6 replies to this topic

[The Suburbanite]

I realise this is a near-dead forum but will still use it while it's here and thought it was the best location for this thread. I wondered if anyone else goes to these student productions. I was really impressed with a Guildhall production I saw last year and the college I work at regularly has student productions, of variable quality but the best ones are excellent. I decided to give the LAMDA ones a go. Last week we saw Dancing at Lughnasa, which was okay; I think i had more a problem with the play itself rather than the production. Tomorrow we're seeing Taking Steps (Ayckbourn), which they're doing at the Tricycle.

I hope at least someone replies...

[ldntheatregoer]

I'd love to see more shows like these, are they generally well attended by members of the public? Is keeping track of the individual institutions websites the best way to find out what's being done?

[Montmartre]

Guildhall School of Music & Drama are performing Kiss me Kate on several dates in July.

A few years ago I heard Mountview students in  West Side Story at Battersea Arts Centre - excellent.

Royal Academy of Music  puts on a Musical Theatre event (but it seems to invited guests only).

[The Suburbanite]

All the ones I've been to have been well-attended. I think the websites are probably the best for updates, although I'm sure I saw the LAMDA ones on londontheatre.co.uk.
Interesting news about the Guildhall musical - I'll have to look into that. Their production of The Last Five Years was more professional than some professional plays I've seen.

[ianianian]

I've been on LAMDA's mailing list for years but have never managed to get tickets to any of their productions (in/around Barons Court anyway). Tried several times and got nothing so they are either very popular or they just don't like me!

[Barbapapa]

"Variable quality" is the right phrase. I try to go and see as much theatre as I can out of professional interest and I have seen a few of the student productions out there (usually because someone asks me to go along or someone got tickets through the WOS theatre club since I never manage to find out how to get tickets in time myself) and some have been absolute catastrophes (in my personal and admittedly often quite harsh opinion, of course...). But every now and then there's a real gem, which is why I keep going because every time I see one of those really great productions, done on a shoestring yet managing to outshine some of the "big players", it's a truly magic experience.

[Montmartre]

Hope to see "Iolanthe" at Wilton's Music Hall. "The Pirates of Penzance" last year was excellent. I just love this venue.