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smallhobbitMy good friend Emmy wanted to see Goodnight Mister Tom and asked if anyone else would like to go. I knew it was one of the daughter's favourite films, so contacted her and we arranged for the three of us to go together. The daughter decided we could stay over the night before (the theatre ticket was my Christmas present to her), so with a Friday evening in London I looked around to see what else was on. I'd been thinking of see The Curious Incident for some time, so she and I went to that too. We also went shopping in Oxford Street, courtesy of my credit card.
The Curious Incident is a very good play, and I would recommend anyone to go and see it. Sion Daniel Young, who plays Christopher Boone, is excellent. He's on stage all the time, since the play is told from his viewpoint, and it must be exhausting. The supporting cast are equally good and really do 'support' him, sometimes even physically.
But what makes the play is the use of technology. The lights and the sounds are incredibly well used to show the locations, on what is otherwise a fairly bare stage. There have been plays where I have felt such technology detracts from the performance, taking the audience's attention away from the story, but here they are very skillfully used, both in scene setting and in taking the viewer inside Christopher's mind. Ironically, anyone with autism or Asperger's would find some scenes extremely difficult to cope with, as the sound and lights provide a complete sensory overload; but which are perfect to convey the point.
Toby, the rat, is played by a real rat (or rather there are two rats credited, presumably they take turns), which is a great touch. And there is one "aah" moment at the end of the play, which had the audience entranced.
The daughter was sat in a 'Prime Number Seat' which meant, if the letters in your name added up to a prime number, you got a badge. She spent some time trying to find a combination of her name which would work, discovered to her annoyance both her brother and father qualified, but neither she nor I did, and finally settled on an incorrect spelling. Then, after the play, when she went to get her badge, they didn't ask for her name, just the number. She was still pleased with her badge.
Good-night Mister Tom was brilliant. It's nearly finished it's West End run, but then is going on tour, so if it comes near any of you I would thoroughly recommend it.
The main attraction for me was David Troughton playing Tom Oakley. And he perfectly captured the crusty old man whose life is thawed by the arrival of the evacuee William Beech. Once again all the actors were very good and we were sucked into the story. It's told with the right level of laughter and tears and the audience is really attracted to the characters.
The staging is really good, with some wonderful backcloths for both Little Weirwold and London. In a way the actors themselves provide the setting, with the brighter colours of the costumes reflecting the Dorset countryside and the grey clothing showing London in the blackout and suffering during the Blitz.
The story moves on at a good pace, but doesn't feel hurried. Each scene is crafted to provide its part of the story and then move smoothly onto the next part of the action. Although there is sadness in the story, (and Emmy used a few tissues) we left having really enjoyed the afternoon and even slightly sorrow at having to leave.
The Curious Incident is a very good play, and I would recommend anyone to go and see it. Sion Daniel Young, who plays Christopher Boone, is excellent. He's on stage all the time, since the play is told from his viewpoint, and it must be exhausting. The supporting cast are equally good and really do 'support' him, sometimes even physically.
But what makes the play is the use of technology. The lights and the sounds are incredibly well used to show the locations, on what is otherwise a fairly bare stage. There have been plays where I have felt such technology detracts from the performance, taking the audience's attention away from the story, but here they are very skillfully used, both in scene setting and in taking the viewer inside Christopher's mind. Ironically, anyone with autism or Asperger's would find some scenes extremely difficult to cope with, as the sound and lights provide a complete sensory overload; but which are perfect to convey the point.
Toby, the rat, is played by a real rat (or rather there are two rats credited, presumably they take turns), which is a great touch. And there is one "aah" moment at the end of the play, which had the audience entranced.
The daughter was sat in a 'Prime Number Seat' which meant, if the letters in your name added up to a prime number, you got a badge. She spent some time trying to find a combination of her name which would work, discovered to her annoyance both her brother and father qualified, but neither she nor I did, and finally settled on an incorrect spelling. Then, after the play, when she went to get her badge, they didn't ask for her name, just the number. She was still pleased with her badge.
Good-night Mister Tom was brilliant. It's nearly finished it's West End run, but then is going on tour, so if it comes near any of you I would thoroughly recommend it.
The main attraction for me was David Troughton playing Tom Oakley. And he perfectly captured the crusty old man whose life is thawed by the arrival of the evacuee William Beech. Once again all the actors were very good and we were sucked into the story. It's told with the right level of laughter and tears and the audience is really attracted to the characters.
The staging is really good, with some wonderful backcloths for both Little Weirwold and London. In a way the actors themselves provide the setting, with the brighter colours of the costumes reflecting the Dorset countryside and the grey clothing showing London in the blackout and suffering during the Blitz.
The story moves on at a good pace, but doesn't feel hurried. Each scene is crafted to provide its part of the story and then move smoothly onto the next part of the action. Although there is sadness in the story, (and Emmy used a few tissues) we left having really enjoyed the afternoon and even slightly sorrow at having to leave.
