Friday, October 23

Tag: Ruby Bentall

The Cherry Orchard – Harold Pinter Theatre
London

The Cherry Orchard – Harold Pinter Theatre

When you think of Anton Chekhov you expect a play of undefined logic and conflicting perspectives. Whilst mixing comedy with suffering often leaving the questions unanswered. The Cherry Orchard is one of Chekhov’s most recognisable plays and his last before his death. Written in 1903 published in 1904 it has been adapted and remastered for audiences over the years. This new adaptation by Conor McPherson has arrived at the Harold Pinter Theatre with a stellar cast, Stephen Mangan as Lopakhin, Kristen Scott Thomas as Lyubov Andreevna (Luba) and Ruby Bentall as Sharlotta. Act one is slow to form as the story takes time to build; there is an air of uncertainty at the end of this Act questioning, does McPherson and Ian Rickson’s adaptation work.   Act two improves, the cast rel...
All’s Well That Ends Well – Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
London

All’s Well That Ends Well – Sam Wanamaker Playhouse

All's Well is a tricky play for both performers and audience as the plot is rather implausible, and the characters can be interpreted in numerous different ways. It has never been one of Shakespeare's most popular plays and is performed relatively infrequently. Director Chelsea Walker and the cast are to be congratulated on a lively and comprehensible new production in the Sam Wanamaker's beautiful candle lit theatre. The director chose to present the play on entirely bare stage with no stage furniture or scenery and minimal props. The costumes were modern and simple but appropriate with colour coordination to indicate the location of the scenes. It was accompanied by beautiful musical interludes under the direction of Louise Duggan, with Angela Hicks as the soprano whose voice provided...