I heart theatre

I have been a bit of a theatre junkie recently; it started as a way of helping Daisy with her A' Level, but truth be told I have fallen back in love with seeing plays. I do not know why, but when I lived ‘up north’ I went to the theatre a lot, both ballet and plays, but somehow when I moved to London the habit stopped and I moved with ease into films.
Films like magazines have become slightly less satisfying, probably because sometimes a tightly edited episode of CSI can be a more gripping watch than many films. Television is no longer the poor man of the screen and in fact is, along with the more traditional avenue of literature feeding the film industry.
I initially stuck to the more traditional material, my criteria has been to pay no more than a tenner although I have bent this rule a couple of times. You might think this would preclude all star casts, in fact it does not.
The recent production of The Dolls House was rich with ability and shiny stars, I had thought that a couple of the actors would be a bit hammy but the play was well acted and I loved the close proximity you have to the stage at The Donmar Warehouse.
The story itself is one have I have read many times. It resonates more so now, as I am in one of those negative ever decreasing negative spiral of a relationship. The difference is of course I do not want to leave Leyla; so no door slams shut here.
Hamlet on the other hand was new to me, seriously; I must have been the only one in the audience who did not know the ending! I was enthralled, I honestly did not think I could ever access Shakespeare, but I have to thank Bill Bryson for opening up my horizons as his book Shakespeare is wonderful.
The production was the last in a quartet of plays directed by Michael Grandage. The sets, costumes and production have been amazing. I particularly liked the costumes in Hamlet as they were very simple, clean lines, contemporary shapes all in shades of dark and light.
Daisy was not sure about Jude Law’s mandigan as she called it. I had never heard that word before so laughed all the way to the station!
Tim Walkers review hits the nail on the head particularly Law’s voice. What is his strength in film is very much a weakness here, I wonder if he will last the run. This is a minor criticism it makes for a brilliant night out.
Then onto the Old Vic for the Bridge Project’s Cherry Orchard.
We were so lucky because I had bought seats with a restricted view, however the couple in front wanted to swap as she had bad vertigo and trust me it is a real drop, from the Lillian Bayliss balcony so we had a fabulous view. I love Chekov, this was vintage stuff, brilliantly adapted by Tom Stoppard; even Ethan Hawke manages to hold his own, just.
Sadly Emin was not impressed by my gallivanting, because the two nights out backed onto Thursday evenings RA Summer Show preview, oops.