Merthyr Imp 729 Posted August 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 March 1993 and a play that I do remember. A group of people in a hotel room in Italy (I think) watching the England v West Germany World Cup semi-final on TV - some interested in football, some not. I particularly remember the part when it came to the description of the penalty shoot-out - '...and Stuart Pearce steps to take the crucial penalty...' A rueful groan went up from the audience! But then the play went off into what Captain Mainwaring would describe as the realms of fantasy. It was really good, but I don't believe the play ever gets performed these days, as it wouldn't be as topical as it was in 1993 when memories were still fresh and Gary Lineker was still playing. Theatre was nearly full. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted August 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2017 The following month, and what I think was a cut down and modernised version of 'Don Giovanni'. I say 'I think' because I've completely forgotten it! Theatre was only about one third full. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted September 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2017 At the end of April another play which I have completely forgotten. For some reason it was very popular, with the theatre getting on for nearly full. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted September 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2017 And in May 1993 another play forgotten by me. A thriller with some TV names in it, and a theatre about a third full. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted September 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2017 At the beginning of June 1993 it was Opera North and 'La Boheme', then a couple of weeks later a good Terence Rattigan play which I can vaguely remember. Perhaps due to the presence of a number of 'TV names' the theatre was just under half full. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted September 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2017 The following month D'Oyly Carte were back with productions of 'The Pirates of Penzance' and Offenbach's 'Orpheus in the Underworld'. I yield to no-one as an enthusiast for the works of Gilbert & Sullivan, but this version of 'Orpheus' was among the best things I've ever seen in the theatre. Shame it was only about two thirds full. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted September 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2017 This year I saw two of the plays in the summer thriller season - 'Peril at End House', an Agatha Christie featuring Hercule Poirot, and 'Fatal Attraction' (not the same as the film). With Opera North's visit in October meaning 'La Boheme' again, that drew 1993 to a close. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted September 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2017 February 1994, and Opera North again, with Chabrier's 'L'Etoile' (only just over half full) and old favourite 'La Traviata' (all but full). Then the following week it was some Andrew Lloyd Webber. Nobody well known in the cast, and being one of his lesser-known pieces the theatre was only two-thirds full. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted September 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2017 In April there was a production of a musical I recently mentioned in another thread on here - 'Me and My Girl'. Nobody well-known in it, perhaps accounting for the theatre being less than half full - this despite the show including g hit songs: 'Leaning on a Lamp Post', 'The Lambeth Walk' and 'The Sun Has Got His Hat On'. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted September 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2017 In July, an Alan Ayckbourn play about which I can remember nothing. A very poor house of less than one-fifth full. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted September 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2017 For the summer thriller season I saw just two productions - 'The Late Edwina Black' by William Dinner & William Morum, and 'The Gentle Hook' by Francis Durbridge. Theatre was about one third full for both. Not many more to go now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,464 Posted September 11, 2017 Report Share Posted September 11, 2017 I like the advert from the days when a mobile phone was based on a brick. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TBI 2,351 Posted September 11, 2017 Report Share Posted September 11, 2017 Yes, I'm considering upgrading my mobile to one of those. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted September 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2017 D'Oyly Carte visited with two more new productions - 'H. M. S. Pinafore', and for a second non-Gilbert & Sullivan piece - 'Die Fledermaus' (marvellous music!). It was a sort of corporate programme so no local adverts to reproduce. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted September 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2017 May 1995 and another play forgotten by me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted September 13, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2017 The usual summer thriller season and two more forgotten plays. Ben Bowers looks good - I'll have the Camembert, followed by the Lamb Cutlets and the Sticky Toffee, thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,305 Posted September 14, 2017 Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 Ben Bowers! Remember going there for a Christmas meal in 1977 ish with colleagues from work. It hadn't long been open. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Commo 1,292 Posted September 14, 2017 Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 Jill, we were probably sitting at the next table. I know it was 1977 because Derek Randall was in just before going to Oz to play in the Centenary Test. By the bye, yo lot weren't arf mekkin a racket! PS: just noticed Jill that I've made one more post than you've had "likes" 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jill Sparrow 10,305 Posted September 14, 2017 Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 We probably were, Commo! We were the party of legal eagles from Browne Jacobson & Roose. Can't remember much about what we ate but several of our number sent it back and probably read the chef The Consumer Rights Act...just because they could! The manners on your table were nothing short of disgusting! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,429 Posted September 14, 2017 Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 Daren't send it back. The chef might spit on it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Merthyr Imp 729 Posted September 14, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2017 In October 1995 D'Oyly Carte were back with 'The Mikado' and a new production of Offenbach's 'La Vie Parisienne'. Sorry if the above hasn't come out very clear. And that, as they say nowadays, wraps it up for this series, as that was my last visit to date to the Theatre Royal. My visits there which really started with D'Oyly Carte Opera in 1970 happened to finish with the same company 25 years later. 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Commo 1,292 Posted September 15, 2017 Report Share Posted September 15, 2017 Thanks for sharing all those MI, I've certainly enjoyed reading through them with the memories that they've invoked, some good, some poignant, some sad. Thanks again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TBI 2,351 Posted September 15, 2017 Report Share Posted September 15, 2017 Me too, what Commo said. Thanks Merthyr. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,464 Posted September 15, 2017 Report Share Posted September 15, 2017 As well as the theatre bits I was fascinated by the adverts, so thanks for them as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LizzieM 9,507 Posted September 27, 2017 Report Share Posted September 27, 2017 Merthyr Imp, I heard something on Radio Nottingham this afternoon about a group of volunteers working on archiving information, including old theatre programmes, for Theatre Royal. They were saying that if anyone has old programmes they would be willing to donate or lend to the Theatre then get in touch. I'm sure you'd want to hang onto all your programmes but thought I'd let you (and any other theatre-goers) know about their request. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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