Tag Archives: National Theatre

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“Here We Are” at the National Theatre

It’s hard to imagine that there was a time when Stephen Sondheim’s work wasn’t revered. Not all his shows were hits the first time around and many divided opinion and generated parody. This last effort from the legend, who died in 2021, presented on the South Bank via New York’s The Shed, is such a mixed affair that it’s unlikely anyone will claim it as a Sondheim highlight. 

Sondheim used more sources to make musicals than most and this time, with David Ives’ book, he looks at Surrealist cineaste Luis Buñuel. We get not one but two films brought to the stage. It must be stressed that, unlike many a movie adaptation, Sondheim and Ives put their own stamp on the works. These are interpretations, updated and with the stage in mind. For once, the word ‘inspiration’ is apt.

Yet, while there are more than enough crazy moments, there isn’t the political power that’s found in Buñuel. Maybe this is down to the times? Our view of class has changed so much. Or is it Surrealism itself that’s the problem? You might suggest Surrealists tend to take self-referentiality seriously (there’s a topic for discussion). But musicals are whacky from the get-go.

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Tracie Bennett

It helps an awful lot to know what’s being referenced before going in. Of course, Sondheim fans are a clever bunch and their knowledge of European cinema extensive. But just in case you need reminding, the first act is based on 1972’s Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie, with a wealthy group trying to find a place to eat. Here the idea is a solid satire that’s laugh-out-loud funny, with great skits from various waiters (including Tracie Bennett, who is excellent). But updating the characters isn’t a happy affair. Instead of France, we are in LA. And, more than the bourgeoise, we have Ultra High Net Worth individuals who don’t quite convince, despite Rory Kinnear’s commendable efforts. A younger character, admirably performed by Chumisa Dornford-May, is written as some kind of revolutionary but is notably more soixante-huit than contemporary.

The second act disappoints further, not least because there is so little music in it. It’s a version of El ángel exterminador (the one with the characters mysteriously trapped in a room). Why they can’t leave and then eventually do is never explained but you’re going to have to live with that. The wit and intelligence are still clear (a dialogue about ontology and shoes is funny), but the references become oppressive. 

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Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Martha Plimpton

The potential legacy of the piece also weighs heavy. Yes, this material would be difficult for any cast. But director Joe Mantello fails to keep up a pace or embrace crazier moments so that (ape costumes aside) there are few surprises. While Richard Fleeshman and Paulo Szot manage to shine in simpler roles (as an unnamed soldier and a diplomat), the other characters are surely supposed to be more three-dimensional? Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jane Krakowski and Martha Plimpton (all big talents) seem trapped in how we imagine performers in a Sondheim show should act. Metatheatricality or just a mistake? It proves tiresome and shortchanges the show. 

Until 28 June 2025

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

Photos by MARC BRENNER

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“Alterations” at the National Theatre

Michael Abbensetts’ play, revived via the Black Plays Archive project for the first time since its 1978 premiere, is easy to commend. The script, with additional material by Trish Cooke, is neat. Abbensetts has important things to say and says them well. The action is tight, following West Indian immigrant Walker Holt over the course of his “make or break day” as he works to secure his own tailoring business.  

This is an ‘issues’ play, reportedly inspired by the Kitchen Sink school, with plenty of detail about the racism that Holt and his friends face. Abbensetts’writing is nuanced, with a love triangle subplot that provides an impressively strong female perspective. Its thorough, well-rounded characters are impossible not to care about. 

With such a strong base, it’s no surprise, yet still an achievement, that the acting is superb: sure-footed, impassioned and enjoyable. Led by Arinzé Kene as Holt, who is a commanding presence, his character’s employees, played by Gershwyn Eustache Jnr and Karl Collins, are superb as they tackle their difficult boss and reveal complex dynamics. Cherrelle Skeete is excellent as Holt’s long-suffering wife, a powerful role that manages to challenge his dominance. All the cast bring out the considerable humour in the piece.

