Patrick Marber, known for his sharp interpretations of human interactions most notably with Closer and Dealer’s Choice, returns with an abridged version of his 2011 play set in a non-league football club. The Red Lion represents the club’s mascot and portrays the relationship between Jimmy, the club manager, Yates, the kitman and a young player, Jordan. All three are brought together by their love of the game but harbour ambitions...
Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlow and Colin Teevan Directed by Jamie Lloyd Duke of York’s Theatre, London until June 25th 2016 Jamie Lloyd has a wide spectrum of, usually very dark, talent. His delivery of The Ruling Class was brilliantly measured but his recent production of Jean Genet’s 1947 play The Maids, of two servants performing sadomasochistic ritual role-play involving plans to murder their mistress, was too sharp a dose...
The Moderate Soprano – a play by David Hare Hampstead Theatre until November 28th 2015 The Moderate Soprano is the latest masterpiece from multi award winning writer David Hare, whose works include Plenty and The Vertical Hour. The story is about John Christie and his labour of love: the building of Glyndebourne in 1934, the opera house located on the Sussex Downs. But it goes much deeper for...
The Martian – a film by Ridley Scott Ridley Scott, acclaimed director of many films including the cult classic Blade Runner, is back on true form. The story follows a simple format: NASA mission to Mars becomes entangled in a storm and leaves behind, presumed dead, crew member, Mark Watney (played by Matt Damon). Damon has to come to grips with being 54 million kilometres from earth in a planet...
Ticking – a play by Paul Andrew Williams Trafalgar Studios, London until 7th November 2015 A condemned man struts and smokes his last few hours of life in the confines of a Chinese prison. He’s alone, except for “Charlie”, his seemingly mute guard. Not that his actual name is Charlie but rather a reference to the throw back term coined by the Americans in the Vietnam War. Yes, the...
High Society – a musical by Cole Porter, based on the play The Philadelphia Story by Philip Barry. The Old Vic until 22nd August 2015 Much is promised in the preamble with a pianist playing requests and warming up the audience for a fun night. Unfortunately the first half is so disjointed that the audience nearly looses hope and it takes a farcical second half to restore our humour....
Temple by Steve Waters The Donmar Warehouse until July 25th 2015 Temple, a new play by Steve Waters, is a supposedly fictional account of the 2011 Occupy London anti capitalist group who ended up camping outside the architectural icon of St Paul’s Cathedral. The story focuses on three distinct pillars of religion: the Dean who embodies truth and sanctity, the fading tradition and self-importance shown in the Bishop of...
Carmen Disruption – a play by Simon Stephens Almeida Theatre until 23rd May 2015 A mechanical bull, panting its last breath lies centre stage and is surrounded by ramshackle bricks to depict some nameless European city. Simon Stephen’s play is lightly based on Bizet opera but heavy on symbolism. Is the dying bull gasping the last days of capitalism in what had been a tightly fought UK election camapaign...
Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare, a Cheek by Jowl production (in Russian) Silk Street Theatre, Barbican Centre until 25th April 2015 www.cheekbyjowl.com It takes a huge amount of creativity, imagination and bravery to stage Shakespeare's Measure for Measure in Russian and make the result as compelling as it is powerful. But this production is masterminded by Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod, the co-Artistic directors behind the innovative theatre company,...
A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller A Young Vic Production at the Wyndham’s Theatre until April 11 2015 Mark Strong’s portrayal of longshoreman, Eddie Carbone, in the Young Vic’s revival of Arthur Miller’s 1955 tragedy will be remembered for his sheer depth as an actor. Set amongst Italian immigrants around the docks near Brooklyn, Miller’s play charts the story of Eddie’s inappropriate feelings for his niece, Catherine. Director...
