casa Susanna, Fierstein has created a genuinely fascinating and engrossing tale about a group of men who visit a small hotel in the Catskill Mountains to explore their feminine side. The performances were beautifully judged, particularly Tamsin Carroll as one half of the hotelier couple in an unconventional marriage. The honesty and humanity of this production made for a unique experience and it is a great shame that it failed to attract bigger audiences.

 

The Christians
by Lucas Hnath
at Gate Theatre W11

William Gaminara as Pastor
William Gaminara as Pastor

The Gate Theatre in Notting Hill was an cosy setting for this clever American play by Lucas Hnath about faith where Pastor Paul causes shockwaves through his congregation after announcing that he no longer believes that hell exists. I particularly liked the way that microphones were used throughout to broadcast often intimate inner thoughts as a “voice from above” and the community choir gave added authenticity.

 

The Dazzle
by Richard Greenberg
at Found111

David Dawson as Homer and Andrew Scott as Langley. Photo by Marc Brenner.
David Dawson as Homer and Andrew Scott as Langley. Photo by Marc Brenner.

Performed in a temporary space at the top of the old St. Martin’s School of Art on Charing Cross Road, this is a venue that demands good stamina with 73 steps. Richard Greenberg’s play about two interdependent brothers who slowly entomb themselves with junk in a New York mansion is fascinatingly bizarre but what really made this stand out was the performances. It’s a given that Andrew Scott will be brilliant but I was really impressed by David Dawson who was spellbinding.

 

The Father
by Florian Zeller
at Wyndham’s Theatre

Kenneth Cranham as Andre and Claire Skinner as Anne. Photo by Simon Annand
Kenneth Cranham as Andre and Claire Skinner as Anne. Photo by Simon Annand

Kenneth Cranham and Claire Skinner were fantastic in this ingenious play that explores Alzheimer’s by playing with the audience’s mind. As the play goes on, the set is slowly cleared of furniture and the changes of characters and actors heighten the utter sense of confusion. It returns to the West End at the Duke of York’s Theatre from 24 February.

 

Firebird
by Phil Davies
at Hampstead Theatre

Tahirah Sharif as Katie and Callie Cooke as Tia. Photo by Robert Day.
Tahirah Sharif as Katie and Callie Cooke as Tia. Photo by Robert Day.

A breathtakingly good 80 minute play about child sexual exploitation based on the events in Rochdale. Gut-punching-in-your-face theatre with superb performances. It gets a West End run at Trafalgar Studios from 17 February.

 

Hangmen
by Martin McDonagh
at Royal Court

Reece Shearsmith as Syd and David Morrissey as Harry. Photo by Tristram Kenton.
Reece Shearsmith as Syd and David Morrissey as Harry. Photo by Tristram Kenton.

I can’t give this play or production enough superlatives and I enjoyed a second visit in January 2015 at the Wyndham’s almost as much as the first. Martin McDonagh’s script is very sharp, cruel and brilliantly funny. I particularly liked Bronwyn James in her professional debut who was pitch perfect as teenager Shirley.

Here We Go
by Caryl Churchill
at National Theatre

Patrick Godfrey. Photo by Keith Pattison.
Patrick Godfrey. Photo by Keith Pattison.

I am fairly certain that this is the first Caryl Churchill play I’ve ever seen. A 45 minute reflection on death, played in reverse order, from funeral to care home. There was much debate of the last 20 minute scene where the old man gets repeatedly dressed and undressed in a care home, but no complaints from me.

Man and Superman
by George Bernhard Shaw
at National Theatre

Indira Varma as Ann and Ralph Fiennes as John. Photo by Alastair Muir.
Indira Varma as Ann and Ralph Fiennes as John. Photo by Alastair Muir.

I am not a fan of long plays and movies, so when I found out the running time was 3+ hours, I was not full of glee. How wrong I was. To my surprise, this was a complete delight. Ralph Fiennes is truly wonderful to watch as the batchelor doing everything he can to avoid marriage and he was very well supported by Indira Varma.

 

Three Days in the Country
by Patrick Marber after Turgenev
at National Theatre

Debra Gillett as Lizaveta and Mark Gatiss as Shpigelsky. Photo by Alastair Muir.
Debra Gillett as Lizaveta and Mark Gatiss as Shpigelsky. Photo by Alastair Muir.

This Patrick Marber riff on Three Months in the Country gathered some rather sniffy reviews but I loved every minute. Strong performances from all and a beautifully simple but effective set design.

Tree
by Daniel Kitson
at Old Vic

tree

I heard so many great things about Daniel Kitson but this was my first experience and what a complete joy it was. A man is up a tree. Another man walks by and they start talking. Tall tales and improbable scenarios ensue. By the end you’re not sure who is telling the truth but you’ve been thoroughly entertained.

