Natasha Tripney
@NatashaTripney
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Writer. Critic. International editor at The Stage. Longlisted for the @LucyCavColl Prize 2021. Café Europa on Substack.
London
Joined March 2015
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Interested in European theatre? Each week on Café Europa, I profile the artists, festivals and venues making some of the most exciting work on the continent. To read more, check out the link in my bio.
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We do not cheer enough about the existence of the
@The_Globe
£5 pit tickets. As student, this was how I learned about theatre. The sun on my shoulders, the actors inches from my face and Shakespeare's words in the air.
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Just trying to wrap my head round the fact we have a Minster for Children who voted against extending free school meals and against allowing refugee children to be reunited with their families.
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I know so many passionate & adventurous arts journalists – did the BBC even try to find someone who gives a shit?
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I mean I might be wrong but I am struggling to believe that David Mamet's 'black farce' on the monstrosity of Harvey Weinstein is what theatre needs right now
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Feel we're at worrying place regarding the Arts Council, BBC, etc. It's a slippery slope and our culture is at risk. Whatever the flaws of those organisations, the prospect of a narrower, more controlled and constrained cultural landscape is something we should resist.
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The loss of Trafalgar Studio 2 is a reminder of what London still bafflingly lacks: a centrally located, creatively programmed studio space where fringe work can have a longer life. When all this is over, maybe it's time to resurrect The Shed?
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I do hope the National finds a way to stream Natasha Gordon’s Nine Night, a play about grief, loss, generations gathering together and the rituals of mourning in a Black British family, a play that for many might provide a source of solace, catharsis and connection right now.
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The loss of
@The_Globe
would be a global loss. It's a space of education, discovery and celebration, and it does all this with no public subsidy.
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The poster for the new production of Oedipus at the Yugoslav Drama Theatre is, erm, quite something
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Theatre people, if you receive a review you're not happy with maybe don't track down the young female critic on social media and send them ugly messages. There are better ways to behave.
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So I will be leaving my role as reviews editor at
@thestage
in September. I’ll still be writing for them regularly, but will have more time for freelance work and other projects. I’ve had a wonderful time working there and look forward to continuing my relationship with the paper
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This is such a damaging narrative. It doesn't take into account all the many economic and social barriers people face. To suggest those who can't make it in the industry lack passion does them a huge disservice.
“It’s going to be almost impossible to make a living from theatre for the next few years. The people who get out there are going to be the most passionate ones. The next age could be a time of innovation.”
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Every single conversation I've had about the Edinburgh fringe this year has revolved around the eye-watering costs. Even the most committed fringe-goers I know will be seeing less, going for shorter periods if they're going at all - how is this sustainable?
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Always love that moment at
@The_Globe
when you look up and realise that night has arrived while your eyes have been on the stage.
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I wonder if after this some theatres might explore the European repertory model, or aspects of it. Smaller number of productions in rotation for longer. More time spent on development and rehearsal and, crucially, a greater degree of financial security for performers
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I have an article in the excellent
@vittleslondon
about Balkan food, diaspora identity, nationalism, Yugonostalgia - and the café my family used to run in 1960s Notting Hill
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It's striking how the majority of conversations around international travel have focused on business and holidays and not on the large numbers of people in the UK with families abroad. For so many people there's more than just a summer holiday at stake.
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This is so upsetting. Everyone who works at The Stage cares about the industry deeply. It's one of the pleasures of working there. But these are really hard times and inevitably it’s affected us too. Heartbreaking.
As a direct result of the Covid-19 crisis, we regret to announce The Stage is entering into a period of redundancy consultations.
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Last night at the theatre I sat next to a dad watching his daughter make her West End debut and he was radiating pride and delight and it made my icy heart melt a little bit.
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Send me your
@edfringe
press releases by all means but if you address them to Mrs Tripney I will just send them to my mum.
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@youngvulgarian
@93vintagejones
Still annoyed about the central London bar that sold me and my friends a bottle of wine at 10.40pm and then 2 mins later began shutting up for the night despite their website saying they closed at midnight. This was on a Saturday!
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This is deeply troubling, slippery slope stuff. Anti-art and anti-artist.
APNews: Arts Council England (
@ace_national
) has updated its policies, warning that "political statements" made by individuals linked to an organisation can cause "reputational risk", breaching funding agreements (1/5)
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Worth noting that
@royalcourt
is currently showing two shows about the energy and complexity of female adolescence featuring cracking performances by young women and that is a very pleasing piece of programming
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Also the fact that the Bridge Theatre has only programmed male playwrights and male directors in its opening season is rather sigh-making.
