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No Quarter, Royal Court Theatre
Originally written for Exeunt. Ever since J.M. Barrie first gave us the boy who never grew up, Peter Pan figures have consistently captured the imagination. Robin, the damaged, boyish figure […]
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In The Republic of Happiness
In writing about this production, I’ve taken something of a counter-intuitive approach – or if not counter-intuitive, then certainly counter to conventional critical practice. I saw the show before...
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Narrative, Royal Court
Let’s start at the beginning. Anthony Nielson’s latest work is, the Royal Court website tells us with succinct authority, “a new play about stories”. There’s also an image: a line […]
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Thinking Outside of the Building
Originally written for The Stage. At Vicky Featherstone’s first Royal Court press briefing, there was an intriguing statement of intent about the theatre’s direction. As well as reaffirming the...
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Secrets and Surprises
Originally written for Exeunt. As our huddled group of partygoers shudder upwards in an industrial lift, headed towards the Lyric Hammersmith’s secrecy-veiled launch, a woman behind me compares the...
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Open Court, Royal Court Theatre
Originally written for Exeunt. In each week of the Open Court festival, the downstairs space at the Royal Court is dominated by a huge wooden crate. As the house lights […]
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The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart, Royal Court Theatre Local
However you do it, there’s something a bit odd about thrusting yourself headfirst into imaginary winter in the midst of sweltering summer heat. As pipe-playing actors stubbornly tell us it […]
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Embrace the Shame: Open Court Collaboration
Originally written for Exeunt. In a bright rehearsal room in Pimlico, to the faint strains of an opera being rehearsed next door, six actors are pretending to be cats. With […]
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Mirrors, Hope and Transformation
What can theatre do? This isn’t necessarily the central question asked by Circle Mirror Transformation, Annie Baker’s delicate and precisely naturalistic portrait of five broken individuals, but it is...
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The Ritual Slaughter of Gorge Mastromas, Royal Court
The repeated central question of Dennis Kelly’s dark allegory, emblazoned in giant letters at the back of Tom Scutt’s set, is a troubling one: “goodness or cowardice?” Are supposedly moral […]
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Gastronauts, Royal Court
Originally written for Exeunt. Anything that addresses its audience as “intrepid eaters” asks to be approached with a touch of apprehension. Gastronauts, dreamed up by April de Angelis, Nessa Muthy and...
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Beginnings and Endings
Originally written for Exeunt. Let’s start with a beginning. Sitting in the stalls of the newly plastic-swathed Lyric Hammersmith this September, I’m not sure I’ve ever felt such palpable anticipation […]
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Hard Work? Not I
The following owes a huge debt to Stewart Pringle, who got me turning a lot of this around in my head after a fascinating conversation in the Royal Court bar. […]
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The Pass, Royal Court
Originally written for Exeunt. Following Thomas Hitzlsperger’s decision to publicly come out, renewed focus has fallen on the prejudice still faced by gay footballers, bestowing something of a mixed...
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Naturalism, Optimism and Donuts
Originally written for Exeunt. Ned Bennett is telling me a story about the back wall of the Royal Court, a fixture held in reverential affection by a good chunk of […]
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Pests, Royal Court
There is something a little uncomfortable about watching Pests. While playwright Vivienne Franzmann, who wrote the play as a product of her residency with Clean Break and her visits to […]
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Birdland, Royal Court
“I don’t believe this,” Andrew Scott cries, gaze directed unwaveringly at the audience. “None of this is real. None of this is really happening. This whole thing is made up.” […]
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Tim Crouch
Originally written for The Stage. There is something satisfyingly cyclical about Tim Crouch’s work. The theatre-maker’s first play, My Arm, explored ideas about representation and realism through the...
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Stories About Stories
Originally written for Exeunt. In my first year of studying English at university, we were all enrolled on a course titled ‘Literary Transformations’. The blurb on the website mentioned the […]
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The Wolf from the Door, Royal Court
Originally written for Exeunt. Middle England is revolting. Flower arrangers are building bombs, the Morris dancers have their axes at the ready and the village choir are armed with AK47s. […]
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