The Old Vic

On the 1st of June I went to see Sweet Bird of Youth, a play by Tennessee Williams at The Old Vic theatre near Waterloo station. The theatre is beautiful. The entrance is very small, but you do have to pass by some gorgeous white pillars to get to the main doors. The box office is all perfectly matching with the carpet and the staircases. Along the stairs there are photographs of actors and performers who have performed there in the past. Once you get inside to the seating areas, you see how few seats there are, and how intimate the experience will be for you the spectator. 

The edges of the different circles are designed in a baroque style, as well as the ceiling of the hall. The stage is a very irregular shape, and you can see the step up for the first scene already in position. One thing I love about theatre, is when the lights go down. All of a sudden everyone is silent, everyone wants to see and hear the performance and no one speaks. That moment when the lights go down is probably my favourite. It shows that people still appreciate the arts. 

The play was interesting and even though it was written a while ago the problems carried through out it are present in the past. People do depend on their looks and their youth to help them get by in life, but once youth fades, it is difficult for you to succeed and be as good as you were before. Kim Cattrall played a  very dramatic character, and I think she performed wonderfully showing the weaknesses and the strengths of the character well. The other actors however had difficulty with performing with a Southern American accent and therefore their performances weren't as good as hers. 

Here's the theatre's website: http://www.oldvictheatre.com/