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Gershwyn Eustache Jnr, Raphel Famotibe and Karl Collins

There’s plenty to like and caveats are small. Some movement (credited to Shelley Maxwell) could be sharper and – take your pick – more naturalistic or more stylised. Here, we have an in-between that’s occasionally messy. The set and costume design from Frankie Bradshaw is undoubtedly accomplished. But I wasn’t sure if the garments rising and falling were connected to Holt’s daydreams and working it out was distracting. And the revolving stage feels unnecessary as the action is set solely in a Carnaby Street workshop. Too much time is taken trying expand the play. This includes a contemporary figure who makes random appearances and feels a forced effort to give the work relevance since Abbensetts already provides a youthful perspective with the character of Courtney, depicted skilfully by Raphel Famotibe. 

There is a sense that Lynette Linton’s usually excellent direction is effortful, excessive. The script doesn’t need the help the production thinks it does as the play opens up by itself. As well as racism, Abbensetts targets capitalism. The price to pay for Holt’s hard work is the loss of love. His happiness is sacrificed in a search for security. That Holt is warned off his ambitions (by another immigrant, Mr Nat, played by Colin Mace) and seems to recognise his mistakes makes the play a tragedy. The changes referenced in the title must start with the personal – a strong idea that doesn’t need overplaying.

Until 5 April 2025

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

Photos by Marc Brenner

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“The Importance of Being Earnest” at the National Theatre

Max Webster’s hit revival of Oscar Wilde’s masterpiece lives up to its sold-out status. The star-studded cast does not disappoint, Rae Smith’s design is gorgeous and a modern sensibility adds surprise touches that excite.

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Ncuti Gatwa

As introducing Algernon in drag indicates, Webster embraces Wilde’s risqué side. There no point hiding that the practice of ‘Bunburying’- taking on a second identity – is a code to cover escapades. Algernon and his pal Jack camp it up in effete style, literally skipping around the stage. There’s even the suggestion the couple are more than just friends. Taking the roles, Ncuti Gatwa and Hugh Skinner are enormous fun and look as if they are thoroughly enjoying themselves.

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Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ and Eliza Scanlen

So, what happens when it comes to the guys falling in love with women? Or when it comes to the final revelation about their own familial relationship? It’s easy to see a claim here for fluidity (they each have two identities already!). The idea is applied to Gwendolen and Cecily, too, who could end up as lovers rather than sisters, adding new jokes to the fantastic performances from Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ and Eliza Scanlen.

Or you could just focus on Wilde’s silliness. Really, nothing should be taken seriously. The Importance of Being Earnest turns the world upside down (hence the production’s surprising encore). It might be said Webster doesn’t take Wilde as seriously as Dominic Dromgoole, whose enlightening Classic Spring series was a rare treat. But there is a boldness to Webster’s work that’s to his credit. 

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Amanda Lawrence and Richard Cant

There is more to praise. An excellent triumvirate of Sharon D Clarke, Richard Cant and Amanda Lawrence, taking the roles of Lady Bracknell, Canon Chasuble and Miss Prism, are superb. Clarke’s accent is a masterstroke, while the courting curate and his schoolmistress get big laughs as well as being, well, cute! As a final thrill, the physicality in the show, from Gatwa and Skinner in particular, is a genuine surprise. Comedies of manners can be static affairs, Wilde’s lines imposing, but this cast does a great job with physical comedy and stylised movements that makes the production stand out.

Until 25 January 2025

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

Photos by Marc Brenner

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“Coriolanus” at the National Theatre 

Clear, sensible ideas drive Lindsey Turner’s new production. Giving Shakespeare’s Roman history play an epic feel is natural enough and is achieved with style through impressive music (Angus MacRae) and design. Part of the latter, by Es Devlin, is a stage full of Hellenistic art, displayed as if in a museum, and through these objects the production comments on the dangers of glorifying militarism.

When it comes to the titular hero, Turner is carefully noncommittal and her leading man, David Oyelowo, keeps us guessing. We’re supposed to admire Coriolanus, yes? Plenty do, even though he is, literally, revolting. As the play moves between the military and civic spheres, Oyelowo gets as much complexity out of the role as is possible. It is a commanding performance.

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Pamela Nomvete

The military scenes are strongest – the fighting exciting – showing this martial culture superbly. Cominius, the general who delivers many a panegyric about his mate, becomes a major role through Sam Hazeldine’s skill. And let’s include the mum here! Pamela Nomvete, one of my favourite actors, is excellent as Volumnia. Her exaggerations about honour and glory raise a laugh nowadays, but Nomvete’s brilliant performance makes them sincere, taking us into the world of the play.

