Review: Best of 2012 Theatre

The end of the year and time to once again reflect on the
year’s theatrical offerings and try to assemble a list of highlights. In many
ways this was a year where sport interrupted the theatrical calendar with the
Olympic and Paralympic Games eating into the theatre going and providing their
own unique, and hard to top, drama.

In a year when Shakespeare seemed to be on every stage in
the land and venues where fighting arts cuts and the draw of the Games, it’s
been a tough year to summarise. 

There’s been a lot of ‘good’ work but ‘great’
has been more elusive;  is that down to
the climate and producers playing safe or just one of those years?

In no particular order then, here is my list of the best
theatrical offerings for 2012.

Without You – Anthony
Rapp at Menier Chocolate Factory

Based on his best-selling memoir following the creation of
the musical Rent and his own mother’s battle with Cancer, Rapp’s one man show
could so easily become a morbid affair. Instead the sheer warmth of the
performer and the brutal honesty in which he tells his story makes this an
emotional, uplifting affair that has the audience in floods of tears but in as
much a celebration of life as of loss.

Mudlarks – HighTide Festival Theatre

Occasionally you stumble across a debut work that is so well crafted that you just can’t wait to see future work from its writer. Vickie Donoghue’s Mudlarks looks at three desperate lads in a dead end Essex town across one fateful night. It’s a work that perfectly marries plot, language, staging and acting together in a work that packs in a real emotional punch.

Carousel – Opera
North

It takes something special to take an old warhorse such as
Carousel and make it seem fresh and Opera North’s reclaiming of the work as an operatic
masterpiece does just that. Beautifully staged, exquisitely sung and never
sounding finer, this was a Carousel you just wanted to ride.

The Crash of The
Elysium –  Punchdrunk – Ipswich

Part theatre, part theme park attraction, Punchdrunk’s
interactive Dr Who experience requires total participation from its audience.
We run, we hide and battle monsters in an hour long adventure. It easy to be
cynical in such immersive works but Punchdrunk play the piece with such
conviction that it’s totally believable and totally terrifying.

Swallows And Amazons
– Children’s Touring Partnership Touring

It’s a tough challenge to create a work that touches both
adults and children but Swallows and Amazons manages to keep all ages
enchanted. Through its mix of music, drama and humour its hard not to be drawn
into a more innocent age. When Swallow and Amazon sails out over the auditorium
it’s a truly magic experience.

Floyd Collins –
Southwark Playhouse

A musical based on the story of a man who dies trapped in a
cave sounds an unlikely subject but set in Southwark Playhouse’s evocative
vaults it’s a subject that grips utterly. The score may not be easy but the
work it requires pays off with a mix of blues, rock and gospel infused numbers
that drive a strong narrative.

Private Resistance –
Eastern Angles

What if Germany had invaded the mainland during the Second
World War? It’s a tantalising ‘what if’ and one that Eastern Angles explore
perfectly. A look at the now mainly forgotten resistance movement, a group who
were prepared to sacrifice anything to defend their country. A poignant tribute
to them and all who strive to defend their country.

Love Story – Gallery
Players, New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich

There may be some that query the inclusion of an ‘amateur’
production in this list but there’s nothing amateur about Gallery Players
production of Love Story. Managing to scoop Broadway in obtaining the rights
ahead of the USA, this faultless production rivalled the West End staging and
still brings a tear to the eye at just the memory of it.

Silent – Hotbed
Festival, Cambridge

It seems to have been the year for deeply personal
productions and Pat Kinevane’s one man show about homelessness and substance
abuse pulls no punches in its dark portrayal of the struggles Pat faced. It’s
also packed full of dark humour and honesty though, instantly drawing you into
the story.

Circa – Latitude
Festival

There could easily be two Circa entries on this list. Their
How Like An Angel came a very close contender, soaring through the gothic
arches of Norwich Cathedral. Their self-titled showcase however just stole the
crown with an impressive display of acrobatic skill that is almost too painful
to watch.