Teddy Ferrara, Donmar Warehouse ****

The emphasis of Dominic Cooke's production of Christopher Shinn's play about the issues facing the LGBTQ community post equal marriage is loneliness. You walk into Hildegard Bechtler's clinical and blank space with chairs positioned in a circle. However, the play does not start with a group conversation but with Gabe putting away the chairs, making the space empty and foreboding. All of the people in this play are lonely, whether it's because of their sexuality or their personality. The event that occurs at the end of the first half isn't really a tragedy but is what this community need; a call to arms and a chance to unite and not be lonely. The importance of symbols and the issue of mental health is discussed here with sensitivity and works rather well. Acting-wise, the American accents held up well for me but other audience members did complain. Luke Newberry and Oliver Johnston are fantastic as the core couple as Gabe and Drew whose new relationship, as with our sympathies for each of them, waxes and wanes throughout with secondary characters interfering, notably Kadiff Kirwan's Nicky, Nathan Wiley's Tim and Christopher Imbrosciano's Jay as well as Anjli Mohandra as Tim's girlfriend Jenny who all do well in providing layered characters and not just acting as plot devices. Matthew Marsh is a horribly familiar President who appears to behave like the politician we know and hate today, in holding a focus group to be seen to be doing something whilst in fact not doing anything. Pamela Nomvete and Griffyn Gilligan as Ellen and Jaq, along with Gabe and Jay are the diverse crew the President assembles and, whilst Gabe's ambitions cloud his judgements, the rest see through the President's illusion and fight back in a satisfying way. The hubris displayed by Newberry as Gabe is heartbreaking, with his final scene reducing me to tears and the lingering silence at the end reflects the thoughtful and haunting nature of this surprising and well thought through production.

NT Live Encore: Coriolanus, Donmar Warehouse ****

This was the first NT Live screening I have attended and, whilst not a replacement for the live experience, it is a reasonable alternative for sold out shows or ones far away. It can occasionally feel annoying with some weird camera angles and amateur camera changes which disrupt a play's power and a feeling of intimacy, which you especially get in the Donmar, is lost on the silver screen. However, the Barbican cinema is utterly gorgeous and keeps a certain intimacy far more than my local multiplex which is only really suitable for the latest rubbish from Adam Sandler or Michael Bay. It helps that the production shown is such an energetic and powerfully bloody production of what many describe as Shakespeare's hardest play to understand. Josie Rourke's Coriolanus combines scenes of gruelling cruelty of Titus Andronicus levels (see picture above) and scenes of pure emotion to create a moving experience. Tom Hiddleston is a headstrong Caius Martius who doesn't become aware of his faults until it is too late to rectify them. However, it isn't a 'lead' performance in the same vain of Benedict Cumberbatch and Nicole Kidman. He is very much one of a collective of actors. Hadley Fraser is a revelation to me as Aufidius as he never seemed to me like a straight actor but, like Julian Ovendan, he makes the transition well and is a menacing figure who commands the stage well. Mark Gatiss is wonderful as Caius Martius' friend Menenius, possessing the charm and wit that Gatiss brings to every role he takes on. Deborah Findlay is a headstrong mother and plays Volumnia with strength and gusto, which makes the later scenes even more distressing, in particular the final shot that is theatrical genius from Josie Rourke. She and designer Lucy Osborne manage to bring Rome to fit inside the Donmar which is impressive and the clever use of Andrzej Goulding's video designs create a production that I am glad I have caught up with. For all its faults, NT Live does provide a useful service and I will be coming back to it for the occasional production in the future.

