Showing posts with label 6 week theatre challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 6 week theatre challenge. Show all posts

Thursday, 26 July 2012

6 Week Theatre Challenge: 21 -25

21. What is the most disappointing thing you have seen at the theatre?

Most definitely Michael Grandage's production of King Lear was the most disappointing thing I have seen at the theatre. I suspect that I might have succumbed to the hype before I went to see it which probably didn't help. If I hadn't heard comments like 'the finest King Lear I have ever seen' (Daily Telegraph) this decent production wouldn't have felt like such a let down. Gina McKee, on the other hand, was brilliant as Goneril.

22. Which actor/actress do you wish did more stage work?

I would love to see Gillian Anderson do more stage work, as well as Damian Lewis.

23. Which theatre have you been to most?

The National Theatre due to their huge repertoire and the fact that they can stage numerous productions at the same time. I find there is always something on at the National which I would like to see.

24. Is there a specific theatre you would like to go to more?

I would like to go to more regional theatres more often such as the Liverpool Everyman and Sheffield Crucible.

25. What do you wear when you go to the theatre?

When seeing an opera or ballet I opt for more formal attire (but not too formal), other than that I dress casually.

Saturday, 21 July 2012

6 Week Theatre Challenge: 16 -20

16. What is the best use of set you have seen?

The set for Frankenstein was brilliant, imaginative and highly visual.

17. What is your favourite regional theatre?

The Liverpool Everyman is a charming theatre which is currently undergoing a renovation. I really hope that it keeps all its unique qualities and doesn't lose any of its quirkiness.

18. What is the best opera you have seen?

The best opera I have seen is Opera North's staging of Wanger's Die Walkure. You can see my review of it here.

19. What is the most recent thing you have seen at the theatre?

Metamorphosis Titian: 2012 is the most recent thing I have seen. You can view my review here.

20. What is the saddest thing you have seen at the theatre?

I haven't found that many productions highly emotional, however Machina nearly brought a tear to my eye. The end of King Lear always has me feeling glum.

Monday, 16 July 2012

6 Week Theatre Challenge: 11-15

11. What was the fist thing you saw at the theatre?

Besides from pantomimes and the occasional trip to an Agatha Christie play, I'd have to say the first thing I saw at the theatre was Sean Mathias' production of Waiting for Godot - I'd also have to say that it was this production which really inspired me to see more theatre and go more regularly.

12. What is the worst production you have seen?

I am lucky in the respect that I haven't seen many terrible productions, however, there have been one or two which just haven't clicked with me. The Late Middle Classes at the Donmar, although well acted, was a big disappointment and from the start did not grip me. The fact I left at the interval says it all. More recently Zach Braff's All New People left me feeling cold, completely failing to lift one smile from my face.

13. What is the production you're most looking forward to?

I am very excited to see The Globe's Richard III and Twelfth Night later this year (I am seeing them very late in their runs). Mark Rylance, in my opinion, is the best actor you can possibly see on stage and so hopefully these two productions are just as good as everything else he has been in. The rest of the cast also looks intriguing - Johnny Flynn as Lady Anne and Stephen Fry as Malvolio.

14. Who is your favourite theatre director?

Katie Mitchell hands down is my favourite theatre director. The sheer originality of her work really excites me and you never quite know what she will do with a text, classic or modern.

15. Which play would you most like to see?

Although not specific, I would like to see more of Shakespeare's obscure work (Pericles, Titus Andronicus).  If I had to be specific and pick a non-Shakespeare I would like to see Beckett's A Piece of Monologue performed.

Wednesday, 11 July 2012

6 Week Theatre Challenge: 6 - 10

6. What is the best performance you have seen?

The best performance I have ever seen would have to go to Mark Rylance as Johnny 'Rooster' Byron in Jerusalem. Rylance's performance was visceral, raw and electric, whilst also being deeply touching at the same time. It was truly a humbling experience seeing Rylance in this epic role in a equally epic play.

7. What is the best ballet you have seen?

Giselle at the Royal Opera House was a brilliant ballet to have witnessed. Tamara Rojo as the fragile Giselle and Carlos Acosta as the noble prince highly elevated this production so that it became something of a theatrical event. The atmosphere was almost palpable in the final moments and the rapturous applause proved that Giselle was just as brilliant as I hoped it would be.

8. What is your favourite London theatre.

This question is hard due to me having many favourite theatres in London. I have always found the Harold Pinter theatre quirky and full of character, however the National Theatre has everything you would ever want in a theatre. Not only does it show some really quality productions, it also offers three theatres so that the national can offer different types of works. The staff are always nice and the bookshop is a theatre buff's heaven.

9. Is there a production you wish you had seen?

Definitely. Over the years there have been many productions which I wish I had seen. Recently, I would have like to have seen Constellations at the Royal Court (I hope I can catch it when it transfers to the Duke of York's). I would also have liked to see A Doll's House at the Donmar a few years ago which starred Gillian Anderson, Christopher Eccleston and Tara Fitzgerald.

10. What is the best lighting you have seen in a production?

I really loved Bruno Poet's lighting in Frankenstein. The hundreds of lights of the ceiling of the Olivier were beautiful and the rest of the on stage lighting was brilliant - it really added another dimension to the production.

Friday, 6 July 2012

6 Week Theatre Challenge: 1 - 5

Instead of doing a 30 day theatre challenge and subsequently having it completely take over my blog, I thought I would do 5 days all at once every 5 days, thus making it a 6 week challenge. I couldn't find a list for theatre, therefore I have constructed the questions myself...

1. What is the best production you have seen?

Controversially, I will have to go for Katie Mitchell's production of A Woman Killed with Kindness which was staged at the National Theatre last year. Hated by many, this production really hit a chord with me and to this day it has stayed with me. Being in the audience, I found this production refreshingly original, fast paced and highly enjoyable - I had never seen anything quite like it. I confess I do love a production which splits an audience, however this provocative revival would certainly get a full five stars from me.

2. What is the most frustrating production you have seen?

Michael Grandage's production of King Lear and the Donmar had me musing over it for days and days. Did I love it or did I hate it? Something just wasn't quite right and so I not only found it highly frustrating, but I also found myself eventually loathing the production which in all fairness was really quite good. After a whole year of deliberating I found the weak link to be Derek Jacobi who played Lear. For me, Jacobi's performance was just a bit too camp and safe whilst Greg Hicks' performance of Lear at the RSC really hit the spot.

3. Which play have you seen the most?

I don't tend to get the chance to see multiple productions of plays (except Shakespeare) due to there not being the opportunity too frequently. However, I have seen King Lear three times, once at the RSC and twice at the Donmar (the most frustrating production I have seen).

4. What is the most experimental production you have seen?

I haven't seen that many experimental productions so I would have to go with DV8's Can We Talk About This? Albeit not massively experimental and more controversial, this production really did examine some difficult questions through the medium of physical theatre and dance which was highly thought provoking.

5. Who is your favourite playwright?

My favourite playwright would have to be Samuel Beckett. The mix of absurdism, comedy and tragedy is beautifully handled by Beckett, therefore providing us with some of the best plays every written. There is nothing better than seeing a brilliant production of a Beckett play.