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Veering between thinking that the gov’s silence on theatre is a deliberate attempt to weaken an arena for free thought, and that the opposite is true and they are just a bunch of incompetents who have no real grasp of how the industry works, and I’m not sure which is worse.
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I mean I'm all for theatrical polylingualism and plurality, but I'm pretty sure a sizeable chunk of the sector is already fluent in Tory and that is part of the reason the industry is in jeopardy.
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Last night I saw a play. On a proper stage. In an actual theatre. With walls and a ceiling. And a bar. And music. And dancing. And LIFE. And it was wonderful.
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I'm interested in finding out more about theatres and companies incorporating new ideas about streaming and digital access into their future plans. Has the last few months prompted a shift in thinking?
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Latest column for
@TheStage
on how the tendency in theatre to equate 'new' with 'young' has a wider impact and needs to be rethought
This is a tough time for anyone to be entering theatre, but older artists tend to get overlooked, says
@NatashaTripney
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Yes, yes, I know there are many bigger access issues in theatre and it's the West End so high prices are par for the course, and it's not like anyone's forcing you to have a drink at the theatre, but I still think charging £7 for a bottle of beer is taking the piss
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Yesterday was my first full day at
@edfringe
and I saw a political thriller, a movie parody, an emotionally exposing solo show, some hand-drawn projections, a small explosion and a vagina. I have missed the richness and weirdness of the fringe.
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Lyn is one of the most committed and insightful theatre critics there is. She is a supporter of artists and journalists alike. She is generous with her time. This is such a shame.
@EricaWhyman
Sadly the rumour is true. After 23 years the Guardian not renewing my contract from June 1.
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Massive congratulations to
@sam_marlowe
on joining
@TheStage
as the new reviews editor. I will be remaining with the paper as international editor, while also branching out as a freelancer.
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Worth saying again that for so many people the foreign travel ban is not just about holidays and second homes. For those who have family overseas, it's like being split in two.
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Reminded once again that I will always prefer seeing productions that aim high and try stuff that doesn't quite come off, than productions that play safe and are subsequently cleaner and neater.
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The thing that's missing in so many conversations about theatre at the moment, understandable with so many people desperately worried about their livelihoods, is pleasure, magic, joy - all the intangible, wonderful stuff that makes it worth doing.
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I'm delighted to have made it onto the
@LucyCavColl
#FictionPrize
2021 longlist with my novel. Thanks to the judges and
@PFDAgents
and congratulations to all the other authors. Very, very happy
We are delighted to announce the longlist of the
@LucyCavColl
#FictionPrize
2021.
Congratulations to the
#authors
who were selected 🍾 Thanks to our judges and to
@PFDAgents
👇
#lucylonglist
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We’re 18 months into a pandemic with a new wave on the way, but according to my Balkan mother there is no bigger threat to one’s health than going outside on a windy day with still-wet hair.
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My piece in the New York Times on the tiny but mighty
@newdiorama
and how it gives companies the support they need to take risks and make the best work they can
Two shows playing on the West End, in London, started out at an 80-seat studio theater that has gained a reputation as an incubator of new talent.
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"She cared deeply about writers." For a piece in today's Guardian, I interviewed writers, actors and directors about Sarah Kane's life, work and legacy
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A head's up that
@The_Globe
is making all the productions in the Globe to Globe Festival free to view via its Globe Player platform. Some real treasures in there.
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Right, I have read the
@edfringe
programme cover to cover, I have covered my copy in ticks, scribbles and coffee cup rings – now comes the time to spreadsheet
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Wrote some words in
@thestage
about responsible criticism, "lop-sided absences" and why we rarely read a review in which male playwrights' kids are mentioned.
A recent review of the play Mum took aim at its playwright’s personal life. Being open about juggling family and creative output is important, but some things should be off-limits, says
@NatashaTripney
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Am about to go and see my first play in an actual theatre since mid-March and I am feeling both excitement and trepidation and several hundred other emotions.
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If you're streaming work, sharing work, filming work, making work, setting up projects, or otherwise plotting, please tell me about it.
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"Hytner told me it was a relief to work in the commercial sector after his time as artistic director, because he could focus on the work and forget about the politics." This is so telling.
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Drumroll, trumpets: Lyn Gardner's theatre blog lives!
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Finally visited Newcastle's
@Alphabetti
theatre and am so glad I did. The place is inclusive and welcoming in so many ways. Pay-what-you-feel policy. Clear explanations of how things work. Affordable bar prices. Numerous tiny kindnesses. This is how it's done.
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I wrote about content warnings and why they are an access tool. They hurt no one and make theatre more inclusive and welcoming to those who need them.
