It’s all bananas: theatre posters and Samuel Beckett’s ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’. The poster for the rather famous production starring Rich Cluchey; the lower photograph is Cluchey in the role Tomorrow I am going to see Krapp’s Last Tape at York Theatre Royal. The show booked up a long time ago but I managed to get … More It’s all bananas: theatre posters and Samuel Beckett’s ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’.
Gary Oldman viewing the auditorium of the York Theatre Royal, on whose stage he opened performance last night for the first time of the play by Samuel Beckett, under his own direction, Krapp’s Last Tape. I see it at 7.30 p.m. on 22nd April. Photograph from theatre website: see https://www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/latest/gary-oldman-stars-in-samuel-becketts-krapps-last-tape-at-york-theatre-royal/ I will see Gary Oldman … More Samuel Beckett was as meticulous about writing his stage directions as he was in writing poetic prose, and contingent character-based exclamations, of the monologues and dialogues spoken on the stage. How radically will Gary Oldman dare, if at all, to rewrite both the stage directions and words of Beckett’s spoken by him as ‘Krapp’.
Good theatre is a shared experience but what is shared can only be decided by negotiation of our responsibility to all of its collaborators – writers, directorial staff, actors, the theatre and the audience. J.B. Priestley has his strange inspector (of what we ask) say in ‘An Inspector Calls‘: “you see we have to share … More Good theatre is a shared experience but what is shared can only be decided by negotiation of our responsibility to all of its collaborators – writers, directorial staff, actors, the theatre and the audience. J.B. Priestley has his strange inspector (of what we ask) say in ‘An Inspector Calls’: “you see we have to share something. If there’s nothing else, we’ll have to share our guilt”. A funny thing happened to me when I went to see Stephen Daldry’s production at the Sunderland Empire on 8th April 2024.
My head is in a shed after seeing Northern Rascals play out their wondrous multi-genre and multidisciplinary art form in their current touring production that ended in Bishop Auckland Town Hall last night (Wednesday 19th March 2025). But what a wonderful gift to every sense and to the co-interpretation it invited between audience and the … More My head is in a shed after seeing Northern Rascals play out their wondrous multi-genre and multidisciplinary art form in their current touring production that ended in Bishop Auckland Town Hall last night.
Tomorrow I travel to London. My first destination experience is travelling to ancient Thebes recreated on the stage of the Old Vic Theatre to see Ella Hickson’s free adaptation of Oedipus. Reviewers’ comments have ranged from deliberate disdain to the usual passive-aggressive attempts to take down the reputation of visiting Hollywood stars alongside praise of … More Tomorrow I travel to London. My first destination experience is travelling to ancient Thebes recreated on the stage of the Old Vic Theatre to see Ella Hickson’s free adaptation of ‘Oedipus’.
My photograph of the screen in the interval of ‘ The Importance of Being Earnest’ at the Gala Theatre Durham The words cited in my title are from Gwendolen Fairfax, one of the two young women in this play in love with the name ‘Ernest’. Is the name or style of a man his reality? … More ‘In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing’. Hence why be Earnest, Ernest? Seeing Max Webster’s version live-streamed at the Gala Durham 20th February 2025.
Choose to be around people who make you wonder. ‘How beauteous mankind is! O, brave new world / That has such people in’t’ When one’s untutored eyes are opened the world is full of potential. Is that only because ‘’Tis new to’ us? The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is aiming to bring young people into ‘First Encounters’ with Shakespeare’s drama and spoken poetry. How did they fare with … More Choose to be around people who make you wonder. ‘How beauteous mankind is! O, brave new world / That has such people in’t’ When one’s untutored eyes are opened the world is full of potential. Is that only because ‘’Tis new to’ us?
Is Macbeth truly about a man straining for greatness, or is it more accurately a ‘woman’s story at a winter’s fire’ that shows the true heights to which the masculine can aspire? This blog is on the live-streaming of Max Webster’s Macbeth starring David Tennant and Cush Jumbo. I am always resistant when the opportunity to see Macbeth arises, with … More This blog is on the live-streaming of Max Webster’s ‘Macbeth’, starring David Tennant and Cush Jumbo.
Now hubby Geoff is so unexpectedly well so soon, I am off comprehensive culture -seeking in London again on the 26th-27th February. It’s a return that promises to make me feel the Baroque and Roll of the Classical Drama and Leigh Bowery over two days. Hubby Geoff now so well he is finding fault with … More Feeling the Baroque and Roll of the Classical Drama and Leigh Bowery over two days in London.
Act 1 Scene 5 is pivotal in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet for the eponymous character and the progress of the play’s plot itself, partly because it makes clear that the character of Hamlet is the substance of the plot of Hamlet as a play. If plot distributes the actions that take place in a play, those … More ‘born to set it right!’. Genetics, Destiny and Duty for all time in ‘Hamlet’
What podcasts are you listening to? I desperately want to see this production A late evening in the future.THUS THE STAGE DIRECTION READS.To show you that the podcast to which IListen is probably that I’m making,Is probably that I hear in my playIn that future, where the true present lies. Krapp listens hard in the … More ‘Krapp’s Last Podcast’, with apologies to Samuel Beckett.
“,,. and when I love thee not, chaos is come again.” it takes ‘Othello’ to be played on a shoestring to see it as a drama of predictable personal breakdown of a man who lives only in his self-image. This is a blog on seeing Elysium Theatre play ‘Othello’ at Bishop Auckland Town Hall on … More “… and when I love thee not, chaos is come again.” it takes ‘Othello’ to be played on a shoestring to see it as a drama of predictable personal breakdown of a man who lives only in his self-image. This is a blog on seeing Elysium Theatre play ‘Othello’ at Bishop Auckland Town Hall on Friday September at 7.30 p.m.
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