Marylebone Theatre — Attraction in London

I was bought a ticket to see this play on the evening of29th December. I knew nothing about the play. The start was promising, but I found the mixing of the Christmas Carol with Sherlock Holmes to be an unconvincing device. Sherlock was an understudy (we were told at the door that he is just as good in the part).I went along with it waiting for the energy to kick in. It never did. The play was flat, lacking in energy and direction. I tried to engage and be interested in, and follow, the characters. However I found it difficult to keep my eyes open. Someone behind me was gently snoring. There were very few - muted - laughs by the end of the first half. My wife looked across and I said "sorry I cant take any more of this". She agreed and we decided not to return for the second half. In the foyer we waited for the start of the second half and explained to staff that they could close the doors as we were not going in. We said how uninspiring, flat and directionless we found the play. We caught the eve of another couple who were having their interval drink and who indicated that the two were not going in for the second half. The staff once more mentioned the understudy who played Sherlock. I explained that I had no problem with his performance, I thought the whole thing was just lacking. In conversation with the other couple - who were far more critical - we were comparing notes. A member of staff came over and asked us to stop commenting as there were actors and understudies who would be about and leaving the theatre. As we were neither being rude, nor loud, I am afraid that I saw red at this. I said that we were having a conversation about the play that we had paid good money to see and it fell well below our expectations. The young woman said that we were being disrespectful. I said that what was disrespectful was that we had paid out to see this and as their customers we could discuss this. I added that if actors were offended then it might be a learning curve, otherwise maybe they were in the wrong job. I certainly was not going to be told to be silent. Another member of staff then intervened. He had not seen or heard the previous exchange but basically took his colleges side, adding that I had been rude to her. I told him that he had not been a witness to the initial intervention, in to a private conversation, by the other staff member. He asked if this was the hill to die on. Slightly confused by whether this was a threat, or that things might escalate to security being called. I said he should be on his way and do whatever he though was necessary. The other couple were aghast. We got in to conversation about other things and a third member of staff who had been nearby approached us to say that he agreed with us that the play was not up to its best, he referred to the understudy again. I explained that I did not think it was the understudy, I though the writing, plot and direction along with unenthusiastic stage performances were the issue. We continued to discuss this further but were eventually told that as we were near the rear of the stage we might now be heard. At that, not wishing to disrupt any one else's evening we decided to leave. As a parting shot the original member of staff called out to us that we had to leave by the door nearest to her. However the third member of staff was already opening the door nearest to us. He was being more diplomatic and got us out without any further fuss, as I rather think there would have been an argument had we had to pass by the young woman. I fully understand how people who work together will naturally defend their group from outside criticism. However it acting, if you are too precious to take criticism then you are in the wrong profession. This performance risked sending me - as it clearly had others - to sleep. Life is to short to spend another hour or so trying to look for the entertainment in this play. Don't...

First visit to this theatre. Helpful and friendly staff. By Rudolph Steiner House which includes a bookstore and cafe (accepts cash). Play. The Dry House. A poignant and sad story of alcohol abuse and bereavement. But also hope. The cast was brilliant.

Went to see The White Factory. About the Jewish ghetto in Lodz Poland during the war. A difficult subject. But important one to tell. The cast are wonderful, brilliant. The central couple are sublime, but kudos to the two child actors who perform excellently with the difficult subject matter.

Excellent use of stage space and props.

A must see.

Third visit, What We Mean When We Talk About Anne Frank, a tour through Jewish and Israel identity through the eyes of a religious and secular Jewish couples. The son acts as narrator for the audience. The end game Anne Frank considers, who you would ask to shelter you if you where the Franks in 1942 Amsterdam. And who would risk their lives for you. Well acted, sometimes difficult, some humour, but very thoughtful.

A change of pace, Alice in Wonderland. A beautiful updated but also faithful telling of Alice's journey through the Wonderland and her interaction with the curious creatures invented by Lewis Carroll. An hour of enchantment for young and young hearted. Alice and the White Rabbit may meet you in the foyer afterwards. Excellent for all ages. As tickets are very reasonable, a return trip down the rabbit hole, and the musical/play stands re watching and is a tea party worth attending. The cast are excellent. How they have the energy for up to three shows a day amazes me. Totally adore the rabbit and Alice is wonderful in a dress which includes vignettes of the play, a tea cup, a key etc. A marvellous retelling of Carroll's whimsical tale. Hopefully they will go through The...

As a longtime admirer of Attar’s Conference of the Birds, I was excited to experience what was described as a "musical cinematic odyssey." Unfortunately, this screening was anything but. What I encountered felt more like a fragmented series of clips rather than a cohesive artistic interpretation of this classic tale. The production amounted to little more than random footage of birds overlaid with lines of poetry, some in Farsi, others in English, often presented in mismatched fonts.

The occasional voiceover reading the English poetry did nothing to clarify the flow, and the accompanying music, an odd blend of genres, felt completely out of place. The choices seemed thrown together without much thought as to how music could complement the narrative or mood. The result was disorienting and confusing.

For those unfamiliar with Conference of the Birds, the production would have been utterly perplexing. Even as someone who knows and loves the story, I found it impossible to follow. There was no sense of the spiritual journey or deeper meaning that makes Attar’s work so powerful. The complexity and depth of the original text were entirely lost in this disorganised presentation.

What makes this even more frustrating is the fact that a well-regarded London theatre allowed such a lacklustre production to go ahead. How something so disjointed and poorly executed made it to a prestigious venue is baffling. By the halfway interval, I had seen enough and decided to leave, feeling thoroughly let down by what should have been a much more thoughtful and engaging experience.

In the end, this screening felt like a missed opportunity, and a disservice to both Attar’s masterpiece and the audience that...