Content warnings are not patronising or reductive, for some theatregoers they are a crucial access tool, says Natasha Tripney
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First column for
@TheStage
in ages on why the government's rescue package is an undoubted relief but it's come far too late for some and why we should resist falling into the trap of gratitude
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I was raised by a single mother and she taught me everything I know about strength, moral courage and responsibility, Boris, you absolute vacuum of humanity.
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Agree with every word of this piece by
@lyngardner
. A new voice is not necessarily a young voice. Life experience can make your work richer. It's frustrating how rarely that is recognised
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So Maxine Peake was an absolute joy to interview – here she is on performing Beckett, her creative relationship with Sarah Frankcom and her frustration with the lack of rich, complex roles for women
Exclusive interview: Actor and writer Maxine Peake talks to The Stage about her stellar career, future projects and her ambition to play Richard III, as her new play Queens of the Coal Age opens
@rxtheatre
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This is such a blow. The
@rxtheatre
is, hands down, one of the UK's most vibrant venues, a one-of-a-kind space run by a brilliant, passionate team of people. The government needs to step up.
A Statement from the Royal Exchange Theatre - July 2020
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Feeling a bit dazed today, as I expect are many in the theatre industry, but it was the right call. We need to support each other over the coming weeks. To look out for those who may be struggling, financially and emotionally. Care will carry us through this. (And wine)
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Reading reviews of Alex Garland's Men, in which Jessie Buckley contends with a village full of hostile strangers all with the face and voice of Rory Kinnear, and wondering if it was inspired by Nicholas Hytner's tenure at the NT?
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All of this. If you're a young POC critic, please drop me a line. I want to hear from you, meet you, work with you. You can reach me on natasha[at]thestage[dot]co[dot]uk
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I was slightly apprehensive about taking my first solo holiday, but am so glad I did it. Read lots. Walked lots. Ate and drank lovely things. Read some more. Spent whole mornings writing. Such a treat. Already plotting the next one.
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The idea of taking a break in order to become bolder and better is a brave one but, I think, a necessary one. To make work of rigour, depth and courage takes time and the current system doesn't allow for that. This is a strong move from
@newdiorama
Today we announce INTERVENTION 01: our biggest singular artistic investment, towards a new movement in British Theatre.
👁️:
No shows and no socials until 2023, while we focus on making the change we all desperately need.
We don’t know what happens next.
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Thrilled to see companies like
@LungTheatre
and
@IconTheatreUK
do well in the
#NPO
round but this system is a brutal way of administering subsidy and reinforces a culture of gratitude
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I've been reading
@guideguardian
since I was a teenager. It has been an essential part of my weekend for years, so I'm over the moon to finally have a piece in its pages.
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UK theatre makers, I'd love to hear details of any literary adaptations you have planned for 2024. Classic texts, new titles, non fiction, if you're adapting a book for the stage, let me know.
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I know theatre is more than just buildings but I miss the buildings
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I reviewed the latest instalments of the UK government's new live-streamed satire
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I suspect introverted, only child are going to do better than most over the coming weeks. I'm pretty sure all I did in the 1990s was stay indoors, write stories and watch films.
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I'd like to think there was a measure of irony in the National programming a debut play about the privileged classes in the Lyttelton. I'd like to think that.
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Operation Mincemeat is finally getting the West End run it deserves. I spoke to the wonderful
@spitlip
about the journey the show has taken since opening at the
@newdiorama
back in 2019
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Settling in to
@TheStage
Edinburgh flat with my fringe family. Despite the fact I have been here an hour and my shoes are already soggy - possibly a record – I have missed this place and can't wait to begin fringe-ing
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This, by
@mrJamesGraham
, is spot-on. Theatre has a class problem in the UK and there's a risk of this becoming even more deeply entrenched
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Wrote a piece for
@TheStage
on how captioning can make theatre more inclusive and accessible in multiple ways, including to immigrant and refugee communities, and it would be nice to see more theatremakers exploring this.
Creatively incorporating captioning into productions can make shows more accessible to a wide range of people, says
@NatashaTripney
. It would be great to see theatres recognise the many ways it can make work more inclusive
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I'm interesting in hearing from disabled theatregoers about their experiences since theatres have reopened. What access issues are you facing? Unhelpful booking systems, a reduction in livestreamed productions? What, if anything, has improved?
