(slightly belated) best of 2008 - theatre

Having spent some 200 evenings at one cultural event or another, I thought it was worth making a list of highlights. And I'll expand accordingly where I feel there's more than one deserving candidate in each category.

The 'big four' subsidised venues (National Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, Almeida Theatre, Royal Court) continued to churn out tons of good work, and I also had some wonderful experiences in the commerical sector through careful picking, usually chosen because of the director (6 Characters at Gielgud, The Norman Conquests at Old Vic - see below).

New play: Two David Hare plays bookended our 2008 diary, and I personally preferred The Vertical Hour to Gethsemane. Neither was flawless, but TVH managed to consummate the marriage of compelling dialogues and effective dramatic structure with a much more gratifying result. One of my favourite directors, Robert Lepage, returned with the epic 7-hour Lipsynch to the Barbican (9 hours as billed, if you count the intervals too). Again, it had its weaker moments, but you come out at the end of it feeling revitalised and grateful for having been part of it.

Classics: our respective Chekov and Ibsen appetites were satisfied by Ivanov (perfect start to the Donmar in West End season) and Rosmersholm (Almeida - Helen Mcrory particularly notable). Even more memorable, however, was the fabulous Alan Ayckbourn introduction in the shape of The Norman Conquests at the Old Vic - Table Manners being simply one of the funniest things I have ever seen on stage anywhere.

Acting: Simon Russell Beale was the Actor of the Year (again), hands down. We now automatically book anything that he's in, knowing that he'll somehow transform even the most problematic script (and this rarely happens, as he's reliable with his choices, too) into a sublime experience. One to watch is Bertie Carvel, who was outstanding in The Pride at Royal Court Upstairs. Also notable were the entire Steppenwolf ensemble in Osage County (there's still time to catch one of the final performances, if you're in London), and the comedic nuance that Maria Tyzack managed to convey with every single one of her lines in The Chalk Garden (Donmar Warehouse).