As always, the monkey’s first blog of the year is a look back to what it saw in the past year. All 145, as the postponed events of 2020 finally happened.
The highs this year were higher than usual, the lows far deeper – with the second half of the year proving particularly difficult for new plays in the West End.
Taking 'drama highs' first, “The Motive and The Cue” at the Lyttelton (and now at the Noel Coward Theatre) became even more impressive once the monkey had obtained a copy of the Broadway “Hamlet” at the centre of the piece. It turned out that the actors were playing actual actors as those actual actors played their roles on Broadway. The depth was remarkable.
“For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy” (Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue) moved as it educated, catch it on its return to the Garrick Theatre in 2024. “Grenfell: In The Words of Survivors” (Dorfman Theatre) was also a fine emotional jolt with an unconventional final scene played outside on the theatre’s terrace.
“Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial” (Ambassadors Theatre) proved the perfect mix of serious and hilarious, with excellent impersonations all round.
It also much enjoyed “Kerry Jackson” (Dorfman Theatre) for bringing right-wing working-class politics to a tradition bastion of the left-wing – a feat “Cuckoo” repeated at the Royal Court Theatre Downstairs.
“A Streetcar Named Desire” (Almeida Theatre) had late replacement Patsy Ferran start as she meant to go on, perhaps removing a little mystery but still remarkable. Ferran repeated the feat in “Pygmalion” (Old Vic Theatre) drawing (for London, unusual) applause mid-show.
In revivals, while “Dancing at Lughnasa” (Olivier Theatre) impressed the monkey many years after it disliked the original, and Sheridan Smith in “Shirley Valentine” (Duke of York’s Theatre) shone, both were edged out by “Romeo and Juliet” at the Almeida. From the ‘coup de theatre’ of actors breaking down a wall, literally, to the soft murmuring of Juliet’s suicide, simply a stunning young pair in the lead roles and a production which hit the emotional accelerator and never let up.
“Accidental Death of an Anarchist” (Theatre Royal, Haymarket) had equally remarkable performances and was a summer tonic; “Private Lives,” (Ambassador’s Theatre) proved that playing it straighter than the Donmar’s revival worked best.
Musicals, and the new stuff was remarkable. “Standing at the Sky’s Edge” (Olivier Theatre) rightly deserves its West End transfer to the Gillian Lynne Theatre and burns in the monkey memory. So too does the searing injustice found in “George Takei’s Allegiance” (Charing Cross Theatre), a real jolt back in January.
For sheer fun, “Close Up – The Twiggy Musical” (Menier Chocolate Factory) mixed tunes from the life of Lesley Hornby with Ben Elton wit into a biographical musical that lit up a weary Sunday afternoon for all.
Revivals faired well to. “Crazy For You” (Gillian Lynne Theatre) didn’t find anything like the audience it deserved, but did garner every once of praise that it did. “Operation Mincemeat” (Fortune Theatre) refined and polished to perfection, appears to have found its niche, the original ‘limited six week run’ poster clearly a diversionary tactic to convince Sonia Friedman to invade elsewhere.
“The Wizard of Oz” (London Palladium) was also a witty joy, particularly for those who watched (or indeed could actually see) the scenery on stage.
Bridging the gap to the next paragraph, the short run of “Merrily We Roll Along” (Southwark Playhouse, Elephant) saw the National Youth Music Theatre at its finest, with a rare chance to see the show as it would have been cast originally on Broadway with young people from late teens to early 20s. Future musical theatre stars abounded among them.
One off events littered the year, and the best was first. “GOSH! It’s Gyles & Judi and all the Dames” (London Palladium) was unrepeatable and remarkable as Gyles Brandreth celebrated his 75th birthday raising an incredible amount of money for Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital by gathering together every theatrical Dame he knew, and a few non-theatrical ones, in an unforgettable mixture of interviews and ‘party pieces’ – photographed for posterity by the National Portrait Gallery.
Nearly as good, “Disney 100 The Concert” (O2 Arena) marked their birthday in fine style with a vast orchestra and well-selected movie clips from the remarkable House of Mouse archives.
Some terrific concert versions of shows, “Once The Musical In Concert” (London Palladium) had the monkey lose a bet that such a show was too small – it really wasn’t – to fill the vast auditorium. The now annual August concerts at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane also produced two gems in “Evita” and “Love Never Dies” – perfect casting and direction.
Solo events, monkey favourite Samantha Barks in concert at her ‘home’ Theatre Royal Drury Lane was everything it hoped, while “Mandy Patinkin In Concert” (Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue) allowed the monkey a close-up with a star it has always admired and never seen perform live until that date.
Also ‘close up’ “Penn and Teller – The First Final UK Tour” (Apollo Hammersmith) was up to the usual magic standard. Even closer up, “Madonna: The Celebration Tour” (O2 Arena) found the monkey at the very first night and overawed as usual. Saying ‘goodbye’ (via a Yellow Brick Road) Elton John’s twice-postponed farewell concert date was also memorable.
