We were fortunate to see Theresa Rebecks play Seminar, directed by Terry Johnson, at Hampstead theatre last week. With its wordy and modish exploration of Literary Luvvies, this is the play for people who get off on the letters pages of the London Review of Books. That said, Roger Allam impresses as Leonard, novellist turned teacher, whose bullying rhetoric and outward chauvinism masks a complex character riddled with self-loathing and the fear of failure. The play also examines some important issues: feminism vs postfeminism, the transactional nature of writing in a postmodern age vs the transformative power of a Liberal Arts education, and the power of male-centric patronage vs the ultimate hope that true talent will win the day. The play makes for uncomfortable viewing for academics and writers and may leave everyone else feeling non-plussed but is worth catching if you can.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 18:12:36 +0000