'Brief Encounter'

I have had a lifelong aversion to the theatre, only ever going under duress one way or another. But earlier this year - or maybe it was last year - the Minx took me to see Emma Rice's adaptation of 'Wuthering Heights', which I enjoyed enormously. 

Encouraged by this, perhaps, she then bought us tickets for Emma Rice's take on 'Brief Encounter', which we saw this evening at the Royal Exchange. 

Happily, it was not more of the same - I would have been disappointed if Rice simply applied the same formula to each story she staged - but it was very good.

Which is not to deny that I spent the first half of the show with my usual theatre anxiety. But I settled into the second half and actually enjoyed it. Apart from anything, the cast were amazing and multi-talented: great actors, dancers, and musicians. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm no theatre convert, but I would go again (If it was Emma Rice).