Joy At The Theatre

When I was around eight years old I went to see 'The Sound of Music' in the West End with my family. Even today, I can remember the production so vividly. It was truly the most magnificent experience and looking back I was so overwhelmed, especially since 'The Sound of Music' is a film which I have adored ever since I can remember. When I was in my early teens, I went to Manchester to see 'Mamma Mia' which was also phenomenal and the cast (who were bloody brilliant) got the audience to join in on the last few classic ABBA pieces which made the whole thing so enjoyable and I remember leaving the theatre with such a buzz and the biggest smile on my face. Of course, I've also been with college to see a couple of plays such as 'Much Ado About Nothing' and 'A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime' which were both brilliant! But considering how much I enjoy going to the theatre, I rarely ever go. That's why I wanted 2017 to be the year I made it my mission to go and see as many plays and productions that my bank account would allow. So, with that thought in mind, I made sure that 2017 would be the year that I tried a little harder to save up and see some wonderful performances.



Hamlet

On March 11th, my friend and I went to the Almeida Theatre in London to see the wonderfully talented and gorgeous Andrew Scott in my favourite Shakespeare play, Hamlet. Every moment of the famous text rang with significance and Andrew Scott was utterly charming. At first I was hesitant about the features of the play that brought it to the modern era but it certainly made it unique and for that I enjoyed it. As part of the audience I felt as though I was being engaged and spoken to directly and despite seeing it over 9 months ago I can remember some of the details as if I saw it yesterday. It really was a dream of mine to see this production and It was definitely worth the wait. The casting was exceptional and I feel utterly blessed to have seen Andrew Scott portray Hamlet in such a memorable manner.

Abigail's Party

The oh so famous and much loved for it's humour and realism Abigail's Party returned to the stage last year for it's 40th anniversary. Due to not knowing much about the play I did my research before purchasing tickets to see the wonderful and utterly brilliant Amanda Abbington as Beverly. I saw this production with my sister on April 19th in Malvern and it really was the most enjoyable day. Having never seen the classic, I can only describe this as a truly atmospheric piece and Amanda portrays Beverly as intoxicating yet unbelievably irresistible. The period design was stunning, I completely fell in love with the whole vibe of the production and it felt as though we really had been taken back to the 70's. It was truly a laugh out loud production and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The cast was sensational and I particularly enjoyed Charlotte Mills' performance and her character had me crying with laughter at times. Plus, the dancing throughout the play was simply unforgettable. 

Labour of Love

I was lucky enough to purchase tickets to see Labour of Love back in the Summer last year and so my friend Amy and I saw this magnificent play on October 25th in the Noel Coward Theatre. Written by James Graham, this production was a political comedy based on the Labour Party that follows MP David Lyons (Martin Freeman) and his constituency agent Jean Whittaker (Tamsin Greig). The play follows the story of the Labour Party over the last 25 years from the Kinnock years up until the recent election with everything in between and it was thoroughly enjoyable. The chemistry between Martin and Tamsin was absolutely mesmerising, I had no idea they'd make such a brilliant double act! I laughed out loud on endless occasions and found the comedy to provide context which made it easier to follow.  I was thoroughly impressed by the writing, acting and set designs. It really was a dream come true to see Martin performing on stage but Tamsin completely stole the show for me! 

Annie

Oh my goodness, where do I even begin? It's such a cliche to say but I have dreamed of seeing this production for as long as I can remember. I have grown up and adored Annie since I was a little girl where I'd come up with my own dance routines for It's A Hard Knock Life in my bedroom after watching every version of the film ever made. I was extremely lucky to see Annie in the Piccadilly Theatre on October 26th last year and my god, what an experience. I can't begin to put it into words just how overwhelmed I felt. I mean, I'm highly sensitive and nostalgic so that definitely contributed but it was just a dream come true. In all honesty, I found it incredibly difficult not to get on the stage and join in with the singing and dancing. The cast were sensational. Those kids are SO unbelievably talented I couldn't get over it. Plus, Craig Revel Horwood played Miss Hannigan effortlessly. Comical, charming and a classic. I completely and utterly adored it. 

I'd absolutely love to continue visiting the theatre as often as possible and see a whole variety of different plays and productions. I genuinely love the experience and how memorable each performance is. There is something so magical about the buzz you take away with you from the theatre and I'd encourage everyone to visit every once in a while. Thank you so much for reading this one. I'll be back soon with another post for you all.

Lots Of Love,

Meg X