Splendour, Donmar Warehouse ****

Abi Morgan's Splendour is about a journalist who is waiting for an interview with a war-time dictator with the dictator's wife, the wife's best friend, and an interpreter.  Robert Hastie's production of Morgan's play sparkles at times but is very tricky to engage in until late into the play. Morgan writes in a way that feels disjointed and jarring, with characters undercutting each other which is difficult to listen to. However, her writing cuts to the heart when the characters start to reveal the truth about themselves and stop just feeling resentful towards each other. McKintosh's design is beautiful and fascinating, creating a set that shows a world of destruction outside a stronghold that, at a certain moment, is destroyed as well. The four-strong cast give overwhelmingly good performances in an ensemble play. The spiky nature of Genevieve O'Reilly's Kathryn is balanced by the sickly and slimy Micheleine, who is played with ease by Sinead Cusack who controls the audiences sympathy, fluctuating between her role as the wife of a dictator and a helpless mother. Michelle Fairley is great as a timid yet strong best friend Genevieve whilst Zawe Ashton is funny as an interpreter who focuses more on theft than interpreting. They gel perfectly together in a play that requires perfect timing to create real tension. Even if this exquisite production can't always defeat the tricky text, this an example of great female-lead theatre that is much needed in the West End.

Temple, Donmar Warehouse ****

The Donmar is renowned for exciting, fast- paced theatre. Their last production had 50 performers in stage for a 2 hour live broadcast set in real time in the night of the election.

From the outside, Temple looks neither exciting nor fast- paced, following the dean of St Paul's Cathedral during the occupy movement in quite a traditional set design from Tim Hatley. However, there is a bite and an energy to Steve Waters' play that makes this make sense at the Donmar. Russell Beale's dean is abrasive and sarcastic at times yet is ultimately sympathetic and caring in a performance that is so watchable. The play deals with the role of the church in the modern age whether it is by it's presence on Twitter, like the Canon Chancellor, or by using the media, like the Bishop of London. The dean is critical of both of these attempts yet his resistance to change, represented by Occupy, eventually chokes him. Waters' message is about the need for the establishment to move with the times and stay relevant, whether that be the church or the government. As I am not aquainted with the Anglican clergy hierarchy, some of the relationships between the characters confusing. Davies' direction keeps the play from seeming protentious and maintains a pulse. Performances are good across the board. Simon is, of course, magnificent, whilst the anger of Paul Higgins almost helped me get over the English southern accent which is quite strange after being so used to the astonishing voice he has in his normal Scottish accent. Sinclair's Bishop is wonderfully devisive, in a similar fashion to Ralph Fiennes' interpretation of the same character in Rev. The choristers are cheeky and bring some light relief whilst Shereen Martin and Anna Calder- Marshall are also full of character in their roles as the lawyer and virger. However, for me, Rebecca Humphries gives the best turn as the dean's PA. Her part is the best written and the audience's view on her changes throughout the drama due to her heart rendering performance. This is a production that proves that the church can be discussed in a way that isn't a sermon whilst also appreciating their role in modern day society.

The Vote, Donmar Warehouse ****

Seeing Privacy last year was fantastic; an experience that felt innovative and special. This year, the creative team of Graham and Rourke, as well as some of the cast, have come back together to create something that is as experimental and extraordinary to watch in the run up to the election. Before the show, the audience are allowed to take part in the fictional vote before both writer and director came and explained what we were about to see. The performance I saw on Monday included material that won't be broadcast on Thursday due to ad breaks and also James Graham had written topical references that day which may change by Election Night. This, as well as a truly all star cast, made the whole experience feel magical. To name all 44 actors who all did wonderful turns as voters would be idiotic. However, of the voters, Rosalie Craig and Nicholas Burns as an upper class couple, Hadley Fraser as a drunk and Timothy West particularly stick out in the mind especially. There is a trio of actors that hold the piece together, providing continuity to such a dynamic production. Mark Gatiss, Catherine Tate and Nina Soshanya are each different yet all brilliant as the clerks. Gatiss and Soshanya provide subtlety to Tate's typically brash comedic style whilst that style (which usually gets on my nerves) is reigned in and focussed by Graham's sharp text. It is witty if not stupidly, laugh out loud funny, and shows a true and accurate picture of the state of our country. Politicians such as Paul Chahidi's independent MP is the funniest character in the play yet shows a man who cares for his community, unlike labour who just want to maximise votes in the hope of achieving a majority. And when her majesty Dame Judi Dench graces the stage, it tops off an almost flawless evening of theatre. I emplore anyone to catch this when it is broadcast. 