 

Violence and Son
by Gary Owen
at Royal Court

David Moorst as Liam and Jason Hughes as Rick. Photo by Alastair Muir.
David Moorst as Liam and Jason Hughes as Rick. Photo by Alastair Muir.

Yes it is Warren from This Life! But time has moved on quite a bit and now Jason Hughes plays a Dad whose son has moved back to Wales after his mother died from cancer. A satisfyingly quirky play about family, belonging and violence. Very effectively staged in the round (think bull ring…) with strong performances from all, particularly David Moorst who deservedly won an Evening Standard Theatre Award for this.

Looking for Eric

This film goes on general release in the UK today and I was lucky enough to see a preview last Friday at BFI Southbank.

Now what I know about football could be written on the back of a stamp but luckily this film isn’t just for footie fans. It tells the story of Eric Bishop (played fantastically by Steve Evets), a depressed postman in Manchester living with his two teenage sons. As his work mates rally round to lift his spirits, he starts talking to the poster of Eric Cantona in his bedroom. Before we know it, ‘Big Eric’ is sitting in the same room and playing life coach – pushing ‘Little Eric’ to move forward in his life and take control of himself.

Through babysitting duties for his grown up daughter, he begins to heal old wounds and misunderstandings with ex-wife Lily. Then the plot takes a dramatic turn when he discovers one of his sons hiding a gun for a shady local gangster. Trapped in a seemingly impossible situation, ‘Big Eric’ encourages ‘Little Eric’ to turn to his mates for help and the resolution is unexpected, hilarious and uplifting.

‘Looking for Eric’ is a triumph. The acting is superb and the film is completely engrossing and never descends into sentimentality. Highly recommended.

After the film’s preview there was a fascinating and very entertaining Q&A session with Ken Loach, Steve Evets (outrageously funny guy) and yes the man himself…Eric Cantona. It was being videoed and is well worth seeing if it becomes available on the BFI or Guardian websites.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

So another West End show, ‘Joseph’ starring Gareth Gates has just closed early. If I remember correctly, I saw the original Palladium production two (or possibly even three times) with both Jason Donovan and Phillip Schofield. This restaging has been at the Adelphi Theatre since 2007 when Lee Mead, the winner of the BBC talent show, ‘Any Dream Will Do’ took on the lead role.

Tonight was the last night and it was packed with the additional showbiz element of Tim Rice sitting a few rows in front and getting besieged by autograph hunters. As far as I could tell, the show was identical to the Palladium production. It’s still brilliantly staged with the scenes flowing effortlessly into one another. Performances were very good and it must be a tough show to do because there’s little pause for breath. Dean Collinson was a particularly fun Pharoah but Jenna Lee-James played the Narrator in an oddly cold and businesslike fashion.

Oh and Mr Gates? He did a very fine job. I was impressed. The megamix was as foot-tappingly camp as it should be and Gareth went up on the hydraulic lift at the end. What more could one ask for?

Spring Awakening

Based on a controversial German play, ‘Spring Awakening‘ the musical first saw the light of day in New York in 2006. It tells the story of a group of teenagers as they leave childhood behind and transition into adulthood. I’d read lots of positive reviews and it was on my list of shows to see and by sheer fluke I was a bit alarmed to discover it was due to close early this week. So a discount ticket email was hastily dug out from the inbox and Tuesday was the night.

I’d heard some comparisons made between the show and another of my favourite musicals, ‘Rent’ (the original production not the abysmal ‘Rent Remixed’) and it does have the same feel – the brick wall set, the liberal use of dialogue during songs and in-your-face rock band guitars. Like ‘Rent’, ‘Spring Awakening’ has a raw energy and youthfulness that’s invigorating to watch and the music is just superb. It runs the full musical gamut from the soft and tender ‘Left Behind’ to the angry, rocky and pretty-damn-awesome ‘Totally Fucked’. Yes folks, the Broadway cast recording is now sitting on my iPod and I love it.

Acting was good all round but vocally the girls were much stronger and more confident than the boys. The one exception was Iwan Rheon (playing the role of Moritz) who had an fantastic voice. The set design and lighting deserve special mention because they really lift the production to a very high standard.

Unfortunately, fantastic songs and staging wasn’t enough. Even after a successful run at the Lyric Hammersmith, any show that deals with ‘challenging’ subjects such as suicide, incest, S&M and abortion is going to have a tough time in the West End. ‘Spring Awakening’ just isn’t commercial enough for a mainstream audience and that’s a great shame because any show that isn’t Andrew Lloyd Webber or a jukebox musical deserves a home in my opinion.

As a footnote, I’d never been to the Novello before but it’s a wonderful theatre. We sat in row T of the stalls and on the side walls are large ornate mirrors that reflect what’s happening on stage. It really enhanced the experience. Another unusual feature was the bar at the back of the stalls that has a window into the auditorium and looks like a cute old train carriage.