Top 5 shows of 2019

I still have at least two shows to go yet, but looking forward to doing my ranking!

In the meantime - are there any rules? Is it only new things, or anything we've seen this year?

I only have a couple more shows before the end of the year so might as well do it now!

For shows/productions I hadn't previously seen:
1. Come From Away (Phoenix)
2. Death of a Salesman (Young Vic)
3. Lungs (Old Vic)
4. All My Sons (Old Vic)
5. Showstopper (Other Palace)

It's been a fairly disappointing year overall, especially on the musicals front (or maybe I'm just too fussy). I've walked out at the interval more times this year than ever before.

My two favourite nights at the theatre this year weren't new shows/new productions though, but the closing nights of 42nd Street and Les Mis, so the full list would be:

1. 42nd Street closing night
2. Come From Away
3. Les Mis original production closing night
4. Death of a Salesman
5. Lungs

Small Island - NT
A German Life - Bridge
Hansard - NT
Mame - Hope Mill
Assassins - Watermill

1. Follies (no theatre experience has been as good as the final night of Follies)
2. Preludes
3. Islander
4. The Doctor
5. Blues in the Night

This was so hard! There were 6 other shows that could have just as easily been included for me (Caroline, or Change, Medea, Downstate, Small Island, Jesus Christ Superstar, and The Lehman Trilogy).

Ignoring the shows that opened in 2018, my list comprises:

- Jesus Christ Superstar (Barbican)
- Fiddler on the Roof (Playhouse)
- Assassins (Watermill / Nottingham Playhouse)

I'm a bit hard pressed to come up with a top 5 as not a lot has stuck out to me this year as a five star, but there are a slue of shows I did thoroughly enjoy. Honourable mentions to Emilia, Pinter (Season 7), Les Mis Concert, and A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Bridge. I did think I would enjoy The Lehman Trilogy more than I did - whilst technically brilliant, I think it was missing that little bit of heart.

If I were to include non-new shows, it would be The Inheritance. I was even crazy enough to stay at the stage door on the closing night to 1am, which had to be the most insane thing I did theatre-wise (I usually bolt 11pm latest). Some people may balk at this, but the group of us that had gathered there that night just banded together. We probably thought, f*** it, as long as we weren't inconveniencing others (too much), it was all just a bit of fun for a show that had clearly touched us all. I doubt I would ever do this again for another show or a "major celebrity".

In chronological order -
The Producers at RX Manchester
Sweat
When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other
Wolfie
Shook

1. Grief is the Thing with Feathers (Barbican)
2. All My Sons (Old Vic)
3. A German Life (Bridge)
4. Anna (National Dorfman)
5. A Very Expensive Poison (Old Vic)

This is my family (chic)
Amelie
Approprate
Come from Away
9 to 5

Worst

Preludes
Exp poison
Only fools
Night of the iguana
Bitter Wheat

Mine:

1) Downstate
2) Medea at the Barbican
3) Les Damnes at the Barbican
4) When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other
5) Cougar at Orange Tree

I can't just do five so:

6) Mouthpiece at Soho Theatre
7) Equus at Stratford East
8) Betrayal
9) Slave Play on Broadway
10) Death of a Salesman at Young Vic
11) Sweat and Berberian Sound Studio at Donmar

Worst were All About Eve, The American Clock or Bitter Wheat.

Downstate
Admissions
The Price
Appropriate
Follies

Worst two by a large margin were When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other and The Man in the White Suit

Still a handful to go so will redo if necessary -

TOP FIVE (if seven and five were the same)
When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other
Emilia
The Doctor
Oedipus (Theatergroup Amsterdam)
Light Falls
The Antipodes
The Watsons

BOTTOM ONE
All My Sons (Old Vic)

Come From Away
A German Life
Present Laughter
Rosmersholm
Sweat