Back in May 2014 a chance conversation led to me becoming one of StageTalk Magazine’s reviewers. I had never written anything for publication before. However, forty-plus years as an English teacher meant that I’d often given a captive audience of sceptical teenagers my thoughts on those few plays that, year after year, featured in their exams. Given the very narrow range of plays offered, there’s a certain irony that the list always included Hobson’s Choice.
Apart from the teaching, I had no other relevant experience. I’d always been an enthusiastic theatre-goer, but six years with StageTalk have made it all too clear that there was a lot of theatre about which I knew next to nothing. This current hiatus offers an opportunity to look back and reflect on what I’ve learned. First, let’s get a few gripes out of the way:
- Juke-box musicals. I hate them. I hate their lazy way of interspersing a paper-thin plot with a string of familiar songs. Rather than acting as an integral part of the story, each song is performed directly to the audience, with every number given a round of applause. Motown The Musical is a prime example, with well over fifty songs crammed into the show. There’s an inevitable standing ovation at the end, signalling that the applause-fest is thankfully over.
- Confessional one-man/woman shows. These can be brave and innovative, but all too often there’s more than a whiff of self-indulgence. And I’ve seen too many where the performer has relied rather too heavily on toe-curling revelations about their sex life, or lack of it.
- Modern pantomimes. Noisy, dazzlingly bright, and featuring draw-dropping visual effects, these shows are fail-safe money-spinners, but they’re not for me. Story and character play second-fiddle to spectacle in these strobe-lit extravaganzas, and there’s an almost total lack of charm.
- And dare I remind directors that much of Shakespeare is verse? There’s no need for a ‘rum-tee-tum-tee-tum’ delivery, but some recognition of his masterful use of rhythm would be welcome.
So, what have been the delightful discoveries? Thankfully, there have been too many to list entirely, but highlights include:
- Bristol’s independent theatre scene. Vibrant, innovative, and friendly. A city is blessed that can boast of having, amongst others, Tobacco Factory Theatres, The Wardrobe, The Redgrave and The Alma Tavern. Fingers crossed for all of them in these strange times.
- The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School’s ‘Directors’ Cuts’ seasons are an annual treat. And last year’s Nicholas Nickleby was an absolute knockout.
- Circus theatre. I’d not encountered Circomedia and their ilk before. My loss, for this is a genre that is fresh and exciting, and one which often attracts a new kind of audience, too.
- Hooray for theatre that reflects the world in all its multi-ethnic, multi-gendered, multi-aged glory. Beware, though, of being too self-consciously ‘woke’.
- Children’s theatre. There’s a new approach to entertaining children that is hugely imaginative, scrupulously avoids being patronising, and which guarantees that the little’uns will go home thinking that live theatre is a rather splendid thing. The Wardrobe Ensemble’s Deep Sea Seekers is a good example. Shows like that are building an audience for the future.
- Matthew Bourne’s ballets, the WNO’s operas, and absolutely anything starring Audrey Brisson have all been great, too!
That’ll do. It’s been a privilege to write about the 170 plays I’ve reviewed so far. Let’s hope it’s not going to be too long before we can all get theatre-going again. Mike Whitton April 2020
