please empty your brain below
My first choice for theatre is a musical, followed by comedies. You seem to have picked two comedies. I think your first visit may have been to the Menier Chocolate Factory. These small "fringe" theatres I never enter as I prefer large venues, preferably with a an orchestra in the pit, and lots of technical effects with complicated lighting, sound and scene changes. I will enjoy the music and the theatrical effects more than the acting.

I never go to "theatre in the round".

In contrast I will happily go to a local amateur production as long as it is in a fairly large hall with some sort of stage. Local amateur actors try hard and it is good to encourage them, and it is expensive to put on a show these days even for amateurs.

John | 22.05.12 - 8:58 a.m. | #

Oi think you saw Abigail's Party and Comic Potential, but I might be wrong.

Jeremy | 22.05.12 - 8:59 a.m. | #

Oh go on - tell us what the first play was... ???? I'm heading your way soon and if it is on at the West End I'd love to see it! Re the second, well maybe Robert Putnam is right and we are experiencing a death of the social / community. So sad. There is very limited community theatre here in Oz (lots of bloody football, cricket, tennis, car races and similar though) and I'd love to have a local rep company. Such a shame that it seems to be struggling on your more civilised side of the planet.

Antipodean | 22.05.12 - 9:02 a.m. | #

What I want to know is did you have any raffle tickets and what, if anything, did you win?

Barry | 22.05.12 - 9:06 a.m. | #

i'm struggling to get my head round the fact that you've been out for not one, but TWO social evenings recently.

Geofftech | Homepage | 22.05.12 - 9:28 a.m. | #

First one is definitely Abigail's Party at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Don't know enough about Ayckbourn to identify the other. Oddly enough, my theatrical tastes are almost the precise opposite of the first poster, since something like Greek tragedy at a fringe venue would be my first choice, and a musical at a big venue just about my last. But then I am a miserable old git...

Baldassaro | 22.05.12 - 10:11 a.m. | #

About 15 seconds of Googling does, in fact, confirm that the second is 'Comic Potential' at Old Buckenham village hall.

Richard | 22.05.12 - 11:14 a.m. | #

Is that layout meant as a raspberry to your Reddit fans?!

NLW | 22.05.12 - 12:51 p.m. | #

Hey, I like Mike Leigh. Nuts In May was my favourite. That'd make a good play. As opposed to a film. Funny how more than one of his films have incuded thin women who talked as if their jaws were wired together. I like the way he has Alison Steadman in his films. More, say, than I like the way Diane Keaton appears so many times in Woody Allen films.
I don't much like Woody Allen.
Not sure I like Ayckbourn, either. Too clever for me.

RogerW | 22.05.12 - 5:45 p.m. | #

Not too happy with the layout. I admit to being fairly idle and double the amount of scrolling is doing my hand in. sob

Freddie | 22.05.12 - 5:47 p.m. | #

Layout - spot on for the message. How better to convey a "compare and contrast"? And I did appreciate the opportunity to do so.

To me the absolutely best bit about DG's blog is the unexpectedness of it all. Just like opening a new present every day. A present from someone who knows me well, and has put effort into choosing something non-extravagant that will make me react "well, I didn't realise how much I really did want one of THOSE"

Malcolm | 22.05.12 - 7:58 p.m. | #

Not sure I would categorise the Menier as fringe (in either sense) anymore, given its reputation for hits over the last few years... unlike say the Southwark Playhouse (fringe productions) or the Hampstead theatre (fringe location).

We did try and get tickets for this but missed out. Ah well, nice to know you were able to have a great evening out DG.

s | 23.05.12 - 1:28 p.m. | #











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