Showing us politics is less successful, although the action is swift and easy to follow. Maybe one problem is that the “many headed multitude” seems short on the ground (odd, since that isn’t the impression with battle scenes). The costumes are a bit of a puzzle, giving the plebeian Brutus and Sicinius (well performed by Jordan Metcalfe and Stephanie Street) an odd 1970s TUC air. Their political opponent also comes off badly, Peter Forbes’ Menenius is a comic-book toff whose wit tires rather than entertains. To be fair, it’s hard to get much subtlety here. The play takes its lead from Coriolanus’ own view that people are either “crows” or “eagles”. At least Turner doesn’t show favourites.

The political scenes are supposed to be uncomfortable – how the mob is manipulated is a warning. But the production is lucky it has Oyelowo to fall back on. He does a great job of balancing his character’s contempt with a dignity that comes from following his principles. We are allowed to wonder if Coriolanus is trapped in his sense of himself. Has being named after the city he conquered gone to his head? Is he one of those men said to be a victim of toxicity? That’s a tough sell, if an interesting one. But in the end, Coriolanus himself is presented as one of those statues – the kind of fallen warrior who was never a Roman and who was, ironically, usually nameless.

Until 9 November 2024

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

Photos by Misan Harriman

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“Mnemonic” at the National Theatre

The revival of this legendary piece from Simon McBurney’s company, Complicité, seems a secure success because of its themes of memory and origin. The devised work cries out to be updated, and so it is, with references to Brexit and topical events. At the same time, concerns about where we all come from, highlighting ideas about nationality and conflict, are depressingly relevant to our fractious times.

Starting out as a kind of lecture, there are two main plots: deliberate tangents forced together for philosophical points. We learn about a neolithic man, named Ötzi, whose preserved body was discovered in the Alps. And get the story of a guy whose partner has had some kind of breakdown and disappeared. The archaeology is great, and leads to fantastic theatrical moments, the romance less so as the characters involved lack appeal… but feel free to disagree. The balance between abstract questions and emotional involvement makes the show engaging.

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There’s a powerful sense of how important Mnemonic is – that this is theatre as an event – clear from the committed performances of the show’s ‘collaborators’. Khalid Abdalla takes the lead with breathtaking physicality. His multi-lingual multi-tasking colleagues are all excellent. Maybe Tim McMullan stands out for a versatility he isn’t usually credited for. And Eileen Walsh whose character’s angst makes her role especially difficult. It’s all intense but it should be mentioned that there are some good jokes alongside the serious intellectual concerns.

There are moments when Mnemonic is a victim of its own success. Neither McBurney as director, nor his cast, can do much about this. From audience participation to the brilliant sound (Christopher Shutt), lighting (Paul Anderson) and video (Roland Horvarth), much of the show has been so influential it feels you’ve seen it before. Of course, McBurney took inspiration from others as well – Complicité are rooted in international traditions we don’t get to see enough of in London. But the emphasis on physical theatre, the balance of tech and simplicity, the brave shifts in tone as well as narration, are all far more common than they would have been 25 years ago. 

You might even claim the show’s legacy makes for a further origin story… one well worth remembering through this revival. 

Until 10 August 2024

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

Photo by Johan Persson

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“Underdog: The Other Other Brontë” at the National Theatre

Playwright Sarah Gordon’s new go at literary revisionism is fun. Although hardly obscure, the Brontë in the title here is Anne and the play looks at her life and work. The twist is that our narrator is her more famous sister, Charlotte, and despite her humorous protestations, she wants to be the hero.

The result is that we learn a lot about the “little voice” of seemingly “cute” Anne alongside Charlotte and don’t forget, Emily, and their no-good brother Branwell. But there’s another layer too – a surprising source of jokes – as Charlotte addresses her readers in the present day and we learn how important her reputation is to her.