With every great memory comes the lows, and as the monkey mentioned, these were mostly in the Autumn play department. “Mates In Chelsea” (Royal Court Theatre) simply was probably not a good idea in the first place, and the author let it spiral out of control from the first scene.
Equally, “Robin Hood The Legend. Re-written (Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park) could have done with several more drafts. Like “The Crown Jewels” (Garrick Theatre) the cast of both battled on and won over the material – though at the latter, the monkey lost to material from a chamber pot... it heard later that effect had been modified.
Unmodified, “King Lear” (Wyndham’s Theatre) might have stood a chance, but at least this was only 2 hours straight through – possibly so the audience didn’t escape at the interval; the wobbly ‘Stonehenge’ was the least of its problems.
Musicals “Rebecca” (Charing Cross Theatre) and “A Strange Loop” (Barbican Theatre) pleased some, but the monkey really did not tune into either.
For fairness, the monkey did not rate two events it saw this year. “The Secret Life Of Bees” (Almeida Theatre) was presented as a ‘concert version’ matinee due to illness of key team members required to stage the full show. The monkey did note that the evening’s performance (the last one) went ahead in full. It was pretty irritated, it admitted, when it found that out.
“Why Am I So Single?” (Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadler’s Wells) also goes un-rated, being a ticketed workshop production of a new musical from the creators of “Six The Musical.” Work to be done, plenty of it, but a treat to look forward to – and the creators (seated behind the monkey) are simply the most wonderful people it could hope to meet.
A long blog, and the monkey could go on for hours explaining how every one ended up in its place on the unique “American Television Scale.” But it won’t.
Next week, the famous “Goodmonkey Awards” will be presented. Highlighting everything the Oliviers are too embarrassed to mention and with less fan manipulation than the “Whats On Stage” Awards (only one fan voting – the monkey – you see). So watch this space...
Meantime, here’s to every reader’s 2023, and an even better 2024’s theatre for all.
Out Of This World
George Takei’s Allegiance (Charing Cross Theatre) (SO – Standing Ovation)
Noises Off (Phoenix Theatre)
GOSH! It’s Gyles & Judi and all the Dames (London Palladium) (SO)
Standing At The Sky’s Edge (Olivier Theatre) (SO)
Once The Musical In Concert (London Palladium) (SO)
Shirley Valentine (Duke of York’s Theatre)
For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy (Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue) (SO)
Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial (Ambassadors Theatre) (SO)
Elton John: Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour (O2 Arena)
Dancing at Lughnasa (Olivier Theatre) (SO)
Operation Mincemeat (Fortune Theatre) (SO)
Six The Musical (Vaudeville Theatre)
The Motive and the Cue (Lyttelton Theatre)
Aspects of Love (Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue)
Samantha Barks In Concert (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane) (SO)
Disney 100 The Concert (O2 Arena) (SO)
Penn and Teller – The First Final UK Tour (Apollo Hammersmith) (SO)
Crazy For You (Gillian Lynne Theatre) (SO)
The Wizard of Oz (London Palladium)
Romeo and Juliet (Almeida Theatre) (SO)
Evita The Musical In Concert (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane) (SO)
Love Never Dies In Concert (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane) (SO)
Merrily We Roll Along (Southwark Playhouse) (SO)
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends (Gielgud Theatre) (SO)
Madonna: The Celebration Tour (O2 Arena)
Close-Up The Twiggy Musical (Menier Chocolate Factory) (SO)
La Traviata (London Coliseum) (SO)
Mandy Patinkin In Concert (Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue) (SO)
The Royal Variety Performance 2023 (Royal Albert Hall) (SO)
A Christmas Carol (Old Vic Theatre) (SO)
Peter Pan (London Palladium) (SO)
Cinderella (New Wimbledon Theatre)
The Nutcracker (Royal Opera House, Covent Garden)
The Wonder Years
Watch On The Rhine (Donmar Warehouse)
Kerry Jackson (Dorfman Theatre)
A Streetcar Named Desire (Almeida Theatre)
As You Like It (@Soho Place Theatre)
Othello (Lyric Hammersmith Theatre)
& Juliet (Shaftesbury Theatre)
Carmen (London Coliseum)
Dirty Dancing (Dominion Theatre)
Alex Edelman, Just For Us (Menier Chocolate Factory Theatre)
Disney On Ice – Discover The Magic (Wembley Arena)
Guys and Dolls (Bridge Theatre)
Bat Out Of Hell (Peacock Theatre)
