Mirror and the Light-Gielgud

In the current circumstances when theatre is trying to get back on its feet, I think it would have been logistically incredibly costly and risky to remount the first two productions alongside TMATL in repertoire. It more than likely took a supreme effort to put this on as it is with a cast of 24 or whatever.

I am really sad and disappointed that the extension has been cancelled. Some of the reviews were mixed but it was an intelligent, adult drama in a musical heavy landscape. Apart from Leopoldstadt there is nothing similar for the play fan.

I know it's baby steps but I hope this doesn't signal a widespread reluctance on the part of producers to mount plays of quality in the West End.

And on a general note of exasperation, and in consideration of the producers' talk of risk with covid this winter, it annoys me intensely that no-one is wearing masks in the theatres right now. It's a mitigation which I think would seriously help the effort to keep our theatres and shows open and running.

To Kill a Mockingbird is coming next year and has sold incredibly well so I think it's a bit premature to suggest that plays no longer have a place in the West End. 

It probably means now the Gielgud has a perfect gap for a limited season before To Kill a Mockingbird comes in. I wonder will The Tragedy of Macbeth take it if Saoirse Ronan is not contracted elsewhere.

Yes, which is great, and I have booked for that and Life of Pi. Just still not *that* many plays announced so far and one of the few that has is coming off early.

I'm still hoping for Oedipus, The Doctor, The Watsons, The Pillowman, The Seagull, A Doll's House.

Producers blame covid 'uncertainty ' over the cancellation

www.theguardian.com/books/2021/oct/26/hilary-mantel-play-to-close-amid-covid-uncertainty-the-mirror-and-the-light

I think it isn’t the kind of thing most people would book for the perhaps one and only pre Xmas treat. And it will be on the telly. And what with two previous manifestations, ie play 1 and play 2, do we really want play 3? To my mind, after Anne Boleyn, who’s interested? Better a trip to Six with the kids and Grandma - short, funny, loud, feels like an outing. Can learn the songs….

Oedipus was announced but never confirmed a theatre or dates so it could be pushed back without bother. Both Mark Strong and Helen Mirren have film commitments at the moment so probably it's about finding a suitable date in 2022 or even 2023. 

Its probably more that people are reluctant to book for a show which was niche anyway due to the length of gap between the parts 2 and 3. It would have struggled anyway without Covid, but may have gone into Stratford first to get more of a buzz

Well I seem to have a good sense of what sells 🤣

I enjoyed this. I thought Miles/Mantel did a decent job and the cast were excellent. Nothing challenging or spectacular about it, but a good evening's entertainment, intelligently done and with lots of humour. Someone sitting behind me was complaining loudly in the interval with a long list of Mantel's historical inaccuracies, but that's not really the point - it's fictionalised, she's created a great character, and it was a good piece of theatre.

I think the timing/location was unfortunate. It would have worked well in Stratford, and it's a shame they couldn't have shelved it for a couple of years and done the whole trilogy. But it still works as a standalone, and was well worth the £20 for a rush ticket.

I was talking to a producer not connected with the show who had seen it - he said he thought the main problem was that despite all the elements being in place it was lacking something in the adaptation and so it simply wasn't compelling theatre.