Theatre can be an enriching educational experience, as our Assistant Manager Adeline explains.
One of the highlights of living in London for me has been evenings out at the theatre — I know I’m a bit biased as I studied British drama, but I think the London stage has something to offer for everyone. In addition, some of you might be interested to see the plays you’re studying at school come to life! Here are things that I have seen recently or are on my list!
The Pinter at the Pinter series at the Harold Pinter Theatre (until February 23rd)
This year marks the tenth anniversary of the death of Harold Pinter, so the Jamie Lloyd Company decided to present an entire season dedicated to his plays, in the theatre that now bears his name.
There have been 7 different productions, each of them presenting a combination of one-act plays. I haven’t been able to see all of them but I was able to catch Pinter One (One for The Road / The New World Order / Mountain Language / Ashes to Ashes / The Pres and an Officer), Pinter Three (Landscape / A Kind of Alaska / Monologue & other sketches) and Pinter Four (Moonlight / Night School).
What I really enjoyed on all three occasions was the innovative combinations presented to the audience, especially in Pinter One. Some of the shorter and less famous sketches are shown alongside with more renowned plays, but when presented together they seem to form a powerful and consistent whole.
The season will soon be drawing to a close, so hurry if you want to enjoy “Party Time” or “Victoria Station”. As a grand finale for this series, Jamie Lloyd will also be directing Betrayal for a 12-week season from March 5th, with Tom Hiddleston as the leading actor. Booking opened recently but tickets are going fast…
Company at the Gielgud Theatre (until March 30th)
This one has a bit of a special history at TT, as we all went to see it together on our Christmas party! I’m not usually a big fan of musicals and I knew nothing about the play beforehand, but I enjoyed its energy and playfulness and was highly impressed by the singing and the music.
When discussing the play with my colleagues, I learnt that the musical comedy was produced in 1970 by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth, and originally featured a male leading character. In this revival, Bobbie is a female character, and the production features a same-sex couple for the first time. I found the twist worked perfectly well and was glad to see a big production challenge gender stereotypes.
Death of a Salesman at the Young Vic (from May 1st to June 29th)
This play might ring a bell for those of you taking English Literature at A Level, as it is one of the set texts of the AQA syllabus. It’s too early for reviews but I’ve had a sneak peek at the Young Vic page and it seems like the director Marianne Elliott has decided to set the play in an African American family — once again, this looks like an exciting twist from previous productions!
Top Girls at the National Theatre (from March 26th to April 22nd)
A Level English Literature students, this one may be for you too. If you are struggling when reading the text, do book a ticket to see it on stage! The characters in this play are so varied and colourful that I am excited to see how they will be interpreted in this production.
I know there is a lot more to see and I will probably be back with more suggestions. What is on your must-see list? Let us know in the Comments section!
Blog Post Crafted by Adeline
Adeline helps to run our Admin Team. With a PhD in English, she can call herself a doctor but can’t write prescriptions!
Adeline manages the staff on our Admin Team, liaising with tutors, clients and applicants. She is responsible for processing the ID, Qualifications, DBS Check and References for all our newly joining tutors, as well as taking tuition enquiries, matching tutors to clients, and supporting tutors and clients throughout the process of tuition.