I booked this play for Clay's birthday because he is a huge fan of Sir Ian McKellen. So, right after we finished work on Friday, Clay and I headed into London to see the show.
But, before going to the theatre we stopped off at the Rainforest Cafe on Shaftesbury Avenue for a quick dinner. Well, it looked more like a feast to be honest!
My plate wasn't in shot (it was a pasta dish) but above is Clay's pulled pork burger and our side orders of onion rings and mozzarella garlic bread, and yes, we ate it all!
Anyway, back to the theatre. Wyndham's Theatre is beautiful. It was the first time I had ever been to see a show in this venue and it was lovely. We were seated in the balcony and I was a little worried about what our view might be like, being so high up, but actually it was perfect. Nobody in front of us restricted our view because the levels were so far apart, no safety rails got in the way and once the curtain came up we realised we could see the whole stage and the actors on it perfectly.
We were very excited to see Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart on stage together. I love them when they're acting together on-screen in the Marvel X-Men films, so this was a real treat to see them in person.
Obviously, these pictures are not my own, but just so you can see everyone together, here is one from the No Man's Land website. The whole cast were great, but McKellen and Stewart stole the show.
They were both so captivating, from their words to their facial expressions. Yes, for how high up we were I was so surprised at how much detail we could see!
The story is an interesting one, but it's difficult for me to put into words what it's about exactly. I feel like my descriptions - that I've sat here trying to write for the past twenty-five minutes - are not doing the play any justice and making it sound completely different to the way I wish to portray it. Simply put, you need to see it for yourself.
It is being shown around the world in cinemas on 15 December, as National Theatre Live broadcast it internationally, so if you can't get to see it at Wyndham's Theatre in person, book yourself cinema tickets to see it instead.
I'd rate this play:
The staging was perfect, being set all in one room of this grand house, with only four cast members who were all spot-on (especially McKellen and Stewart), and what a treat to see two such prestigious actors live in person. The play is a classic and I would highly recommend it. However, watch out for the use of severe language. I certainly was not prepared to hear 'the c word' used quite so many times!
Book your National Theatre Live tickets here or view the remaining theatre tickets, available online here.
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