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Review: Trouble in Mind, National Theatre

Tanya Moodie sizzles in a strong production of Alice Childress’ play Trouble in Mind at the National Theatre

“Laugh, laugh when it ain’t funny at all”

I had to see Trouble in Mind in two halves. My first trip to the National Theatre was curtailed by my booster playing merry havoc with me but fortunately I was able to return a few days later to see beyond the interval. And I’m glad I did, as Tanya Moodie leads a fantastic ensemble in Nancy Medina’s measured production.

Alice Childress wrote this play, her first, in 1955 and it will come as little surprise to anyone that its exploration of racism in theatre feels pretty much just as pertinent today as it ever did. She details the experience of a group of black actors as they start to rehearse a ‘coloured play’, naturally directed by a white guy who blithely thinks he’s the one being brave. Continue reading “Review: Trouble in Mind, National Theatre”

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Rehearsal photos for Trouble In Mind at the National Theatre released

Rehearsal imagery by Helen Murray for Trouble In Mind by Alice Childress has been released by the National Theatre today. Opening in the Dorfman on 2nd December and running until 19th January, the production is directed by Nancy Medina with Tanya Moodie performing the role of Wiletta.  

First staged over 60 years ago, Trouble In Mind is widely considered the masterpiece of actress and playwright Alice Childress.  

Continue reading “Rehearsal photos for Trouble In Mind at the National Theatre released”

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News: National Theatre plans November 2021 – February 2022

The National Theatre today announces the on-sale dates of upcoming productions Trouble in Mind, Wuthering Heights and Small Island, as well as the return of daytime opening for visitors. Tickets go on sale to the public on 7 October.

For the first time since March 2020, the public spaces at the National Theatre will be open during the day for visitors and audiences alike. The National Theatre has partnered with independent street food pioneers KERB on a completely refreshed food and drink experience. With a focus on locally-sourced produce, KERB will curate an outstanding food offering throughout the 11 spaces and restaurants with their renowned network of street food start-ups and independent restaurateurs. The first phase of this transformation will begin from today with KERB at The Understudy and the opening of the Atrium Café on the ground floor. Further restaurant and bar redevelopments will follow this year and next. Continue reading “News: National Theatre plans November 2021 – February 2022”

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Review: Nine Lessons and Carols, Almeida Theatre

It’s a joy to back in the Almeida Theatre even if Nine Lessons and Carols did little to change my mind about devised work

“Loneliness is the terror of not being able to dilute your own terrible personality”

Typical. You wait months for lockdown to be lifted and to be able to go to the theatre again and the first show you pick is one which really doesn’t float your boat at all. Critics are still navigating the boundaries of reviewing ethics in this immediate post-lockdown world so I’m going to keep it short if not particularly sweet.

Nine Lessons and Carols: Stories for a Long Winter feels like the kind of show that would have been a dream to create and rehease, devised as it was by the company with writer Chris Bush and director Rebecca Frecknall. But like many a devised show in my experience, that rehearsal room magic doesn’t always transfer onto the stage. Continue reading “Review: Nine Lessons and Carols, Almeida Theatre”

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News: NT launches new streaming service National Theatre at Home

The National Theatre, in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, has today launched  National Theatre at Home, a brand-new streaming platform making their much-loved productions available online to watch anytime, anywhere worldwide.

Launching today with productions including the first ever National Theatre Live, Phèdre with Helen Mirren,  Othello  with Adrian Lester and the Young Vic’s Yerma with Billie Piper, new titles from the NT’s unrivalled catalogue of filmed theatre will be added to the platform every month.

In addition to productions previously broadcast to cinemas by National Theatre Live, a selection of plays filmed for the NT’s Archive will be released online for the first time through National Theatre at Home, including Lucy Kirkwood’s Mosquitoes with Olivia Colman and Inua Ellams’ new version of Chekhov’s Three Sisters (a co-production with Fuel).   Continue reading “News: NT launches new streaming service National Theatre at Home”

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News: Almeida and Turbine reopen, Oleanna cast

The Almeida has announce their new programme of socially-distanced theatre for Christmas 2020 and into 2021:

Nine Lessons And Carols: stories for a long winter, a new production created by Associate Director Rebecca Frecknall, Chris Bush and a company of six actors – Naana Agyei-Ampadu, Katie Brayben, Toheeb Jimoh, Elliot Levey, Maimuna Memon and Luke Thallon.

