As a rule I swerve new operas and plays. They are not always bad but that’s the probability. Conversely a new ballet is worth the detour but it’s less of an investment as it’s shorter.
Having said that, I have seen some excellent new plays over the years along with a slew of stinkers. Patriots by Peter Morgan is one of the best. I have and I expect you have seen his The Queen, The Crown and Frost/Nixon. Patriots is about the relationship between Boris Berezovsky (Tom Hollander) and Vladimir Putin (Will Keen). Both actors have an impressive list of stage, film and television roles. I remember Tom Hollander for his portrayal of Corky in The Night Manager.
Thinking of Frost/Nixon and, come to think of it, The Two Popes, I expected a two-handed psycho-drama and that’s what I got but it had a bigger cast: Roman Obramovich, Alexander Litvinenko (who ate his last lunch at itsu in Piccadilly), Boris Yeltsin and others. Putin and Obramovich are the only survivors.
Another of my preconceptions is new plays are short. I once went to a Pinter premiere at The Almeida and it was mercifully short both in words and duration. Patriots, at nigh on three hours, is of Shakespearean length and a subject worthy of a tragedy by the Bard. Peter Morgan knows his trade and, helped by Rupert Goold’s pacey production, used chiaroscuro to make the time fly. I hope it may transfer to the silver screen like Frost/Nixon.
I welcome your positive review, Christopher. I am going next week!