Review – Mr Footes’s Other Leg – Theatre Royal Haymarket

Groundhog Day for Phil and Andrew.

Back to reality after travelling in Indochina with the humdrum repetition of daily routines. So what could be more appropriate to add to our Groundhoggishness than revisiting a show that we’d already been thoroughly entertained by at Hampstead?

Review – Mr Foote’s Other Leg, Hampstead Theatre

We must declare an interest of sorts.

Ian Kelly, who wrote this play, Mr Foote’s Other Leg, once generously donated two of the drawings that he created live on stage in The Pitman Painters as a charity raffle prize for a The West End Whingers’ party. Remember those days? We do. But only just.

Based on Kelly’s own award-winning biography (which goes by the same name – and why wouldn’t it? It’s a nifty title) of Samuel Foote, 18th century actor, impressionist, comedian, satirist, warm up man, pamphleteer, female impersonator, playwright, theatre manager of The Haymarket and writer of the first true-crime bestseller. He also, rather carelessly lost a leg, but that wasn’t to lead to his downfall. Other events led to that.

Review – The Judas Kiss, Duke of York’s Theatre

Two weeks into a new year and our first trip to the theatre. You thought we’d given it up for 2013 didn’t you?

We’ve given other things up, well at least Andrew has. He’s having his now-customary January-off-the-sauce detox. Phil has gone the other way. He’s been playing the new Jeremy Piven drinking game which involves taking a swig of alcohol every time Piven’s titular Mr Selfridge gives one of his many signature toothy grins and raises both arms in the air. It’s quite intoxicating and not recommended on an empty stomach.

So with two theatrical experiences to get through in one evening* Phil went with Andrew’s flow and stayed dry too. In normal Whingering circumstances they’d have felt the spirit and spirits of Oscar Wilde in themselves. In David Hare‘s The Judas Kiss Wilde – however reduced his circumstances – never seems to be short of alcohol. It was a cruel irony for for a cold sober January evening.

The 2012 Whingie Awards – the very worst and the not so bad

Inappropriately, since it was the Olympic year, we’re a bit late off the starting blocks with our highly-anticipated annual Whingie Awards.

Frankly we believed we might not need to bother. The world was going to end. Andrew had packed his onesie and headed off to Bugarach. Phil was left sitting around in his meggins self-medicating in preparation musing which shows would be the theatrical cockroaches that might survive the impending apocalypse.

The Mousetrap obviously, Phantom and The Woman in Black no doubt, though perhaps Viva Forever! should hunker in a bunker and pray.

Of course it wasn’t the end after all. The world continues and we must carry on going to the theatre. It’s a bit of a let down. But as we toast the new and possibly unlucky New Year of 2013 we’ve had our hands down the back of the theatrical sofa digging for the occasional treasure, copious amounts of fluff and the occasional best-forgotten unmentionable.

One Party, Two Whingers: The 5th Annual West End Whingers Party 2011

Ooops. This had fallen down the back of the Whingers’ metaphorical sofa and now seems – strikingly like the Whingers themselves – almost ancient history.

But we were brought up in the distant days when writing thank-you letters was basic manners and although in our defence there has been much thanks given privately, the wonderful people who supported us must be publicly recognised.

Review – The Pitmen Painters, National Theatre

“This is the last chance for the Cottelsoe,” muttered Phil as the Whingers dilly-DALIed disconsolately towards the National Theatre last night.

“Indeed,” grumbled Andrew. “Enough is enough”.

And this time they really meant it.

So really quite a lot was hanging on the first preview (apart from the run it has just had in Newcastle) of The Pitmen Painters.

Would it prove a renaissance for the National Theatre’s alternative space or would it mark a continuation of the Dark Ages?