The Maladies, performed by the Almeida Young Company (18-25), written by Carmen Nasr.

Hymn, a new play by Lolita Chakrabarti, featuring Adrian Lester and Danny Sapani. Continue reading “News: Almeida and Turbine reopen, Oleanna cast”

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Happy 50th Birthday to the Young Vic

Kwame Kwei-Armah, Artistic Director of the Young Vic, has announced the start of the Young Vic’s 50th birthday with a year-long programme of work entitled We are the New Tide, dedicated to the theatre’s milestone birthday.

The 50th birthday year of work begins with three major commissions:

[Show thumbnails]
  • YV 50thProjection Project – a projection celebrating the people and productions from across five extraordinary decades, illuminating the front of the Young Vic building each evening, with video design by Duncan McLean – check out just some of those productions in the gallery above.

    From 11 Sept – 4 October, 7.30pm – 10.30pm daily except Sundays, free.

  • The Unforgotten –an interactive outdoor art installation commemorating trailblazers Mary Seacole, Marsha P. Johnson and Ulric Cross. Furthering the conversation within the Black Lives Matter movement, the Young Vic community will be invited to contribute to the installation by submitting their own nominations in writing on the side of the building and online, asking us all to (re)consider who we celebrate as our heroes. Created by artists Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey and Anna Fleischle.
    From 11 September, free.
  • The New Tomorrow– for the first piece of live theatre since the pandemic closed UK theatres, this weekend festival of speeches and monologues asks what the next fifty years hold. Writers and artists Jade Anouka, Marina Carr, Jasmine Lee-Jones, Ruth Madeley, Amy Ng, Stef Smith, Jack Thorne, Isobel Waller-Bridge and Steve Waters will explore the change that has come and is coming. Cast to be announced.
    3 & 4 October, 4pm, Main House, free
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Not-really-a-review: Fairview, Young Vic

I went back to Fairview at the Young Vic

“You have told me every story I’ve ever heard”

I still can’t work out what I want to say about Fairview, a show that by its very nature demands that you don’t give anything away about it (even though saying this itself feels like a heightening of expectation you could do without).

So why not read this piece from Gal-dem instead.

Running time: 90 minutes (without interval)
Photos: Marc Brenner
Fairview is booking at the Young Vic until 23rd January, a returns queue is in operation every night

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10 of my top moments of the decade

Ever behind the curve, I present 10 of my top moments in a theatre over the last ten years (plus a few bonus extra ones because whittling down this list was hard, and it will probably be different tomorrow anyway!)

© James Bellorini

Extraordinary Public Acts for a National Theatre

The establishment of the Public Acts programme at the National Theatre offered up something sensational in Pericles, an initiative designed to connect grassroot community organisations with major theatres, resulting in a production that swept over 200 non-professional performers onto the stage of the Olivier to create something that moved me more than 99% of professional productions.  A truly joyous and momentous occasion. 

Honourable mention: this year’s musical take on As You Like It proved just as heart-swellingly beautiful over at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch. Continue reading “10 of my top moments of the decade”

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Not-yet-a-review: Fairview, Young Vic

The Young Vic’s mind-expanding and mind-blowing Fairview makes me shut up, for once. You should book now. 

“I don’t have drama.
‘Girl you got drama. I got drama'”

I’m opting out of writing about Fairview, for now, for a number of reasons, most of which will become apparent when you see the show. And you should really see this show, Jackie Sibblies Drury’s drama is a Christmas gift of a different sort, destined to make you really think and really want to debate the issues it raises. I’ll be back, and I’ll be considering the right way to respond, if at all. Until then, get booking.

Running time: 90 minutes (without interval)
Photo: Marc Brenner
Fairview is now booking at the Young Vic until 23rd January, a returns queue is in operation every night