My Night with Reg, Apollo Theatre ****

Marking the 21st birthday of the first performance of My Night with Reg and about a year since the passing away of  it's playwright Kevin Elliot, the performance felt especially special. Unfortunately, it was quite disheartening to see that only the stalls and part of the dress circle were full. It's dissapointing to see that whilst the average amount of unsold tickets in the West End for March was 20%, that this remarkable play is far above the average. The play itself is set in one room and is about a group of homosexuals who, under the backdrop of the 1980s and AIDS, the six men's lives interweave in fascinating ways, revolving round one man who is never seen, 'Reg'. The impact of this play when it was first produced can never be replicated as AIDS is not seen as so dangerous in the modern age and homosexuality is mostly accepted by all (except some christian fundamentalists, one of whom put a sticker on the front of the theatre saying 'Jesus saves sinners. Repent and baptise'). Therefore, when there is some full- frontal male nudity in the third act, it never shocks in the way that it should. The bits that still shock are the narrative twists which are littered throughout the play. This has become a period piece which depicts a certain age with only certain relevance today. This production is superbly well performed. Each character is three dimensional and doesn't just conform to gay stereotypes. The main presentation of that stereotype is Daniel performed by The Thick of It's Geoffrey Streatfield who shows his camp, fabulous side in a hilarious first act performance. This performance changes is the last two acts which turns him into a wholly different character. Julien Ovenden, in  a break from his musical work, plays the mach, cool guy John who shows true sentimentality. The show's lead, Jonathan Broadbent, plays a diverse Guy who is the most upstanding of the group but has a worrying back story, with a confession in the first act which is truly horrifying yet just shrugged off by the others. The rest of the cast (Lewis Reeves, Richard Cant and Matt Bardock) do a magnificent job of demonstrating the young, the dull and the working class homosexuals showing a diverse range in what would otherwise be just another show with a cast full of middle aged, middle class, white men. Perhaps the designs from Peter Mckintosh doesn't quite fit the Apollo's stage and perhaps the LED lights at the side of the stage doesn't quite work with the set which resembles a 'See How They Run' style farce which captures the comedy and juxtaposes the tragedy within the play. However, this is a play that deserves sell out audiences as well as it's Olivier nomination. It portrays a section of society that is rarely directly addressed in theatre, despite popular opinion, and it is a joy to experience.

Closer, Donmar Warehouse ****

Despite my anxiety at the prospect of letting down the King of Edinburgh and the Spirit of the Fringe Richard Herring, I convinced myself to see a Patrick Marber play. The play, much like Herring's comedy, has very crude sex references with a whole scene devoted to in depth smut discussion. However, it is so much more than that. It is cleverly constructed so that a cigarette holds so much meaning yet works as a narrative without these metaphors. As a play, whilst it isn't the most special of plays. It is admirable and has mostly stood the test of time. This production is probably the best staging that this play could receive. Bunny Christies set has a similar feeling to The Hard Problem but is executed far better, the transition from scene to scene seeming slicker and rehearsed; not needing a full stage crew to move scenery about. It uses video design effectively without it detracting from the relatively minimalist set. The actors are on top form; it is always joyous to witness Oliver Chris and, with a new series of Bluestone 42 on its way, I have never been happier. Rufus Sewell was a far more charismatic Larry than the production photos suggested and the female leads are equally superb. Whilst, it does need a warning for extremely inappropriate and child-like content, it provides a great evenings entertainment.

