Tag Archives: Almeida Theatre

Machinal

Almeida Theatre, London ****

© Johan Persson, Jonathan Livinstone (Jones, the boss), Emily Berrington (young woman) and cast beating out a rhythm at the office...

© Johan Persson, Jonathan Livinstone (Jones, the boss), Emily Berrington (young woman) and cast beating out a rhythm at the office…

Rupert Goold’s tenure hardly puts a foot wrong these days.

True I’ve missed a couple of events the past few months – including Ella Hickson’s The Writer which divided everyone apparently. But here’s another cracker from the Goold stable. And nobody could accuse Goold of ignoring 50% of the population in his choices. After Mike Bartlett’s Albion last year with its central female protagonist, and Hickson’s feminist oriented writer, here is Natalie Abrahami’s terrific revival of Sophie Treadwell’s 1928 humdinger of a `masterpiece’ (is there another word?!).  Continue reading

Albion

Almeida Theatre, London *****

© Marc Brenner, Victoria Hamilton as Audrey battling to save a piece of old England - superb

© Marc Brenner, Victoria Hamilton as Audrey battling to save a piece of old England – superb

They do produce some crackers at Rupert Goold’s Almeida. Say what you like about the plays – and they’re mostly four/five stars in any case – they, the productions, nearly always pack a hefty punch. Continue reading

Ink

Almeida Theatre, London (****)

© Marc Brenner, Richard Coyle as Larry Lamb, newly recruited Sun editor and Bertie Carvel as Rupert Murdoch, plotting and setting his sights on winning...

© Marc Brenner, Richard Coyle as Larry Lamb, newly recruited Sun editor and Bertie Carvel as Rupert Murdoch, plotting and setting his sights on winning…

He likes his politics and history does James Graham who has given us some cracking examples of the unholy alliances that pass for politics in this and probably every country, starting with Eden’s Empire a decade ago and leading up to the blissfully funny The Vote (Donmar) on Election Night 2015 and This House, now setting off on a national tour. Continue reading

Oil

Almeida Theatre, London (*****)

© Richard H Smith, Tom Mothersdale (Joss)

© Richard H Smith, Tom Mothersdale (Joss)

So the `new world order’ is upon us but maybe not quite as many of us might have expected or hoped for. And if the new order of things continues as recently indicated, Ella Hickson’s vision will surely turn out to be bleakly prophetic. Continue reading

They Drink It In The Congo

Almeida Theatre, London (***)

© Marc Brenner, (centre), Sule Rimi (Oudry) and cast

© Marc Brenner, (centre), Sule Rimi (Oudry) and cast

Adam Brace’s Stovepipe, about the `reconstruction’ of Iraq after the war, was one of the highlights of 2009. Brace, a former journalist, wove a compelling picture of characters drawn to `theatres’ of war, the dirt, the dust and the human mess of it all. I loved Michael Longhurst’s promenade production, too, and his subsequent work with Nick Payne’s Constellations, Linda and Remembrance Day all at the Royal Court. Continue reading

Richard III

Almeida Theatre, London (****)

© Marc Brenner, Ralph Fiennes (Richard)

© Marc Brenner, Ralph Fiennes (Richard)

Like The Merchant of Venice and anti-semitism, staging Shakespeare’s Tudor propagandist Richard III, has become more problematic with our changing 21st century sensibilities towards disability. Continue reading