Has there ever been a more lacklustre Almeida season than this ?

http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.p...d-almeidas-2009

Michael Attenborough's programming at Hampstead resulted in a loss of audience and he seems intent on repeating his mistakes here.

There is plenty wrong with this 2009 season. One problem is that the Almedia simply isn't known as a venue for new writing (there are plenty of those already) and I don't think there is an audience for it there. Secondly (as at Hampstead) his choices just seem so dull anyway.

I had an identical reaction when I read about it.

Job

Jan, there's nothing "wrong" with this season, at least until it hits the stage. Judge then. Your perjorative attitude time and again makes me wonder why you even bother going to the theatre or waste so much time writing about it. Incidentally, if the Almeida isn't known for new writing, I must have dreamt seeing Festen, The Goat and Judas Iscariot play to packed houses there.

Job meanwhile, I'm kinda surprised at your dismay. After your complaint earlier this year about Hytner assigning only what you called 'tired old tit' playwrights, I would have thought you might be enthused by the four relatively young ones Attenborough's giving the Almeida stage to here.

Add to that the indisputably crowd-pleasing prospect of Juliet Stevenson in a role that's clearly going to let her behave truly, madly, deeply, then a fresh chance to see that hugely entertaining old romp Rope, then the first Horvath production in London in surely a decade from a theatre that's presently getting great audiences for the equally underperformed Granville Barker, and finally some Shakespeare. I might not attend every one of these but I'm at a loss to see why this is dull programming.

You're quite right - I can't deny it. But where is the plum in these schedules that'll have me hammering down the box office door at the Almeida the way I used to?

Job

Much as it pains me to agree with Jan, I have to say that the new season at the Almeida looks dreadful, I realise that when the Kent/McDiarmid team left they couldnt just get somebody in who would do the same thing but Attenborough has changed the whole landscape of the theatre. I used to hold my breadth when the new seasons were announced but not anymore, maybe time for a change of leadership?

I was talking about the 2009 season which has no Shakespeare (that is 2010).

I'm not going to book a single one of the 2009 season plays, that is the first time since the Almedia opened its doors that that has happened - so that is what is wrong with it - I represent a part of its core audience and I'm not going. Attenborough was a bad choice to take over given his dismal record at Hampstead which he steered totally off the radar (and his generally weak work at RSC - I know he directed a good Richard II).

Incidentally, I wonder how many theatres Hampton hawked his play around before finding one mug enough to take it ? I bet the NT said a polite "no thank you".

More and more I have noticed a really worrying trend of me agreeing with Jan, but once again she has hit the nail on the had. This is exactly how I feel about Attenborough and the Almeida which I have supported for twenty years and my patience is wearing thin. I cannot raise an ounce of excitement about this new season.

When I saw this topic appear I found it utterly bemusing (indeed - "perjorative"!). It's vital that audiences (indeed a theatre's "core audience" - although that is an entirely different debate - who is a theatre's "core audience"? - are the ones who proclaim it to be themselves correct?) feel a personal and emotional connection - but for the debate to become so personal in tone and content is slightly tricky territory is it not??

Firstly - the Almeida under MA has a terrific track record for new writing - for the productions that are mentioned above (Goat, Festen, Judas) and more - the returns queue (on the nights I went at least) was out the door and round the block - clearly an audience there (both "core" and "new" I suspect - both important). What's more, the swipe at the Almeida's procurement policy and process is clearly unfair and inaccurate - I'm imagining that it's the Almeida who pass on a number of scripts that other theatres do, in fact, take up.

And the question of "where's the plum in the schedules"? Well - that's a matter of personal taste. I, for one, am fantastically excited, in equal measure, about the Butterworth and the MforM. However - there's something to be said for strong, consistent and evenly-paced programming is there not? Rather than hanging an entire season off of a single star offering to cover up the gaps in between??

I'm staggered that the new (not so new anymore) regime at the Almeida hasn't garnered more fervent support - the last five years have a wealth of "high points" and the previous incumbents subsequent performance hasn't exactly been making people wish for a return of that sort of output to Islington (?)

