Letter from London: Theatre

In November, Donna and I spent eight days in London.  For the first seven days, we attended the theater every evening. Of the seven shows, two were must-sees, one was well worth a visit, one was in tryout stage and too early to judge, and then there were three others. To wit:

The Habit of Art  Written by Alan Bennett (what more do I need to say?), this new play at the National Theatre exemplifies that rare combination of excellent acting, writing, and directing. The story revolves around an imagined meeting between W.H. Auden (Richard Griffiths) and his former collaborator, Benjamin Britten (Alex Jennings). It may be too “British” to transfer to the United States (even though “History Boys” did, and very successfully), so I suggest that you see it on your next trip to London.

After the curtain, Donna and I were waiting outside the stage door for a car that we had arranged. She spotted one of the actors standing nearby. We introduced ourselves to him. He was Elliot Levey, who played the part of the author of the play within the play. There was a thirty-minute stretch in the play where only the Auden and Britten characters had lines; the "author" of the play within a play sat in a chair at the side of the stage, script in hand, immobile.

We asked him, “What do you do to alleviate the boredom of sitting for a half hour with nothing to say or do?” He said, "You were the couple on the left side of the fourth row, weren't you?" We were blown away. He memorizes the audience! And the Olivier Theatre at the National is a big space.

So next time you’re in the theater, remember, while you’re watching the actors, they’ll be watching you. No talking, no yawning and no checking your watch.

Sweet Charity  Music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields, book by Neil Simon, choreography by Bob Fosse, the show premiered in New York in 1966 starring Gwen Verdon. The current revival in London is at the Menier Chocolate Factory on the South Bank.  

This tiny six-year-old theater has nurtured a number of shows that have moved on to the West End and Broadway, including the sublime “A Little Night Music,” now on Broadway.  If there is any justice in the theater world, “Sweet Charity” will move on to a larger theater in London and I hope to New York. A most enjoyable evening. Wonderful songs and dances on a postage-size stage.  Go see it.

Speaking in Tongues  This play is a revival by Australian playwright Andrew Bovell.  Unfortunately, it closed. But should a revival or transfer occur, see it. To whet your appetite, how's this for a structure: In the opening scene, two couples are having affairs in a sleazy hotel, not knowing their spouses are doing the same at the same time in the same hotel. Moreover, different characters speak the same dialogue in unison for long stretches (Robert Altman, anyone?) Then, in the second act, these four people play entirely different characters.  Confusing?  Well, it all comes together, eventually.

The intensity of the acting can be gleaned from this piece that appeared in the London Times a few days after we saw the show:

Gerard Earley was so impressed by Ian Hart’s performance [in “Speaking in Tongues”] that he got to his feet to applaud. Ian Hart was so unimpressed by Mr Earley that he ran from the stage to scream threats at him.

Ignoring the appeals of John Simm, his co-star, the actor lunged at Mr Earley, whom he accused of talking during his performance.

When Mr Earley protested that he had not been talking Hart launched into a furious rant and had to be restrained by ushers. Hart, who says that he does not enjoy the relationship between performer and audience, could now face police action.

Remember what I wrote earlier: the actors are watching you. So no talking. En garde.

The Power of Yes Prolific playwright David Hare was commissioned by the National Theatre to create a play that would aid our understanding of the financial crisis. What I don't understand is how such a talented playwright can produce such a boring evening of theater. My recommendation?  No to “The Power of Yes.”

Marilyn and Ella We saw what is essentially a workshop production of a play with songs. Anything involving Marilyn Monroe and Ella Fitzgerald can't be uninteresting, and this wasn't. Written by Chicago playwright Bonnie Grier, now a UK resident, the show celebrates the poignant friendship between the two icons.

La Cage aux Folles  From the Menier Chocolate Factory, this production moved to the West End and is headed for Broadway, where Kelsey Grammer will star.  Not our favorite musical.

The Priory The Royal Court Theatre is another incubator of shows that are often dramatically worthwhile and end up as commercial successes as well. It disappoints with this lightweight comedy.  But in fairness, maybe the second act that we didn’t stay for was better than the first act that we saw.

War Horse  When we saw this production on an earlier trip to London, we were astonished by the remarkable puppetry of the full-size horses that were the core of this play. The setting is the time of World War I, when millions of horses were killed in battle. The plot is modest -- boy meets horse, boy loses horse, boy regains horse.  But don't let that stop you.  The horses' performances are visually stunning, and even evoke strong emotional reactions. The play originated at the National, is now on the West End, and will transfer to Broadway.

Some Coming Attractions

We’re planning a return trip to London within the next few months to see some of the new shows. Our starter list:

Jerusalem  A comedy starring Mark Rylance, a transfer from the Royal Court Theatre to the West End.  Opening soon, it’s gathering lots of buzz.  But anything that Mark Rylance appears in goes on our must-see list, even if it's only to watch him read the telephone book. 

Enron  Also from the the Royal Court Theatre, “Enron” is moving to the West End and later to Broadway. From what we’ve heard, it sounds like the opposite (in terms of entertainment) of “The Power of Yes.”

Mrs Warren’s Profession  George Bernard Shaw and Felicity Kendall.  That’s enough for us.  Also, it’s at the Donmar Warehouse, a theatrical treasure. We can’t remember a production there that has disappointed us.

Red  A play about Mark Rothko.  Think "Sunday in the Park with George" without music and with Rothko playing Seurat.

The Misanthrope  Moliere and Keira Knightley.  How bad can that be?

A helpful source: The online London Theatre Guide is a treasure of information.  Also, there is a link on this site where you can sign up for their weekly email letter on London theatre.  Well worth getting, and free.