The Habit of Theatre Going

So within the first twelve days of 2010 we've been to the theatre three times.

It would have been four but the great snows of Kent prevented me from getting to "Legally Blonde" last week, though friends who have been to previews so it is great fun.

We saw "Altar Boyz" in New York on New Years Day. Off Broadway show about a Catholic boy band - run for five years and just closed this weekend. Funny, but not in the hysterical way it was received by the audience. Someone on tv last night sad that we share common cultures with the Americans. Well they have obviously never sat in a theatre audience with a load of americans watching an American show. It's as though they collectively inhale some sort of taste drop gas. You end up watching the whole spectacle. You're watching the audience watching the play and observing both. Immaterial what I thought about Altar Boyz as its now closed, but not too bad - a 4 out of 10

Definitely a 8 or 9 is the revival of "Six Degrees Of Separation" about to open at the Old Vic. We went to a preview last Saturday night. Americans again, but this time played by English actors - so under control! The lovely Lesley Manville leads a a good cast in a really interesting piece which is all the more so for being 90 minutes without an interval. Funny, witty and some nice cock in it too!

Nothing remotely American about "The Habit Of Art" the new Alan Bennet at the the Lyttleton. In fact settling down to watch it was a bit like settling down at a live broadcast of Radio 4. Sold out and a hot ticket- but the gorgeous Mr Howle always says there is no such thing as a sold out show, so he was challenged to prove it...and he came up trumps with tow nice seats front row of the dress circle.

It's funny..but not as funny as I thought it would be. It's clever...but not as clever as it thinks it is and it has some good performances...but it was a monday night and they all seemed to need to go up a short gear. Glad we saw it, but not s thrilling as one might have hoped.

Good to see both the Old Vic and the Lyttleon full. Here's to a year of good shows in 2010

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