As the year comes to a close, like everyone else, I find myself feeling oddly retrospective and reflective about the last year. So how better to explore these feelings than through a classic favourites post! I’m very lucky to be based in London and have access to lots of beautiful theatre, so here’s the top 5 things I saw in 2019.
The Ocean at the End of The Lane
Although this is one of the last shows I saw this year, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is quite possibly one of my favourite things I’ve ever had the privilege to see! Staged at the Dorfman theatre at the National, Ocean is a beautiful adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s book with the same title. As with most shows, I went in completely blind, having no idea what was to come, and I was absolutely blown away! Most people have described it as having a slight ‘Stranger Things’ type vibe, but there’s also an interesting mix of magic, familial difficulties, grief, and a divine exploration of childhood friendship. The acting is phenomenal, the story is heartbreakingly bittersweet, and the use of props and space is so fascinating and clever! Sadly, the run at the Dorfman is not very long (it’s finishing in January!) but I would not be surprised to see this get a transfer at some point.
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| A projection on the wall of the Dorfman, showing the art for The Ocean At The End of the Lane |
Despite its somewhat tricky subject matter, Waitress is another fabulous feel-good musical. Whilst the show has been pleasing audiences for years on Broadway, Waitress only came to London right at the beginning of 2019 and I’ve been lucky enough to see it a few times since. I honestly think this is one of my favourite productions for the year purely because I adore the feel and style of the soundtrack; it’s definitely one of my most listened to for the entire year (Everything Changes is an absolute bop, let’s not deny) in addition to the fact that I relate to the character of Dawn more than one might like to admit!
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| The stage at Waitress |
The Son
The Son is undoubtedly the show this year that had the biggest emotional impact on me personally. Even though it totally emotionally destroyed me, I think that the fact that the play covers aspects such as mental health difficulties, family struggles, and even such difficult things like self-harm and suicide was incredibly impactful and real, and definitely something we as a society need to talk about more. Performed in just one act, this was A Lot to take in in one sitting, but the cast were sensational, and it’s so great to watch something that makes you really think and reflect, in my opinion!
Mary Poppins
My love for this show is absolutely no secret, I’ve even written a review about it on this blog! Before Poppins came along, I felt a bit disappointed with the offerings of West End musicals, but this production totally saved it for me! Mary Poppins is show full to the brim of magic, joy and insane levels of musical talent! For me, this is one of those shows that I would never turn down a chance to see, and could never leave feeling anything less than elated. I mean, Charlie Stemp tap dances upside down on the actual ceiling, how can you not love that! Overall, the show is such a gorgeous, refreshing take on a well-loved classical musical, and I feel as if I could sing its praises forever. Go and see it if you can, I can’t recommend enough!
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| Me and my little Bert the Chimney Sweep Bear! |
Emilia
If there is one thing I love seeing in the theatre besides actual magic, it’s uplifting stories about female empowerment, and Emilia is a show that delivered on this front like no other. Myself and Callum don’t get to see each other much, but we were actually lucky enough to see this show together, and there is actually a review for this one on this blog as well (you can read it here if you like). An all female production that follows Emilia, Shakespeare's supposed muse, throughout her life, this is show that has stuck with me ever since I saw it, and I think it will stay with me for a very long time! The acting and the book were both sensational, but also I was absolutely obsessed with the production, especially the way that Emilia was played by three different actresses to represent different points in her life, and how when the other two weren’t the main focus, they would sit back and watch and comment on the story. Ah! Theatrical genius!
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| The Emilia stage |
So there it is, my top five shows of 2019! I’m so grateful that I’m able to witness so much fantastic theatre, and I hope that this trend continues into 2020! In the next year I’m going to make a real effort to see more off-West End productions, as well as try and repeat watch a little bit less and instead put myself out there to see more different styles of theatre! I’m so excited to see what the next year brings!
Happy New Year!
Bertie
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