Theatre 2009-10: Looking Back and Ahead | reviews, news & interviews
Theatre 2009-10: Looking Back and Ahead
Theatre 2009-10: Looking Back and Ahead
Jerusalem may well be the play of 2009 - and 2010
Sunday, 03 January 2010
The hellraisers of Jerusalem: 'three alternately hilarious and mournful acts'Simon Annand
How to encapsulate the theatre year just gone, one in which the critics - not always to the benefit of an increasingly imperilled profession - made headlines of their own, whether for being drunk (as if!) or fat? (Well, how many critics do you know who resemble Olympic rowers?) Amidst such a kerfuffle, one might have thought life offstage was more interesting than it was on - until one pitched up virtually any night across the year in either of the Royal Court's two auditoria or at a rejuvenated Almeida or at a National capable of Alan Bennett's deliciousThe Habit of Art or at a spate of West End revivals (Arcadia and Dancing at Lughnasa, especially) that were at least the equal of their original productions. Clutching to the last to the holiday spirit, I herewith offer five shows that made 2009 playgoing a genuine pleasure, followed by five to look out for in 2010. Both lists are presented in order of the productions' openings.
How to encapsulate the theatre year just gone, one in which the critics - not always to the benefit of an increasingly imperilled profession - made headlines of their own, whether for being drunk (as if!) or fat? (Well, how many critics do you know who resemble Olympic rowers?) Amidst such a kerfuffle, one might have thought life offstage was more interesting than it was on - until one pitched up virtually any night across the year in either of the Royal Court's two auditoria or at a rejuvenated Almeida or at a National capable of Alan Bennett's deliciousThe Habit of Art or at a spate of West End revivals (Arcadia and Dancing at Lughnasa, especially) that were at least the equal of their original productions. Clutching to the last to the holiday spirit, I herewith offer five shows that made 2009 playgoing a genuine pleasure, followed by five to look out for in 2010. Both lists are presented in order of the productions' openings.
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