
Seeing a live cinema screening of the Donmar Warehouse’s production of Christopher Hampton’s play prompted a few reflections on sex and the English.
In December 2014 the drama society of the New College of the Humanities made full use of the College’s location at 19 Bedford Square, London, to perform six short plays written by themselves. Ranging from taut naturalism to lingua-clastic avant-garde, with subject matter from France’s Charles X to Syrian refugees, the evening was a triumph of ensemble work which reflected the College’s, as well as reflecting on the students’, process of growing up.
A review of the three plays performed by students of New College of the Humanities during Michaelmas and Hilary terms 2013-14: Ionescu’s ‘The Bald Prima-Donna’, Pinter’s ‘Betrayal’, and Eno’s ‘Oh! the Humanity’. I was impressed by all three productions, but appreciated Ionescu’s play the most, and saw my way through to how ‘Betrayal’ isn’t entirely trivial as well as depressing.
An extremely impressive play about the relationship between America and China; China it lets off the hook for nothing; America it lets off the hook for a fair bit; it’s a play yearning to be a film; but it’s still a moving exploration of heroism.