“one mask for all three of us”

Taking the roles of Anne, Emily and their brother, Rhiannon Clements, Adele James and James Phoon all distinguish themselves well and make the most out of Gordon’s comedy without overplaying it. It’s not their fault this is Gemma Whelan’s show. As Charlotte, she is by far the most vivid character, with the best lines. She is ruthless, unapologetic, and very funny. She is selfish but her struggles are moving. While Anne and Charlotte are keen on the anonymity of pseudonyms – “one mask for all three of us” – Charlotte wants fame.

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Rhiannon Clements

As well as plenty of laughs from hearty doses of good Yorkshire common sense and hindsight, director Natalie Ibu’s staging is witty. Four fellas help with the action and add comic touches (Nick Blakeley’s Elizabeth Gaskell is a good one). Even Grace Smart’s set gets smiles, surprising from the start, and the revolving floor is used to great effect.

There’s every attempt to make the story modern with mention of gatekeepers, toxicity, and victimhood. Charlotte is prone to “lash out” and wants to be “in the room” with literary greats. None of this jars because the strategy is so fully embraced. Maybe a bit too much of the humour comes from swearing; the irony of these writers being inarticulate wears a little thin.

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Adele James

When things get serious, the play is less successful. Emily and Anne’s deaths are both moving but even Charlotte says things are happening too quickly. Those addresses to the audience become starker. Turns out it really was about Charlotte all along. Final remarks about a writer’s legacy stumble. But there’s a lot of fun along the way.

All those big questions about family loyalty, sibling dynamics, women in history and literature, or even what power books can have, are raised. It’s all interesting. And if everything is addressed thinly, that’s not necessarily bad; a light touch can be effective, this revision is told well, and the show is thoroughly entertaining.

Until 25 May 2024

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

Photos by Isha Shah

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“Nye” at the National Theatre

If you can make a claim for any politician being a hero, it’s Aneurin Bevan, founder of the NHS and the subject of Tim Price’s new play. But there are pitfalls in dramatising this remarkable life. Despite stellar performances and efforts to inject energy into the show, we all know the story and there’s very little to say.

Price does well. We get the story from Bevan’s death bed, so we are ready to shed a tear from the start. There’s a lot of personal history covered, as well as big events to make it feel insightful. A lifelong friend and a formidable wife are brought to the fore, making great roles for Roger Evans and Sharon Small. Oh, and there’s a strong Winston Churchill cameo from Tony Jayawardena. Taking the title role, Michael Sheen plays all ages of the great man’s life while maintaining the show’s conceit – that what we’re watching comes from a morphine-induced stupor. Barely leaving the stage for two and half hours, Sheen delivers a brilliant performance. 

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Sharon Small

Director Rufus Norris keeps the action rolling with a big bag of tricks. There are lovely moments of movement, with characters lifted and carried around the stage, credited to co-choreographers Steven Hoggett and Jess Williams. A scene in a library from Bevan’s childhood is just gorgeous. Lighting design and projections (Paule Constable and Jon Driscoll) make the most of Vicki Mortimer’s set of giant hospital screens. Clement Atlee’s remote-control desk deserves a mention. And there’s even a song and dance number at one point. You can’t say there’s a lack of ideas. Yet each scene is just a little too long, each idea just a touch laboured. Not only does the show end up feeling like a long night, but all the effort feels clinical.

The biggest problem is that the examination is cursory when it comes to setting up the NHS. Struggles in Parliament and with the British Medical Association, which could make a whole play, are brief. There are goosebumps, but they are down to Sheen, who brings a conviction to the role that is inspiring. Bevan’s outsider status is clear – but it is seen as an advantage as much as a handicap. His growth into power, from activist to politician, is not something to be ashamed of. You can agree with it all, but also note a lack of dramatic tension. There just isn’t much debate in Nye, even if the oratory itself is excellent.

Until 11 May 2024

www.nationaltheatre.co.uk

Photos by Johan Persson

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“Standing at the Sky’s Edge” at the Gillian Lynne Theatre

Originality is a big draw for this exciting new show from Richard Hawley. It’s about working-class people in Sheffield…which you don’t get very often. And the stories are told in a slightly different way. Events around three groups of characters, from different times, who live in the same tower block flat, are all interwoven.

