by David Hare, performed at Wyndham's Theater, june 2014, cast Bill Nighy, Carey Mulligan and Matthew Beard
To keep it in Social Media terms
OMG!
I had been looking forward to seeing this play very much.... the play itself was something I was on the lookout for if opportunity arose, but after casting was announced in february, including mr Bill Nighy I knew I'd pull out all stops to be in London sometime during it's run.
Of course timing was terrible, I'd just arranged for a London trip in May to coincide with the RAW wine fair which was May 18-19 this year, and Skylight was to open previews on June 6th.
It took some arranging and fixing to make this extra trip happening... work and private stuff aligned eventually, ticket narrowly secured and boy was it worth it!
Previews started June 6th, I got to see the June 11th Preview, the play already looked solid with one more week of previews to go. The house was packed, still in previews and already they had to sell some standing room only tickets.
The play was brilliant, penned in 1995 it could have been written this year, so much did it reflect society of today. I've never seen a production of this play before, so I don't know if it's usually like this, but there was a lot of humor instilled, especially by mr Nighy in Tom Sergeant's character. That man is bloody brilliant, he could have played this part on body language alone, and still got his points across.
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| Bill Nighy and Carey Mulligan |
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| kudos to the set designer Bob Crowley |
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| Carey Mulligan and Matthew Beard |
Yes, I know he uses the same style, mimicry if you will, in his work a lot, but it works, it works on screen and it definitely works on stage.
The entire cast (of three) performed admirably, Nighy and Mulligan were believable as the odd couple... lovers who have practically nothing in common.
Mulligan's Kyra was at times too preaching, too full of her own righteousness and an over the top do-good teacher out to help those less fortunate while suffering in silence... but it worked most of the time. Nighy's Tom was brilliant, a conservative, not listening at all to any argument from Kyra, full of his own justifications, and yet getting the sympathy of the audience most of the time. I think it's Bill Nighy's intrinsic sympathetic way, enforced by Carey Mulligan's portrayal of Kyra's often rigid self-righteousness.
The entire cast (of three) performed admirably, Nighy and Mulligan were believable as the odd couple... lovers who have practically nothing in common.
Mulligan's Kyra was at times too preaching, too full of her own righteousness and an over the top do-good teacher out to help those less fortunate while suffering in silence... but it worked most of the time. Nighy's Tom was brilliant, a conservative, not listening at all to any argument from Kyra, full of his own justifications, and yet getting the sympathy of the audience most of the time. I think it's Bill Nighy's intrinsic sympathetic way, enforced by Carey Mulligan's portrayal of Kyra's often rigid self-righteousness.
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| Bill Nighy (Tom Sergeant) and Carey Mulligan (Kyra Hollis) Skylight june 2014 © John Haynes |
I had a FANTASTIC theater evening, and (pretty rare for me) after the play waited at stage door to have my program signed... the entire cast was great, and could not be nicer to the fans waiting outside, mr Nighy, a true gentleman was late out the door due to green-room guests, must have been tired but took all the time in the world to sign programs, have pictures taken and chat a little with the people waiting for him.
One of the reasons I love previews is I get to see the play before the critics do, which gives me no choice but to make up my mind completely on my own observations... I generally try to do so of course, but it's hard to avoid reviews entirely.
Walked out of the theater thinking this was a true winner. For once the professional critics agreed with me.
review blurbs:
"Thrillingly revived by Stephen Daldry in a knockout production."
Charles Spencer for The Daily Telegraph
Charles Spencer for The Daily Telegraph
"How has it stood the test of time? Remarkably well is the answer to judge from this splendid revival..."
Paul Taylor for The Independent
Paul Taylor for The Independent
"Everything about this production is finely judged, even down to the way the passage of time is denoted through the lights going on and off in the windows of Bob Crowley's tower-block set."
Michael Billington for The Guardian
Michael Billington for The Guardian
"Skylight packs real emotional punch and is often at its funniest when most angry. Nighy is a study in nimble charisma, relishing Hare’s diatribes about the charlatans who clog up the modern world, and Mulligan is admirably measured — yet erupts startlingly during the play’s most explosive moment."
Henry Hitchings for The Evening Standard
Henry Hitchings for The Evening Standard