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It's my last day at the fringe and I briefly considered walking up Arthur's seat, but then I came to my senses, ate some veggie haggis, went to the Lighthouse bookshop and watched a magic show, and I happy with these choices
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I thought the new
@shittheatre
show was a bit magnificent
★★★★★ Review: Sh!t Theatre Drink Rum with Expats – irreverent, energetic, rum-fuelled new show is
@shittheatre
’s best yet
@Summerhallery
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Feels strange to be leaving
@edfringe
before the end. I will miss this beautiful city and all who sail in her. Seen 53 shows, met some excellent people, encountered some interesting young companies, slept far too little etc
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Don't know where to put my anger about the 'wave down a bus' stuff. Women are furious and that's all they could think to say? Learn to run away more effectively?
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In the first of what will be a regular monthly column for
@TheStage
, I have written about a subject close to my heart: interval drinks (and why they matter)
The wallet-gouging price of drinks at some theatres sucks the joy out of what should be a pleasurable experience, argues Natasha Tripney
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I had such a good time at
#TheStageDebutAwards
tonight - but the best bit for me, by a long way, was the amount of mums in the room. So many artists brought their mums with them.
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Ahead of tonight's opening of Fleabag in the West End I dug up my 2013
@theatremagazine
review of the original Edinburgh production and am pleased to discover it contains the phrase "rampant wanking"
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I am in
@rxtheatre
and it is VIBRATING with young people. So much energy and excitement. Which is, lovely, obviously. And my heart is filled with hope, even as I retreat into the quietest corner I can find with a large wine.
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Yes please to more weird, wild, sprawling plays like this - haven't wanted to get my hands on the playtext this much in ages.
★★★★ Review: The Welkin – Lucy Kirkwood's ambitious, gripping and richly textured history play
@NationalTheatre
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Regarding the conversation around criticism, one of the key questions has to be about sustainability. Being a freelance artists and freelance journalists are both precarious occupations.
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In agreement with
@lyngardner
on this. The idea that there is one 'right' way of doing Shakespeare and that is in any way under threat is blinkered and limiting
The current generation of theatremakers should experiment with different approaches to Shakespeare's plays – rigidly sticking to tradition is what will threaten his legacy, argues Lyn Gardner (
@lyngardner
)
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Love that subtle magic shift when a school group in the audience moves from a state of fidgety, whispery inattention to being totally transfixed. Saw it in action last night
@ShermanTheatre
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Just been sent a press release for An Entertaining Evening with Nigel Farage and am feeling profoundly sad – the idea of the man distilling all the damage he's done into a succession of self-aggrandising anecdotes makes me want to break things
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Dashing around Edinburgh yesterday, head down, in a hurry, I actually paused to look up and the sun was bronzing the buildings and I could see the sea, and, holy shit, I'd forgotten how beautiful this city is.
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Oh how I wish I'd learned earlier the pleasure of eating out alone. The time spent in my own mind. The joy of taking up a table, eating at my own pace. Few other treats come close.
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The free post-show pizza
@newdiorama
is such a generous but also intelligent gesture, typical of a venue that always finding ways of doing things differently.
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Getting ready to attend this year's
@edfringe
from my sofa. Might poor my beer into a plastic cup and spill a little on the floor for the sake of authenticity.
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I have just discovered that Ivo van Hove is directing a version of A Little Life in Amsterdam and I have go and sit somewhere quiet and think about the fact that this exists for a bit
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I've seen 10 plays in the last two weeks in five different cities, from tiny three-handers at
@VAULTFestival
to huge West End musicals. and my job is an absolute joy and I love it, but oh god can I sleep now please
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I am a bit tired with seeing eastern European characters used as cheap comic relief - it's boring and lazy, theatre needs to do better
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Also Ria Zmitrowicz really does make everything she's in extra awesome, doesn't she? I think she is a little bit magic
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Absolutely delighted to present our first
@thestage
Edinburgh Award of this year!s Fringe to the very brilliant Breffni Holahan
.
@breffniholahan
has been named the first winner of The Stage Edinburgh Awards 2019, for her performance in Collapsible
@assemblyroxy
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I went to see Bloodbath, an 'immersive horror experience' and it was genuinely repellent and, I'd argue, irresponsible in multiple ways. A whole world of no.
★ Review: Bloodbath – Ethically questionable, aggressively unpleasant immersive horror experience
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My friend works in an inner city school and she told me that they now offer no arts subjects at A-level as demand isn't high enough. Students feel pressured to study subjects they feel will make them more employable. This makes me so sad.
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Spending today with my lovely mum, who raised me on her own, has always been supportive of my career and life choices, and always has wine in the fridge when I visit – she is ace.
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At the end of my 10th
@edfringe
here are some words on fringes past, the layering of memories that takes place over the years and the disorientating beauty of the city itself
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