More Life!

In May 2017 the National Theatre invited me to curate an 'Education Day' which they run for adult audiences (ie not school or University groups) and are entire days based around a particular play. Titled 'Under the Skin of Angels in America' I delieverd a 'Keynote' as well as a series of link-sections between sections. The following are extracts from my talks on that day. Introduction Tony Kushner’s Angels in America was once referred to as ‘the most talked about, written about and awarded play of the past decade or more.  My relationship with the play began in 2004, with the film version. As a group of students, battling a Montreal winter (which is long and cold) the DVD rental store was our friend. And my flatmate sold me 6 hours of Angels in America with the description “It’s about AIDS, it’s supposed to be good”. In the end, I think I was the only one who watched it. From that began a path that led me to first to the first British revival in 2007,...

Almost a week ago now, Prior Walter bid the Lyttleton theatre ‘More Life’ one last time. Twenty-four years earlier it had opened next door in the Cottesloe. And some 14 or so years earlier they Angel first crashed into my life. Since then it’s been a labour of love, of 100, 000 words of PhD thesis and thousands more words in blog posts, message board comments, emails, tweets and arguments with wanker academics who obviously know better. And finally, this year, hours of conversation with my favourite director, hours of talking to an audience at the NT, kind words with the cast (and hugs!) and words committed to the programme. It’s been one hell of a ride, it hasn’t always been easy, but finally all the work to this point feels worth it. I keep coming back to Harper’s final monologue, ‘In this world there is a kind of painful progress, a longing for what’s left behind, and dreaming ahead.’ And as much as I’m already longing for it what this production also gave me is a chance to...

(1st August 2017) This was a return to  Angels  for a two show day. It should have actually been the first time I'd seen it but luckily for me someone unable to use their ticket and NT Live meant this was round 3 and a chance to really take in the details. First  a note, I know it's been wall to wall Angels here and for those who follow me on social media/know me in real life. But I've loved this play for 14 years. I've researched and studied it over the course of 10 and spent nearly 4 of those studying it more forensically than anyone but probably Kushner himself and a couple of other high-end nerds. Also this production- and I'm going to reflect on this when it's all over- has meant so much to me. Being involved in a tiny way has given me a lot, and taught me a lot. But also just having this production back at this moment has meant such a great deal. So indulge me a little while longer. The two show day is a marathon not a sprint for both audience and...

(First written 28th July 2017) So after last week's adventure (see  here ) as long as there were no Apes involved things could only get better at the second NT Live screening right? Right. As I saw the production 'Live' again this weekend an actual reflection on my continuing thoughts on the play are here, while this post just thinks about NT live and capturing the play on film. I'm happy to report there were no 'Apes in America' this time around, and aside from momentary sound glitches there were no technical issues until the very end...where for about 20 seconds something very strange went on with sound and picture in Harper's monologue...now I always cry in that scene but it would have been for very different reasons this time. But luckily all was well. But to continue my NT Live related waffle from the Part 1 review also; a few minor technical glitches are a small price to pay for getting to see these broadcasts. Particularly Angels which by b...

(First written 21st July 2017)  I really enjoyed the NT Live screening of Angels in America. I particularly liked the way they did the CGI Apes, and the jungle was really realistic and I'm not one for CGI usually. Confused? So was I. I will get to a collection of thoughts on seeing Angels in the cinema. But first... In Act 1 the picture cut out. Not that unusual (annoyingly) in these feeds, but it's live, these things happen. For about 5 minutes it was a radio play (Missing a bit of key dialogue when that cut out too) . These things happen. Again in Act 2, just at the Hot Dogs scene (one of my favourites again). Suddenly the title plate for Planet of the Apes appeared. No, surely they can't....oh yes, yes they can. Planet of the Apes, played on screen while Joe and Louis continued to talk about Politics, and Miss Ron Reagan Jnr (the pardon the expression heterosexual). So forgive me if from now on, the Reagan family is forever a bunch of Apes to me. The c...