Top Picks, Standout Performances, and Disappointments: The Outstanding (and Flaws-ridden) Series of 2024
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In the realm of theatre, 2024 was a year marked by exceptional performances and thought-provoking productions. Here's a round-up of some of the year's highlights.
Shakespearean Delights
The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and the current production of Twelfth Night at Richmond took centre stage, both being hailed as delights of the year in the best Shakespeare productions category. Tom Littler's Twelfth Night at the Orange Tree, Richmond was even named Theatre of the Year. The RSC's latest production, featuring Luke Thallon as the embattled prince, was praised for its blend of sincerity and neediness, earning it the title of the best Shakespeare production of the year according to Michael Billington.
Blanche McIntyre, the director, had a mixed year, with her production of Antony & Cleopatra at Shakespeare's Globe criticised for lacking erotic tension between the lead actors. However, her direction of Twelfth Night was widely acclaimed.
Notable Performances
Ben Whishaw and Lucian Msamati's performances in the revival of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot at the Theatre Royal Haymarket were highly praised. Dame Imelda Staunton's portrayal of Hello, Dolly! was particularly memorable, embodying a twinkling, bright-eyed busy body hungry for a second chance in life.
In Twelfth Night, Dorothea Myer-Bennett's Olivia was a character who mourned a brother lost in war without sacrificing her sensuality, while Oliver Ford Davies' Malvolio was a bowler-hatted butler who pined for a pre-war world of rigid class distinctions. Stefan Bednarczyk's portrayal of Feste made him the pivotal figure in the production, and Clive Francis's Sir Toby was depicted as a military veteran more dipso than DSO.
New Plays and Revivals
Mark Rosenblatt's play Giant, dealing with the accusations of anti-Semitism against Roald Dahl, received the award for the best new play of 2024. John Lithgow delivered a fine performance as Dahl in the production at the Royal Court. Noël Coward's Suite In Three Keys at the Orange Tree Richmond was named the best revival of the year, with A Song at Twilight being a particular highlight.
Criticisms and Controversies
Intrusive technology, such as sets and sound design that draw attention away from the performances, was criticised as a curse of the year in theatre productions. The revival of Waiting for Godot was a surprising and engaging production, despite its minimalist set and sound design.
Controversy was sparked when a production at Shakespeare's Globe cast a nondisabled actor in the role of a scheming king, which was criticised by some.
Standout Performances
Imogen Elliott, making her stage debut in John van Druten's The Voice of the Turtle at the Jermyn Street Theatre, was praised for her portrayal of a young New Yorker with a mix of vibrant charm and insecurity. Sir Mark Rylance's performance as Captain Boyle in Juno and the Paycock was criticised as badly misjudged, with whimsical Chaplinesque capering that seemed to upstage the rest of the cast.
A Balance of Mirth and Melancholy
The key to any Twelfth Night production is finding the right balance between mirth and melancholy, and this production was successful in achieving that balance. Sir Ian McKellen's performance as Falstaff in Player Kings was named the best actor of the year, with his portrayal offering a fresh insight that Falstaff acquires a new vitality after the Battle of Shrewsbury.
[1] It's worth noting that Michael Billington, in his assessment of 2024 Shakespeare productions, highlighted the Royal Shakespeare Company's new production, praising Luke Thallon's expert portrayal of the prince character. The Globe production faced criticism, which likely positioned it poorly in Billington's assessment among 2024 Shakespeare shows. No other specific productions are named by Billington as best or worst in the search results.
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