BILINGTON’S TOP TEN PLAYS OF 2014 WERE FULL OF SCOTT MARSHALL CLIENTS

As the year draws to a close, The Guardian’s Michael Billington has looked back over the theatrical successes of 2014, and named his top ten plays. We were thrilled to see that so many of his choices included contributions from Scott Marshall clients:

GYPSY // Chichester Festival Theatre // JULIE LEGRAND & IAN WILLIAM GALLOWAY

Stephen Sondheim’s phenomenal Gypsy played to packed houses at Chichester Festival Theatre in the Autumn, starring Imelda Staunton as Momma Rose and our own Julie Legrand in the infamous role of stripper Electra. The brilliant Ian William Galloway also designed the video for what Billington has hailed as “the musical revival of the year”. Hot off the press is the news that Gypsy is transferring to the Savoy Theatre in March 2015, and we can’t wait to see this hit back on stage.

THE CRUCIBLE // Old Vic, London //  ADRIAN SCHILLER

The Crucible played at The Old Vic in the Summer, to enormous critical acclaim and five star reviews across the board. Yael Farber’s production focussed on the present danger of religious-fundamentalism, giving the Salem witch-hunts “a strange dream-like quality”, according to Billington. Alongside Richard Armitage as John Proctor, appeared the brilliant Adrian Schiller as Reverend Hale, who recently won the Broadway World UK Award for Best Featured Actor and has been nominated for a WhatsOnStage Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal.

FATHERS AND SONS // Donmar Warehouse // TIM McMULLAN

Brian Friel’s Fathers and Sons played at the Donmar Warehouse in the Spring, a production which centres on the collision between young anarchists and the senior establishment in 19th century Russia. The brilliant Tim McMullan wowed critics as dandyish Pavel, with Billington saying, “every performance was perfect… Tim McMullan’s secretly heartbroken Europhile dandy”. There was no doubt that Lyndsey Turner’s excellent production was another triumph at the Donmar and we’re looking forward to Tim appearing at the National in Man and Superman in the New Year.

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA // RSC, Stratford // CHRISTOPHER SHUTT

This was the first time in 45 years that The Two Gentlemen of Verona had been performed in full on the RSC stage, as well as the RSC directorial debut for Simon Godwin. The fabulous Christopher Shutt designed the sound for what Billington calls an “outstanding” production.

THE JAMES PLAYS // Festival Theatre, Edinburgh // CHRISTOPHER SHUTT

Three new plays about James I, II and III premiered at the Edinburgh International Festival and our very own Christopher Shutt designed the sound for the first two. Written by Rona Munro and directed by Laurie Sansom, James I: The Key Will Keep The Lock and James II: Day of the Innocents were a new cycle of history plays, bringing to life the three generations of Stewart Kings who ruled Scotland in the tumultuous fifteenth century. This was atmospheric drama at its best.