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The RSC in Newcastle - a Personal ViewDateline: 4th December, 2005It was fortuitous that the publication of the RSC's annual report should fall in the middle of the company's annual Newcastle season when we were carrying reviews of that season's plays, for it meant that we could not only carry news of that report, but at the same time take a look at some of the Company's work. The full Stratford season, of course, does not come to Newcastle, but a significant proportion does, and this year we saw A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night and The Comedy of Errors from the Comedies season, alongside the whole Gunpowder Plot season (Thomas More, A New Way to Please You, Believe What You Will, Sejanus: His Fall and Speaking Like Magpies) and The American Pilot from the New Work season. It would seem that a season made up of the best of Shakespeare's comedies (perhaps some might dispute the inclusion of Comedy of Errors there, but it's certainly my opinion) would be a guaranteed crowd pleaser and to some extent it is, although it always carries the risk that there is going to be outcries from some quarters about any unusual interpretation, and it is certainly true that (on the basis of what is, I must confess, a limited sample) only Comedy, the least performed of the three, received unalloyed praise from everyone. The Gunpowder Plot season, however, was always going to be a bit of a risk, for, like last year's Spanish Golden Age season, it contained some plays which have not been seen for a very long time. As one audience member commented on A New Way to Please You: "First performance 1618. Second performance 2005. That says it all!" And, indeed, a number of people did leave at the interval on the press night (not critics, I hasten to add!). But this is partly what the RSC is for. If it does not revive the plays of Shakespeare's contemporaries, who will? And they should be revived, if for no other reason than to remind us just how good Shakespeare was! There were, unfortunately, always empty seats at the People's Theatre, whereas the Theatre Royal was always near to capacity. That's partly, of course, because of the nature of (and the obscurity of a number of) the plays at the People's, but also, I suspect, because of where it is. It is at least a twenty minute walk from the nearest Metro station and, for those who came by car, parking is an absolute nightmare. I am sure that the larger Playhouse, much more conveniently placed in the centre of town, was always near capacity. By the next RSC season the Playhouse refurbishment should be finished and hopefully the company will return to it. Like the Gunpowder plays, David Greig's The American Pilot did not attract interest from the schools and colleges, nor did it seem to appeal to a significant proportion of the RSC audience, and yet it was a very powerful piece which certainly excited those (including this reviewer) who saw it. Significantly Magpies (at the People's) was much better attended, probably because Frank McGuinness is much better known than David Greig who is just beginning to be appreciated by audiences outside of his native Scotland. Over the last three years, we have had three excellent new works (Keepers of the Flame, Midwinter and Pilot) presented at Live. For me the strongest impression I took away from the entire season (and for the first time I was able to see all eight plays) was the superb ensemble playing. One of Michael Boyd's aims, he said when he took over from Adrian Noble, was to restore and strengthen the company's reputation for ensemble work, and in this he has succeeded admirably. The longer rehearsal periods and the opportunities they offer for exploration have led to a very high level and performances of great subtlety. We were keenly aware, too, of a greater physicality in the playing, matching the company's exisitng strength in text. Of course, one of the major benefits of ensemble is the opportunities it offers to newcomers to the company to hone their skills alongside actors of immense experience. For me, two stood out: Sinéad Keenan (Hermia in Dream, Luciana in Comedy and Evie in The American Pilot) and, more experienced but in his first RSC season, Kevin Harvey who shone as The Equivocator in Speaking Like Magpies but who also attracted attention in the much smaller parts he played in the other Gunpowder plays. Afine season, then, and we look forward to the next one!
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