Checkpoint Five

Yes, I'm back. But I have to finish my report...
THE CHALK GARDEN - This was a great example of a good solid production of a good solid script. There really wasn't any pretension here. It was just a good production. I have come to appreciate the bravery of doing the tried and true. When you do, you'd better do it well. And the Donmar certainly does it well.
AFTERLIFE - I was not a big fan. After the novelty of "Oh cool, he's telling the story of Max Reinhardt and Everyman at the same time" wore off, I was bored. It felt long, indulgent, and not up to snuff with Michael Frayn's genius work.
THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR - This was just a lot of fun and I wondered why I've never seen or read this play before. It's simple and fun, not the intellectual feast of Shakespeare's other comedies, but it's a solid piece of writing.
TWELFTH NIGHT - I learned that I do NOT get tired of Shakespeare. We saw this after a Shakespeare final exam in the morning followed by the matinee of "Merry Wives." When it was over, I was aching for more Shakespeare! Good thing, too. If I'm going to be at this theatre thing for the rest of my life I had better enjoy it!
MAMMA MIA - See previous blog.
CHICAGO - Ditto. This show was very educational for me. It's interesting, though, to see that in order to sell it, it's marketed as a sultry sex romp full of hardbodies and sensual jazz music. Yes, it was all of those things but it really was so much more. Unfortunately, it's been playing for ten years because of the sex, not because of the theatrical brilliance that's there. Pity.
ROSMERSHOLM - This was the first time I ever saw Ibsen onstage. (A shocking confession, I know.) I understand now why he is hailed as a genius. Ibsen invented the "well-made play" that I strive to write myself and seeing his work performed so brilliantly (though not flawlessly) reinforced those ideals that I've been striving for.
STRICTLY GERSHWIN - Gershwin is America. Britain knows this but they put on one heck of a show. This reinforced the transcendent power of romance and beauty. There is a reason why we keep writing love songs and going to see chick flicks. They speak to us in the same way that Gershwin's ballads do.
LONDON ASSURANCE - I went to see this because it's an important piece of history, not because the play really drew me in. But, really, that's why I saw "Rosmersholm" as well. The difference: "Rosmersholm" is well-written. There, I said it.
DE PROFUNDIS - This was, I felt, a relatively one-note performance by Corin Redgrave, but a heartfelt one nonetheless. I actually wasn't quite captivated and realized that if Oscar Wilde had intended this piece of writing for performance he was more than capable of writing it that way. That said, it's quite a beautiful piece of writing and made me consider the "other hand" of the romance issue.
BILLY ELLIOT - I wondered if I would enjoy this as much as I had at first. My experience was largely the same but I cried more this time. This is a great show and it made a wonderful (and symmetrical) end to my adventure!