As you are "imagining" there is no "clearly" about it. Hampton has spent the last 30 years trying to interest us in the works of Odon von Horvath with minimal and diminishing success. As his early attempts at this were staged by the NT I am imagining that he shoved this latest one in their direction first. Richard Eyre's Diaries are instructive as to how the process works with these establishment figures.

But Duet for One is a very good play - I saw it on its west end outing way back - Jan you must be able to tell me when. Now I know at least two people tragically struck with MS so it will be interesting to see how I react this time. I missed the Butterworth plays at the Royal Court so may try this one though the synopsis on the handout makes it sound a bit odd - absurd in fact! I adore strictly ballroom so the Bovell should be interesting as he apparently co wrote that. Don't know about the next three. It was bound to be hard after the amazing Kent /McDiamid reign - a real case of 'follow that if you can'. I enjoyed the Iscariot and the Goat - v good stuff. What upsets me is that they took the sausages and mash off the bar menu.

Saw Waste today, and very good it was too. I'm still kicking myself for missing Rosmerholm, but I ran out of spare evenings (it's a trek for me to get to London, unlike you lucky city-dwellers). Yet like so much current Almeida stuff, either of those might have popped up at the Hampstead or the Arcola or the Orange Tree. And yes, I KNOW that neither is a modern play, but those are the examples I have to hand.

What I miss is the sort of 'event' theatre that made the Almeida special under Kent and McDiarmid. The Sea was a perfect example of the kind of thing I mean: a half-forgotten, challenging play that few had heard of and fewer had seen, given an impeccable Jonathan Kent wash & brush up... but slap bang in the West End, not out in Islington.

True, Lynette, it was indeed a case of 'follow that if you can', but unfortunately the current régime can't.

Job

Ah, it was okay.


Oh dear - I never got to try it. Good, was it? They had a very nice potted crab last time I was there.

Rosmersholm was good, and Helen McCrory was very good (despite me saying here more than once that I thought she was very overrated - so, I was wrong). I am signing off from the Almedia with Waste, and will return in 2010. I liked the Pierre Audi era there too.

I've just booked two of the next round, couldn't get the date for Complicit but might try again another date..so will let you know Jan what you are missing. I'm hoping Henry Goodman will be worth the trip anyway.

Complicit, eh?

Job

It's daft, I know, but that made me laugh out loud.

But anyway, what "Complicit"?

I've said I made a mistake on the other thread as I know you guys read it all...so, Job, 'out in Islington' eh? For me, not so, but closer than West End and I can drive and park there with no charge. So, actually more like my local.

I cannot believe there is a discussion doubting the Almeida's 2009 line up! For a graduate who has just moved to London the line up is perfect!

A. The prices are worth travelling out of the west end for. (The price of a tube ride plus the show ticket doesn't come close to a show on the westend £6!!!!!)

B. A whole line up of new writing is a great way of bringing young professionals into the theatre and should be celebrated more than doubted, especially when renowned names such as David Morrissey and Juliet Stevenson are involved. I feel it is great that the Almeida are making a conscious effort to promote new writing, otherwise how will any new playwrights get to produce their work? As much as I love Shakespeare, the idea of contemporary plays is very exciting and I will be making a conscious effort to see as many of these plays as possible!

By producing it at one of the many London theatres almost entirely dedicated to new work: Royal Court, Hampstead, Bush etc.

Are you suggesting that no theatres other than Royal Court, Hampstead etc should not be presenting new work?

What's great about the Almeida is that you can see a Shakespeare play one month and a new play the next. I see no problem in that!

I appreciate theatre of all shapes and sizes but I don't want just to see "new writing", I want to see GOOD "new writing", something that Mr Attenborough has so far failed to produce at the Almeida.

No, I am just answer your question ".... how will any new playwrights get to produce their work" - there are plenty of theatres who produce new work, the Almedia (traditionally) is not one of them.

On your second point, in the first 6 months of 2009 you can see 4 months of new plays and 2 months of a play from the 1980s - hardly eclectic programming and (I'll make the point again) not what the Almeida's audience has been used to.

I think its nice to have a bit of change and not to be pigeon-holed