Some mopping up – Hot Tin/ Slaves of Solitude / Young Marx

For those kind folk (that should probably read as singular rather than plural) who have been interested enough to ask where Phil’s been, here lies the answer. Hip replacement don’t you know, beating Patti LuPone to the crutches by a matter of weeks. He feels Patti’s pain. And he’s just beginning to dip the toe on the end of his newly bionic leg back into the world of theatre that doesn’t come with a surgeon and anaesthetist.

Review – Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Novello Theatre

Those who know the Whingers will be aware that Phil is very conventional, abhors change and is rather partial to tradition. Even the more easy-going, liberal and forward-looking Andrew has habits, some of which are rather disagreeable.

So trying something new and indulging in a little experimentation is for them somewhat outré.

The Whingers attended the final preview of Tennessee Williams‘ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at the Novello Theatre last night and the novelty was not that it was an all-black cast, but that they had already seen it a week earlier at the dress rehearsal.

And the test was not whether they could keep their mouths shut (which apart from a teensy Twitter they surprised themselves and did) but whether this would prove once and for all that reviewing early previews (for which they are oft criticised ) is unfair. Does a lot happen between early previews and opening night? Were they putting themselves on the line and undermining their modus operandi?