Review – Blasted, Lyric Theatre Hammersmith

Picture it. Not many years from now. Andrew and Phil have achieved their long repressed dream to be movers and shakers in the world of theatre.

After decades of plotting and scheming they have finally made it right to the very top of the Dilton Marsh Players, one of west Wiltshire’s top six semi-rural amateur dramatics association, and they are determined to make their mark.

Phil makes his inaugural speech as President in which he scolds the members for the conservativeness of their repertoire.

Review – A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky, Lyric Hammersmith

Take three highly regarded playwrights. One play. A live poodle (subject to availability, it’s different dogs on different nights), a penny-farthing, scones and cream noshing and on-stage washing that goes way beyond the hair. Even Phil wasn’t around to see Mary Martin wash that man right out of her hair and he happily marked up yet another first: Naked Man Is Flannelled Down In Tin Bath By His Mother.

Review – Comedians, Lyric Hammersmith

‘Eres a funny thing…

Have you heard the one about the two old bloggers who dragged themselves over to the Lyric Hammersmith to see a revival of Comedians, with the heaviest of hearts having read Trevor Griffiths‘ play has a running time of 3 hours?

And they didn’t look at their watches once.

Review – Loot, Tricycle Theatre

What a shambles. What a complete and utter shambles. And how entertaining.

Now that the Menier Chocolate factory has  – for the moment at least – caved in, the Whingers (never ones to rest on their laurels when there’s a handy theatre bar to lean against instead) thought it their duty to turn their attention to the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn.

Regular readers may recall that in an unexpected decision which sent shockwaves through the industry, the Tricycle was the recipient of the Award for Worst Seating in last year’s Whingies and it is looking a dead cert that they will steal the title this year too.

But before judging, the Whingers wanted to get the full picture of the awfulness of the seating policy (and it’s not just us – Russell thinks it’s shocking; so does Helen). So they took a trip up the Jubilee Line to Kilburn on Saturday afternoon to take in the matinee of Joe Orton‘s Loot.