THE STAGE EDIT: SKYLIGHT

Ok, we are going to shake things up a bit today. In the Acts of Kindness post I published a couple weeks ago, I mentioned that I went to see the play, Skylight. Well today, I am going to tell you a bit more about it instead of one of the movies I've seen recently. Before Skylight, the last time I saw a theatre production was back in September 2012 when I went to see Sister Act: The Musical (It was flippin' fantastic!) for a friend's birthday.  But as I was a student and preferred to treat myself to trips to the cinema (shocker!) and have a steady supply of all things sugary to fuel my design project, dissertation, lab projects, coursework and exam needs, going to the theatre regularly was not high on my to-do list due to its hefty price tag. However, now that I am considered by society as an adult and have a bit more money than when I was in uni, I have decided to delve into the world of theatre a bit more - starting with Skylight.

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Photo Credit: National Theatre Live

When I heard that the National Theatre was going to broadcast a live performance of Skylight a few months ago, I did not hesitate to book myself a ticket. I had never heard of the play before but when I saw that Carey Mulligan (Inside Llweyn Davis; The Great Gatsby; Never Let Me Go) and Bill Nighy (About Time; Pirate Radio; Love Actually) were to star in the production how could I not get a ticket? Now, I have not reached the 'Travel to London to See a Live Performance Piece' stage quite just yet so NTL screenings at local cinemas of shows that don't tour the whole of the UK will do just fine. But who knows, maybe that will change... Anyway... Skylight! David Hare (Page Eight; The Reader; The Hours) is the playwright whose imagination birthed Skylight - a play centred around a family whose dynamics was both perfected and warped by the arrival of a certain Miss Kyra Hollis. Directed this time around by Stephen Daldry (The Reader; The Hours; Billy Elliot), Skylight is about love, loss, differences in social class, desire and politics. It was absolutely fascinating, funny and quite emotional. Although this play was first premièred back in 1995 and won an Olivier Award for Best New Play in 1996, the story and views of the world expressed by characters still seemed relevant to present day which is quite sad. One would have hoped things would have changed but apparently it has not. The set was impressive though! I could not believe actual food was being prepared on stage during the play. Oh how times have changed from when I used to take part in my school plays and we either used our imagination or replicas of things made out of paper/cardboard. The production as a whole was great and I am so glad I got to see it!

Watching the performance live at the cinema was a bit surreal. I am not sure if I can describe it properly but I will give it a whirl. It was not as...two-dimensional (?) as watching a film or TV show can be; it was  more 3D if not 4D as the time element definitely made it more unique and/or real. It felt like I was actually in the theatre and sat in the best seat in the house. It was brilliant!

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And the acting? Superb! Carey Mulligan's, Bill Nighy's and Matthew Beard's (The Imitation Game; One Day; An Education) performance was amazing to see "live". I just could not get over the fact that everything was so seamless. No editing. No yelling cut and having to redo a scene. It was just all so fluid. I am not sure I would have been able to handle being sat in theatre with them being a mere few feet from me as I am a huge fan of their work. I could barely contain my excitement in the cinema haha. Carey Mulligan starred as the opinionated, passionate and patient school teacher, Kyra Hollis. Matthew Beard took on the role of Edward Sargeant, a caring, spontaneous and funny young lad who wants nothing more than to rekindle his relationship with Kyra. And Bill Nighy reprises his role as Edward's charismatic, ambitious and slightly pompous father, Tom - a character he played before back in 1997- who wants a second chance at making things right with those whom he loves. Although the characters do seem to be polar opposites in some regards as evidenced by the heated discussions they have with each other, which are toned down by the witty remarks woven within the script, there are some qualities that they do have in common which makes their relationship with each other work.

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As much as I love TV and films, watching Skylight has reignited my appreciation for the theatre. If you are one of the lucky ones who have managed to snag some tickets to see this at Wyndham Theatre then I hope you enjoy(ed) the show. For those that are not in the UK and missed the NTL screening on the 19th of July, the International NTL screening is set for the 23rd of October, 2014. If you do get the chance to see this beautiful, funny and captivating play, I encourage you to watch it.There is something in it for everyone.

When was the last time you went to the theatre and what did you see?

Mo x