City of Angels, Donmar Warehouse *****

 A musical and the Donmar Warehouse do not go hand in hand with each other. The intimate space does not suit brash music theatre. Despite this, City of Angels works in a delightful way which succeeds in giving the musical characters which seem like real human beings rather than just personas. The storyline is of an author writing the screenplay from his hit novel and life around him seems to mirror the life the characters in his film noir crime thriller have. The actor currently starring in BBC3 comedy Crims has smartened himself up in order to play one quarter of the chorus who do-wop their way through Cy Colemans electrifying music fantastically well. The leads are exceptional in a star-studded lineup of music theatre greats from the evil director which Peter Polycarpou portrays with such ease, to the detective Tam Mutu whose singing is marvelous. Hadley Fraser's Stine is one of the most wonderful parts I have seen in the West End with spine tingling solos from him, Craig and Trehearn who all excel  magnificently with songs which could easily stunt the story from progressing but does not due to the marvelous direction from Rourke. Samantha Barks has a limited role but still manages to show how talented she is within that role. It is wonderful to see a west end musical which is easily better than a lot of shows on the West End on my favourite stage in the world.

Henry IV, Donmar Warehouse ****

The cast of Henry IV at the Donmar Warehouse

The Donmar is undoubtedly the most exiting space in British theatre and all the productions I have seen there have been ambitious, with varying levels of success. Therefore, it is no surprise that Henry IV could not be just played as Henry IV. The result, admittedly not instantly lovable, is a great success. I had not seen Julius Caesar so the prison setting was totally new to me. It set the atmosphere in a way that no other play I've seen has done, with the possible exception of Dominic Dromgoole's plays at the Globe.The part of the play itself is the fact that they develop the lives of the inmate's characters as well as the character's they play. It is set up as a play within a play, with these female convicts putting on a production of Henry IV. The cuts are extensive, with a 6 hours of material cut  into a 2 hour show without an interval. Therefore, most of part 2 is cut in order to cut back to the main story line of choosing between two father figures. It also diverts away from the play,with a last scene which made me cry. Ashley Mcguire's Falstaff, whilst not particularly funny, is a character for whom more pathos can be felt. Erivo as Poins and Douglas is also a notable performance from a truly great actress. The other actors are also fantastic.The Donmar also seem to have prioritized experience over fame, with theatre- virgin Sharon Mooney being given one of the less substantial roles despite being one of the most recognizable faces in the cast. It also good to have normal women playing the roles instead of the 'perfect', idealised woman which is so often the case. For me, this love letter to feminism has met my expectations of what a good Shakespeare play is like, and far exceeded them.

Privacy, Donmar Warehouse ****

 Joshua McGuire and Paul Chahidi in Privacy

Photo by Johan Pearson

The Donmar has always been the centre for great, new pieces so it was no surprise to see this piece at this venue. However, it was a surprise being given an instruction sheet when entering the space as well as being encouraged to keep my phone on. And with a researcher counting us in, I was feeling apprehensive.

I needn't have worried as the show was spell bounding from start to finish. More of a presentation than a theatrical piece, Graham portrays himself as 'the writer' (played remarkably well by Joshua McGuire) being pressured by 'the director' (based on the real life director Josie Rourke and characterized beautifully by Michelle Terry) to conduct interviews with a host of interesting people whose parts are shared amongst the cast.

Whilst some say that it does not tackle the issue properly, I think that that is not what they want to do. The purpose of this is to shock and it certainly does that. It shows us the dangers that the internet has and it's audience participation hammers home how scary the internet can be. The ending also proves a huge shock comparable to The Mousetrap.

A special mention goes out to Paul Chahidi who is superb throughout the play and has recently been nominated for a Tony award for his spot- on performance as Maria in Twelth Night as well as winning several other awards for the part. He is equally pleasing in this.

Overall, whilst next year the play will be out of date, This piece is the most revelatory piece I have seen for a very long time.

