A theme I have constantly returned to here is the practical matter of managing a critic’s diary: on the one hand, we should consider ourselves extremely lucky to have so much to juggle that its simply an impossibility to see everything that’s out there; but on the other, it does mean hard decisions sometimes have to be made about what gets covered. The posher papers, as well as the Evening Standard, have deputies to pick up the slack; and in the case of the FT, two equal first-string critics (down from a lead and two deputies).
In New York, of course, critics are able to juggle their own diaries, since they are invited not to one particular performance but to a range of “critics previews” in the run-up to the official opening from which they can choose when to go. But here the official invite comes to the first night and the first night only, which then becomes a negotiating point around which we plan our lives: if there’s a clash, we have to choose one over another, then see if there’s another way to see the second thing. It can and does frequently have a knock-on effect on other productions. [click below to continue]
Take this week: tonight the National are opening their new production of Present Laughter with Alex Jennings – while Punchdrunk, a company that the National promote and sell tickets for via their website, are also inviting critics to see their latest show, The Masque of the Red Death. One hesitates to wonder whether Punchdrunk have deliberately sought the clash, so that the deputy critics – Lyn Gardner rather than Michael Billington, for instance – who have previously followed their work will review it instead. But after the nearly universal acclaim for their last show, Faust (also promoted by the National), a level of critical interest in their work has been achieved that means that everyone wants to be there, too. The solution? Something entirely impromptu and unplanned: I asked the National if I could go in a night early to Present Laughter last night, and was far from alone in making the request. When I got to the National two of its splendid and indefatigable press officers Lucinda Morrison and Mary Parker were even manning a press desk! No wonder: around me, too, were Billington, Charlie Spencer, Susannah Clapp, Nicholas de Jongh and Christopher Hart – and those were just the ones I saw.
The National are, in any case, about to institute a scheme of inviting critics to final previews, as last night’s was, with reviews embargoed till after the first night (as some producers have sought to do in the West End, too, most recently with Bad Girls – the Musical). That will not only give overnight critics – the ones that write on the night for the next day’s paper — longer to write, but will also mean that we will see the play with a more “regular” audience.
That’s in effect what happened last night. But there’s still a knock-on effect to other shows to consider. Last night was also the opening night for the Tricycle’s British premiere for Ron Hutchinson’s Moonlight and Magnolias, and since so many first-string critics were at the National, I assume it was a mostly second-string night at the Tricycle as a result. The Trike, of course, had booked their first night in to the diary without a clash; but found themselves unwittingly usurped by the actions of another.
Of course, just because you announce a press night doesn’t ensure that any critics will turn up at all; there’s no automatic entitlement to being reviewed. But the Tricycle has probably come to expect being treated seriously enough that most of us attend openings there; though they’ll get reviewed in the dailies, I’m sure, by the second-stringers, the unwitting reorganisation in our diaries may mean that they will lose out on Sunday reviews, however, since there’s usually only one of us each to go round. (The rest of this week is also now fully subscribed for me: there’s the Menier opening of a revival of Dealer’s Choice tomorrow, while on Thursday I’m catching the Royal Court’s Rhinoceros that I missed owing to another clash of my own last week. I will, instead, try to go to the Tricycle next week.)
Sad news today of the passing yesterday of broadcaster, raconteur, theatre director and sometime critic Ned Sherrin. For years he has been a fixture at West End first nights, catching up on plays before hosting guests from them on his weekly Radio 4 show Loose Ends. He was always ready with a warm hello (and sometimes a waspish comment) whenever I saw him; he’ll be sorely missed.
Dear Mark
In fact last night's (October 1st) opening of Moonlight and Magnolias at the Tricycle also attracted a couple of critical luminaries, Benedict Nightingale and John Peter - although in a passing remark to me Ben was wondering how to fit the National's Present Laughter into his schedule.
Like Fiona Mountford for the Standard, I strongly suspect the Ron Hutchinson comedy will follow the Tricycle's hit transfer of The 39 Steps into the West End. And I made that the opening remark of my Stage review.
Best wishes, JT