Nothing to be afraid of

I was up at the Lichfield Garrick again last night to see Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? for a second time and it is fascinating to see how the same play, same cast and same script evolve over a one month run.

It is not something you often have a chance to witness in the Midlands where a one week run is the norm apart from panto, which is hardly the same, and, to be honest, there are not that many productions you would want to see again so soon.

The layers of emotion in Edward Albee's classic are peeled away one by one during the performance and a month on from the opening night more layers have been exposed and more shades of dark and light added to the palette. When I reviewed it at the start of the month I predicted an excellent production had all the potential to become a play that would be remembered for years to come - just now and again I am right. Like fine wine the play has matured over its time in Lichfield.

The play ends on Saturday November 1 and there are a few tickets left for the final few performances. Click here for details.

Meanwhile my own thespianesque venture, the other RSC, the pub theatre I have started at The Station pub in Sutton Coldfield, opens its doors again tonight with an Open Mic evening - a sort of stand up acting night, although you can sit down if you want. Anyone is welcome to come along and watch or bring along monologues, sketches, poems or whatever and perform them themselves or we can find someone what can read and has trod the boards in anger for them to give their work an airing.

To save me typing loads of stuff out - idleness being a particular interest of mine - click somewhere around here for the story on our Birmingham Mail site or mouse your way here to be taken to the to the other RSC site.