Reader Reviews
House of Desires - Spanish Golden Age Season (Swan Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon)
Back to Show Details| Score | Comment | Date |
 | Terific entertainment from an excellent cast and well directed by Nancy Meckler. Sor Juana's playful digs at the honour system are underpined one feels with the notes of personal hurt that make the humour so powerful. The translation works well - combining the complexity of thoughts without over-simplification. Great entertainment. EW - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.253.64.18) | 27 Sep 04 |
| We saw this just over an hour after the superb Dog in a Manger, which is a tough challenge for any play. I found it too stylised and mannered in the first half, but by the second half I gave in to its silliness and enjoyed the ride. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.232.25.31) | 20 Sep 04 |
| This is excellently directed by Nancy Mackler to get the maximum of laughs but the play is a zero. Dog in the Manger had everything including a good plot. This has been compared to Dog but is just a farce in odd costume. Acting 5 Play 0 = 2.5 rouned up to 3. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (193.118.206.221) | 09 Aug 04 |
| Trinder is sensational. It's not as well constructed a play as "Dog", but laughs come thick and fast. Golden Age indeed. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (84.66.62.21) | 06 Aug 04 |
| Don't worry your pretty little heads about the incomprehensible plot, just sit back and revel in this glorious rediscovery. For me this was the highlight of the Stratford season, more than making up for the adequate but uninspired Shakespeare shows next door. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (195.92.168.169) | 05 Aug 04 |
| Nancy Meckler's distinctive style of stroytelling comes through but I think it is more suited to her adaptations of novels than plays - it feels like the subject of the play is secondary to getting a laugh. Also I cannot believe the casting - Joseph Milson and Simon Trinder and Rebecca Johnson and Claire Cox all effectively playing the same parts they do in Dog in the Manger - whats the point in doing this play when its just like Dog in the Manger mark 2? At least Tamar's Revenge has something different to offer. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (82.69.37.108) | 13 Jul 04 |
| Another wonderful evening's entertainment in the Golden Age season. House of Desires is beautifully directed by Nancy Meckler and features an exceptionally strong cast. Claire Cox, Rebecca Johnson and Katherine Kelly are equally strong while William Buckhurst and Joseph Millson in particular show terrific facial expressions as the farce unfolds - Millson in particuler is sensational. Those who say Dog in the Manger and were annoyed by Simon Trinder will find much to moan about here, for once again he reprises the "Baldrick role" and few play this part better. It's true he hams it up, but that is required in the part and I, and the rest of the audience apparently, think he's a star. If I had to find fault, it would be that Peter Sproule's diction is muffled when he does "blustering rage" and Julius D'Silva still looks like a better TV actor than a stage actor to me. A fun and light evening's entertainment investigating the honour code by an ensemble that really work well as a team - and again, wonderfully directed. The RSC at it's very best. - USER: Whatsonstage.com (62.252.0.6) | 04 Jul 04 |
