Author Archives: Irrational

Middle c – Wapping power station 2008

Thoughts: what an interesting building. Unfortunately Wapping is almost impossible to get to now the London underground is out of action – so a long walk from Tower Hill to the power station. I went to see the video art installation – a 16 minute film based on the sea –

Royal Opera House – open house day 2008

Thoughts: Well done to the roh who pulled out all the stops for a wonderful open day – ROH OPEN UP – was the first time the roh had participated in Open Rehearsal. Celebrating the launch of the Cultural Olympiad.

Walworth Farce – National Theatre 2008

Thoughts: A masterpiece of madness – though in the first half I wasn’t sure – it’s a farce, though dark. A play performed within a play. Some of the frantic moments of the play, within the play, so to speak, were less interesting than those quieter darker moments of the family shut in a Walworth… Read More »

Macbeth – who is that bloodied man? National Theatre 2008

Thoughts: It sounded and smelt nice. A strange thing to say but the production involves motorbikes, fire and the clanking of steel props, the thud of stilts and the spinning of …what do you call those things that clatter – you get them at football matches, those. It reminded me of an engineering workshop, the… Read More »

Music Man – Chichester Theatre 2008

Thoughts: It’s a sunny Sunday afternoon. A big tick for the ‘someone’ who had the insight to build the Festival Theatre on the Green. How Sunday and how English…and i think i was the youngest there and believe me, that’s saying something.

Hammershoi – Royal Academy of Arts

Thoughts: Hammershol – The poetry of silence. Having declined an audio guide, half expecting that I’d key the start and hear ‘welcome to Hammershol, the poetry of silence, shhh’ followed by 45mins of nothing, I headed off to view the exhibition. Shhh indeed, grey, brown interiors, quiet, repressed, he seemed mainly to paint empty rooms,… Read More »

The Lives of others – Film – 2008

Thoughts: Not my usual thing as I am more passionate about theatre – but I have seen three films recently and this one goes down as one of the best – it has stayed firmly with me and hence it gets a mention – ‘Magnificent and unmissable’ says the poster – I agree! Get it… Read More »

Fram – National Theatre 2008

Thoughts: I quite like Tony Harrison’s rhyming verse. It’s clever, nice to listen to it as it journeys along. ..As for the production – I don’t know – where to begin.