Set in the 1960s, 1980s, and the present day, we take in a lot of history. From post-war optimism and immigration to industrial decline and unrest, then gentrification. And a good deal of attention is paid to the changing role of women. I’m not sure what a tourist crowd will make of it. But the book from playwright Chris Bush is skilful – nothing is overplayed, personal stories dominate, and these private lives are moving.

The narration is poetic (to a fault at times), beautifully delivered by Mel Lowe and deliberately contrasting in its grandiosity with the action. For it is ordinary people and “the traffic of life” that’s given attention. It’s a simple focus on romance but with such a large cast, and three big love affairs going on, the show feels inclusive and embracing. And, again, just that little bit different.

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Elizabeth Ayodele and Samuel Jordan

There are stand-out performances in the show – but not stars in the way you might expect. We follow Rose and Harry over the course of their lives, so Rachel Wooding and Joel Harper-Jackson impress with their performances as these characters. Joy and Jimmy show us young love and Elizabeth Ayodele and Samuel Jordan bring huge charm to these parts. Meanwhile, Poppy and Nikki have problems in the present day and make angsty roles for Laura Pitt-Pulford and Lauryn Redding, who do a great job. The singing from all is fantastic. But this précis doesn’t reveal how much is going on.

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Lauryn Redding and Laura Pitt-Pulford

Standing at the Sky’s Edge is constructed to give equal weight to the different stories. Even more, to highlight other characters and the ensemble who join them. It creates a very different feel as the whole cast take moments as leads. And when they all sing together, there are guaranteed goosebumps. The result is, at times, odd. An audience likes a focus. But through the talents of director Robert Hastie, it isn’t confusing. And the sense of place, of community, created is incredible. Originally from The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, via The National Theatre, Ben Stones’ excellent set and costume design help immeasurably here.

Above all, Hawley’s songs are fantastic. A great mix of styles with strong lyrics and a bold emphasis on big emotions. Not one number is bad, and plenty bring a tear to the eye. The show does lose momentum after a tremendous opening for act two. There are fewer songs and Bush’s dialogue starts to dominate. And, without giving to much away, things become morbid. A lot of time has been spent telling us Poppy and Nikki’s relationship is unhealthy, so it is odd to have it as some kind of happy ending.  I guess that at least the surprises keep coming. Standing at the Sky’s Edge is one of the most original musicals I’ve seen in a long time.

Until 3 August 2024

www.skysedgemusical.com

Photos by Brinkhoff-Moegenburg 

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“Hadestown” at the Lyric Theatre

One of the first big musicals of the year – there are plenty coming – this much anticipated show deserves great success. Anaïs Mitchell’s retelling of two Greek myths – the love story of Orpheus and Eurydice, and Persephone’s imprisonment by Hades – is ambitious and powerful. It has an originality and a distinct voice that make it stand out.

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Gloria Onitiri

The show visited the National Theatre back in 2018 and was then a Tony Award-winning hit in New York. This tweaked version has a British cast (with lots of accents), who give suitably divine performances. The young lovers, played Dónal Finn and Grace Hodgett Young, perfectly embody the show’s theme of hope. While as Persephone and Hades, Gloria Onitiri and Zachary James have superb voices and give performances full of nuance. Leading them all, as a kind of narrator warning us how sad and ancient the story is, Melanie La Barrie is a stunning Hermes.

Grace Hodgett Young and Dónal Finn in Hadestown
Grace Hodgett Young and Dónal Finn

Adapting Greek myths is perennial. But Mitchell makes the attempt to rescue Eurydice from death so exciting that I suspected the end was going to be changed! There’s plenty of thought behind these versions of the characters. Finn’s Orpheus is gauche musician and Hodgett Young’s depiction of a damaged young woman are both moving. Persephone has taken to drink to deal with her overbearing husband, and Hades reimagined as a mine owner and industrialist is a very neat idea. Rachel Chavkin’s direction makes the most of all this background work, as well as creating a fantastic ensemble with starring roles for three commanding Fates (Bella Brown, Madeline Charlemagne and Allie Daniel).

Placing the action out of time and place is a smart enough move but sometimes snags: this is a generic dystopia, with climate concerns and income inequality. Alongside are touches of the 1930s and a setting that is clearly the American South. All mashed together, it’s a bit mind boggling. And if you made a case that Hadestown is politically naive, it would be hard to argue with that. This show wants to inspire, sometimes too much. But there’s nothing wrong with musical theatre focusing on a better world. There are rousing, goosebump moments and the sincerity has an earthy base. It’s the power of storytelling that electrifies the show – tales aided by song – and brilliantly so.

