January: Panto & high winds, Gilbert & Sullivan, Pinter and Judas

This is supposed to be a record of my theatregoing for 2007 but as you can see I'm hopelessly behind - it's the end of March and I'm only just starting. But I'm hoping that by chipping away at the backlog, I will be nicely up to date and can then sit back and fall behind again. Anyway:

The Pirates of Penzance
Orange Tree Theatre, Thursday 4 January 2007
By W.S Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan, adapted & directed by Chris Monks

Following the Orange Tree's setting of The Mikado in a cricket club, this time they updated Gilbert & Sullivan by depicting the pirates as feuding gangsters. It worked well and Monks's modernising tweaks to the book and songs were sparing and well-used. I particularly liked the Major General's daughters portrayed as wholesome pink-cheeked outdoors types, decked out in hiking and climbing gear, abseiling into the action from the theatre's upper balcony. As usual, the Orange Tree worked wonders with their intimate space and limited resources, and the company produced enthusiastic performances and, overall, it was an enjoyable show. Special mention to Philippa Stanton, contrasting with her glamorous sisters with her cardigan, sensible shoes, tweed skirt and severe fringe, but boiling over with passion for Frederic.

Coram Boy
National Theatre, Wednesday 17 January 2007

An uncharacteristic 2-week gap before this, my second (but not final) visit to this extraordinary show. See later entry (22 February) for more info.

Dick Whitington & His Cat
Barbican Theatre, Thursday 18 January 2007
adapted by Mark Ravenhill

I almost didn't make it to this. It was that day of high winds, and trees strewn across railway lines.Apparently, part of the Barbican got blown away, or something, so I had to call them in advance to make sure the show was still going ahead.

One of the main reasons I booked for this was that I had really enjoyed the panto a couple of years ago here, Sleeping Beauty. But while that was more a straight adaptation, this was a traditional panto, complete with dame (Roger Lloyd Pack as Sarah the Baker and sounding like a camp Mick Jagger), audience participation, water pistol attacks and free sweets. Owing to the weather conditions and the ensuing transport problems, the auditorium was sparsely populated but the cast rose to the challenge and so did the diminutive audience. I'm proud to say we made a lot of noise. It was probably the best atmosphere in a quarter-full theatre I've ever experienced.