Privacy is on at the Donmar Warehouse until May 31st

2014 So Far

This is just to get up to speed on everything I've seen in 2014. Will just write a pithy review for each.

Stephen Ward, Aldwych Theatre: 4/5
Lloyd Webber back to his best with outstanding performances from Hanson and Spencer with a fantastic show. Slightly less exciting second act and the brass section being played on a keyboard annoyed after a while but the quality of the songs and the singers singing them make up for it. Sad to see it go.

Alex Hanson and Charlotte Blackledge in Stephen Ward

Photo by Nobby Clarke

Mojo, Harold Pinter Theatre: 3/5
Great performances by the cast although I do feel sorry for Tom Rhys Harries who must have been bored to death backstage with only a few lines in act 2. It definately was not the laugh out loud comedy that the press claimed but was mildly amusing with a much more serious tone that really came through to me. It was a passable way to spend 140 minutes.

Colin Morgan in Mojo

Photo by Simon Annand

  
The Duchess of Malfi, Sam Wannamaker Playhouse: 5/5
I am a huge fan of the Globe and have seen countless performances over the years so am perhaps slightly biased towards the company but this new space is truly spectacular. The play itself is a masterpiece with the dissent into absolute chaos being a executed masterfully.Gemma Arteton is a great Duchess with her death being truly touching. Would have loved to have seen L' Ormindo there but this performance is something else.

Gemma Arteton, James Garnon and David Dawson in The Duchess of Malfi

Photo from The Express

La Boheme, Royal Albert Hall: 3/5
Puccini is a master at creating that sense of romance and intimacy through his music as well as the grand spectacles. However, both of these aspects were partially lost at opera in the round. The problem is that Act 1 and 4 did not convince me that these people were desperate for money, space and warmth in an exposed stage whilst Act 2 is so crowded you have to strain your eyes to see who is singing. The cast can sing remarkably well for what is ,to put it frankly, 'second- rate opera' and the orchestra sent shivers up my spine in Act 4 at Mimi's demise. This is quite a good performance overall but I would like to see how it compares to the Opera Houses' production in July.

The cast in La Boheme

Merchant of Venice schools production, Shakespeare's Globe: 4/5
It is rare to find cheap tickets and good theatre in London but the Globe manage to offer both. This event, primarily for students was offered to the public for free on two of the shows dates. This makes you think that the production is going to lack quality. However, this is not the case. A great interpretation which appeals to children whilst not being patronizing or compromising the piece. This is the perfect way to show students Shakespeare's work.

The cast of the Merchant of Venice

Copyright Ellie Kurttz

Twelve Angry Men,Garrick Theatre: 4/5
Robert Shaw put in a fantastic performance as juror 8. Whilst the accents occasionally wavered, I found this production to be compelling with a fantastic set. It is scary that I did not notice that the whole table revolved until three quarters of the way through the performance. An impressive performance.

The cast of Twelve Angry Men

Photo by Alaistair Muir

Versailles, Donmar Warehouse: 2/5
The problem with this play is that it has a rather irritating second act. The first and third act  is a reasonably insightful view of the effects of the First World War with an interesting take on relationships but is spoiled by a second act which has a whole section where the situation regarding where the coal would go was discussed. It just didn't capture my imagination enough to deserve any more than two stars.

Gwilym Lee and Tamla Kari in Versailles

Photo by Johan Persson

King Lear, National Theatre: 5/5
Trying to get a ticket to this show was painful but the show totally made up for it. Russell Beale is a sublime Lear with genuine menace. Scarborough's fool is really something else and the rest of the cast is equally first class. Gloucester's eye gouging seen is truly disturbing and the whole idea of a dictatorship reminiscant of Stalin's Soviet Union is expertly pulled of by Mendes and his team. There aren't enough superlatives that could describe this show. Shakespeare at its finest.

Adrian Scarborough and Stanley Townsend in King Lear

Photo by Mark Douet