Rachel Hauck’s set does have surprises – that work well – and it’s easy to appreciate why Bradley King’s lighting earned him a gong. But for a lot of the show the action feels cramped, and David Neumann’s choreography somewhat wasted. The project’s origin as a concept album is clear. But, given the score, that isn’t a big problem.

Hadestown has exceptional music. The term folk opera is tempting (it reflects Mitchell’s roots), and there’s that sense of communal storytelling that is pivotal to the action: the act of re-enacting is the piece’s raison d’être. But let’s not sell the sources short – folk is mixed with just as much jazz, with touches of pop and rock that are hugely exciting. You never quite know what’s coming next. The show is sung throughout, and it’s clear, concise poetry, full of memorable rhymes and lines. It’s not just that each song is good, and works dramatically, but that they all work together and cohere marvellously. This story may be old, but I hope it goes on and on.

Until December 2024

www.uk.hadestown.com

Photos by Marc Brenner

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“The Motive and the Cue” at the Noël Coward Theatre

This blog is about loving theatre. So, Jack Thorne’s play, which goes behind the scenes of Richard Burton and John Gielgud’s 1964 production of Hamlet, is a welcome transfer from the National Theatre. With Sam Mendes directing, it’s sure to thrill theatregoers. It really is a great show.

There’s a trick that’s neat, if not uncommon. Like lots of writers who use Shakespeare’s quotes, the play’s the thing that tells us about the creative process and the people who are performing. The idea structures the play (each scene comes with a quote) and provides a quest – Burton must find “his” Hamlet.

While there’s debate about tradition and youth, with Burton and Gielgud representing different ages, there’s a struggle with the thrill of seeing the two greats depicted. Both are vulnerable – Gielgud’s career is in the dumps and Burton’s drinking on the rise – but we never question their genius. And the fact they are at odds adds a lot of humour. Almost every line is entertaining.

There are problems. I guess you wouldn’t see the play without knowing Hamlet… but that knowledge is essential. And not a passing acquaintance with the play, either. When Thorne does provide background, it rings hollow – there’s too much listing of achievements. It’s frustrating as a solution is present. Burton’s wife, Elizabeth Taylor, is the outsider who could help the audience. Possibly a desire not to patronise Taylor won out. But the character ends up underused. A great shame given Tuppence Middleton’s strong performance in the role.

Which leads to another question. This rehearsal room is full. The production boasts a strong cast that includes Allan Corduner and Sarah Woodward in great form. We all know theatre is a collective effort. But the play is overwhelmed by its central duo. Mirroring Burton’s dilemma – ego takes over. Despite Gielgud’s effort as his director, we don’t see him learning much from anyone. You might argue this is a play about how theatre works… that doesn’t show us how theatre works.

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Mark-Gatiss and Johnny Flynn

It’s hard to know how much such quibbles matter. Mendes brings great style to the show, with the help of designer Es Devlin and lighting from Jon Clark. As well as wringing out big emotion – both Burton and Gielgud’s demons get an airing – the comedy is perfect. And while the lead performances share the danger of unbalancing the production, they are spectacular.

Johnny Flynn plays Burton with breath-taking charisma. It’s a harsh depiction, especially when he is drunk, but you’d still forgive the character almost anything. And you’re convinced his Hamlet was amazing. But since the show contains a battle of egos… Gielgud wins and Mark Gatiss, who takes the role, gives the performance of his career. The impersonation is remarkable – I swear Gatiss starts to look like the man. We see plenty of snobbery but come to understand it as a defence mechanism. Not only is he funnier, in Gatiss’ hands the older man becomes a figure of huge sympathy.

It is with the figure of Gielgud that the transitory nature of theatre, the important role its history plays, the creative struggle and bravery behind putting on a show all become clearer. So…Gielgud is doing a lot of work. And Mendes gets to remind us how important the director is! Burton finds his Hamlet. But nothing happens without Gielgud.

Until 24 March 2024

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

Photos by Mark Douet