In another thread there was a brief discussion on the greatest play you never saw, it may deserve a thread on its own.

However, I doubt anyone can come close to my record, I actually had tickets for the following three productions but for various reasons did not actually go to see any of them - to my infinite regret:

Othello (Donmar/Michael Grandage)
Richard III (RSC/Sam Mendes/Simon Russell-Beale)
Hamlet (RSC/Kenneth Branagh)

One that's always niggled me: I had a ticket for Jonathan Kent's Tempest, starring Iain McDiarmid, at the Almeida just before its refurb in 2001. In fact I'm sure I was going on the very last day. It was staged in the partially demolished shell of the building. Anyway, I'd been at home with flu all week and just couldn't get up the energy to go. I kept hearing how superb the production was. Grrrrr.

I also feel I missed out with Richard Eyre's Lear in the Cottesloe (97/98?).

Ha! Jan, you are a mind-reader, I thought exactly the same thing.

Working back from very recently: The Chalk Garden, The Philanthropist, SRB's Hamlet (in fact anything with SRB in which I didn't see) and way back, the Hopkins/Dench Ant&Cleo. Sure there must be many more. Have resolved to do better in the future!

I also kick myself for missing the SRB Hamlet, that's one production that I would now give almost anything to have seen, but it just wasn't possible at the time. Sigh. Perhaps it's better not to dwell on these things as it's just so frustrating to know that you missed what was probably exceptional.

If it makes you feel any better, Jenny, the SRB Hamlet wasn't the most earth shattering Hamlet or SRB performance. It was excellent on text - no one does text like our Simon. Every word with meaning and then some. So get a recording! Has he done one of Hamlet - dunno but not unlikely. Otherwise, it was a good Hamlet, but not exceptional.

I didn't see it either, I couldn't be bothered for some reason, but the three I originally mentioned I actually had tickets for ...

One thing I didn't see on a point of principle (because I dislike the theatre and their pricing policy) was the Trevr Nunn/Paul Scofield "Heatrbreak House" at the Haymarket - sometimes I slightly regret that.

"Otherwise, it was a good Hamlet, but not exceptional"

Yes, it was. Astonishing soul and clarity, and the best of the 20 or so I've seen. Didn't see Dillane's, though, which is one of my regrets. Wish I'd seen Ian Holm's Lear, also.

Hi Alexandra, my computer is crashing all over the place this morning but managed to spot your post. Let's just agree that SRB is the best..
The Holm Lear: well, I was sitting on the gallery at the end and got wet from the cascading water on the wall. One suffers for one's art. I liked his performance but again, wasn't bowled over. It was better than more recent Lears giving Mr McKellen a run for his money. [ whoops just crashed again]
In the Holm, tell, me someone, am I right in thinking that he didn't carry on his Cordelia but she was dragged on , on a cart? I may be wrong.

I haven't ever come within a gnat's wing of seeing something really special, unless I'm not early enough to get a ticket for 'Ivanov' tomorrow, but I do endlessly reminisce about the 2004 Toby Stephens 'Hamlet' (because Clive Wood as Claudius sounds like a DAMN good idea to me!) and 'Journey's End' at the Comedy theatre, because it's a wonderful play and I've never heard anything but good things about that production.

Goodluck getting a ticket! And Jan you can listen to the Donmar Othello as they sell a recording on amazon....

I think you are right. He appeared naked in the storm scene too and drew similar comments to McKellen (though at opposite ends of the scale).

Good thread

Feel quite pleased because I have seen practically all the shows mentioned ( except for Hopkins/Dench-A & C).

Of course there are lots of productions that I would like to have seen--including Sher's Richard III.

The following are some of the shows where I had tickets but for whatever reason did not get to see the shows:

Summerfolk, Money and Cherry Orchard ( with Vanessa R) at the NT

I would have liked to have seen those 3 productions

Alnoor

Summerfolk , yes, memorable. Didn't see Money. Redgrave, bless her, mumbled throughout Cherry Orchard. I think her bro, Corin was in this and he was good. Is he ok now, does anyone know?

I have a bad relationship with Kevin Spacey. I had a ticket for Richard II but had the squits and didn't dare risk the train ride then I had tickets for Moon for the Misbegotten as a birthday treat but was feeling a bit off-colour and then had a row with my husband who was accompanying me and decided I'd rather stay at home than spend the evening with him.
I had seen Kev in The Philadelphia Story and have since seen Speed-the-Plow so am hoping the jinx is over.
As far as the play I wish I had seen it has to be Alan Rickman in Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

without wanting to keep the memory of this going - but this has just made me laugh! thanks Mrs D

I agree Mrs D's drama sounds like an award winning play in itself!

When I saw it the extra-textual dog misbehaved terribly and was yapping the whole time, in the end Roger Allam (I think) held it firmly by the neck with both hands - that stopped it.

There is an oft-used still from the Eyre Lear showing Holm carrying her. So maybe he lifted her out of the cart at some point.

I would join Alexandra in making Jenny feel worse about missing the SRB Hamlet - I still get shivers thinking about that production and it wasn't just him, it was the whole thing - the set, the direction, the atmosphere, the darkness, the general vibe - outstanding. Sorry, Jenny!

Lynette, Corin did the Oscar Wilde monologue beautifully at the NT during the summer and seemed fine if a bit frail.

Summerfolk! That is one of my very greatest regrets. Thanks for reminding me, Alnoor.

Summerfolk - yes, for once I was glad that Trevor Nunn had given us the full (3.5 hr in this case) text. A few comments here are mildly revisionist about the Nunn regime - received wisdom for a while was he only staged overtly commercial musicals and plays. However his work with the ensemble he formed was excellent and underrated at the time - for example I thought his Love's Labour's Lost was excellent.