Phaedra (Lyttelton Theatre)
The Great British Bake Off Musical (Noel Coward Theatre)
Ain’t Too Proud (Prince Edward Theatre)
Annie Get Your Gun In Concert (London Palladium)
Shen Yun (Apollo Hammersmith)
A Little Life (Harold Pinter Theatre)
The Lion King (Lyceum Theatre)
Bleak Expectations (Criterion Theatre)
Carrie Hope Fletcher: An Open Book UK Concert Tour 2023 (London Palladium)
Patriots (Noel Coward Theatre)
The Phantom of the Opera (His Majesty’s Theatre)
Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image The Musical (Phoenix Theatre)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (New Wimbledon Theatre)
Dear England (Olivier Theatre)
Accidental Death of an Anarchist (Theatre Royal, Haymarket)
La Cage Aux Folles (Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park)
Grenfell: In The Words of Survivors (Dorfman Theatre)
Cuckoo (Royal Court Theatre Downstairs)
Big Kid Circus (Brent Cross)
The Arc: A Trilogy of New Jewish Plays (Soho Theatre Upstairs)
The Way Old Friends Do (Criterion Theatre)
Private Lives (Ambassadors Theatre)
The Little Big Things (@Soho Place Theatre)
Pygmalion (Old Vic Theatre)
Unbelievable (Criterion Theatre)
Portia Coughlan (Almeida Theatre)
Clyde’s (Donmar Warehouse)
S Club – The Good Times Tour (O2 Arena)
John Wilson: Hollywood’s Greatest Hits (Royal Albert Hall)
Beverley Knight In Concert (London Palladium)
The Witches (Olivier Theatre)
Oh What A Lovely War (Southwark Playhouse, Borough)
Pacific Overtures (Menier Chocolate Factory)
Fairytale of New York (Dominion Theatre)
Stranger Things: The First Shadow (Phoenix Theatre)
Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Pig (JW3)
California Dreams
Othello (Lyttelton Theatre)
The Cher Show, A New Musical (New Wimbledon Theatre)
The Unfriend (Criterion Theatre)
Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons (Harold Pinter Theatre)
Pride & Prejudice, sort of (Richmond Theatre)
Sylvia (Old Vic Theatre)
Graceland (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs)
Oklahoma (Wyndham’s Theatre)
The Merchant of Venice (Watford Palace Theatre)
Romeo and Julie (Dorfman Theatre)
Medea (@Soho Place Theatre)
Private Lives (Donmar Warehouse)
Once On This Island (Donmar Warehouse)
The Secret Life Of Bees (Almeida Theatre)
Dixon and Daughters (Dorfman Theatre)
Mrs Doubtfire (Shaftesbury Theatre)
42nd Street (Sadler’s Wells Theatre)
We Will Rock You (London Coliseum)
Groundhog Day (Old Vic Theatre)
When Winston Went To War With The Wireless (Jack Thorne)
The Pillowman (Duke of York’s Theatre)
Hope has a Happy Meal (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs)
The Third Man (Menier Chocolate Factory Theatre)
Dr Semmelweis (Harold Pinter Theatre)
Word-Play (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs)
The Effect (Lyttelton Theatre)
A Mirror (Almeida Theatre)
Shrek The Musical (New Wimbledon Theatre)
Death of England – Closing Time (Dorfman Theatre)
The Confessions (Lyttelton Theatre)
Backstairs Billy (Duke of York’s Theatre)
Sleeping Beauty Takes A Prick (Charing Cross Theatre)
Diana The Musical – In Concert: (Eventim Apollo Hammersmith)
Macbeth (Donmar Warehouse)
Infinite Life (Dorfman Theatre)
Saved By The Bell
Trouble In Butetown (Donmar Warehouse)
Marjorie Prime (Menier Chocolate Factory)
The Meaning Of Zong (Barbican Theatre)
Parenting Hell (Wembley Arena)
Berlusconi, A New Musical (Southwark Playhouse, Elephant)
How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (Southwark Playhouse, Borough)
Brokeback Mountain (@Soho Place Theatre)
The Verge of Forever (The Other Palace Theatre Studio)
Death Note The Musical In Concert (Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue)
Frank and Percy (The Other Palace Theatre, Main House)
God Of Carnage (Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith)
Vanya (Duke of York’s Theatre)
Blue Mist (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs)
untitled f*ck m*ss s**g*n play (Young Vic Theatre)
Lyonesse (Harold Pinter Theatre)
Christmas Actually (Royal Festival Hall)
Bug Juice
Robin Hood The Legend. Re-written (Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park)
A Strange Loop (Barbican Theatre)
The Crown Jewels (Garrick Theatre)
Rebecca (Charing Cross Theatre)
Hamnet (Garrick Theatre)
King Lear (Wyndhams Theatre)
Mates In Chelsea (Royal Court Theatre Downstairs)
Out of Bounds
(shows the monkey saw, but did not assign a rating to)
The Secret Life Of Bees (Almeida Theatre). Presented as a concert version due to illness of key team members required to stage the full show.
Why Am I So Single? (Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadler’s Wells). A ticketed workshop production of a new musical.