Natalie O'Donoghue's Top Shows Of The Decade

On February 13th 2013 I attended my first theatre show reviewing for BroadwayWorld. I love an end-of-year list and although challenging, I thought a top ten of the decade would be fitting to mark the occasion.

Was it easy to choose just ten from the seven hundred and fifty seven shows I've covered for the website? No. It's been awful. I've seen a lot of theatre over the last ten years and have been lucky enough to see some truly incredible work. While I've covered a lot of touring productions and shows in other areas of the UK, it's clear that my heart largely belongs to Scottish theatre and it's not a coincidence that the same creatives keep popping up when I look back at the shows that have meant the most to me.

Wendy Hoose (Assembly Rooms 2015)
I had a vague awareness of Birds of Paradise Theatre Company but Wendy Hoose was the first piece of work I saw by them. BOP Theatre put disabled performers and creatives at the centre of their work to create world-class theatre. Wendy Hoose was directed by Robert Softley-Gale and Johnny McKnight and remains one of the funniest things I have ever seen onstage. Amy Conachan was an exceptional casting and I would love to see this show return in some capacity. This is a playtext that I return to often and if you know me well, I've probably given you a copy as a gift at some point.

Best Laid Plans - Rachel Parris (Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2016)
I had assumed that my top ten theatre list would be strictly musicals or plays but I love live comedy and have to give a nod to my favourite comedy hour that I've reviewed. I sort of accidentally stumbled upon Rachel's 2014 show Live In Vegas and enjoyed it so much that she was at the top of my list for Fringe must-sees in 2016. Best Laid Plans is a beautifully crafted show that is my idea of perfect musical comedy. It felt like a bold move at the time because it was before the 'comedy show with a sad bit' became a thing and managing to be genuinely quite vulnerable as well as utterly hilarious kind of blew my mind. If you missed it live, you can watch it on Nextup Comedy and I strongly recommend that you do.

Glasgow Girls (Citizens Theatre 2014)
Directed by Cora Bissett, Glasgow Girls is the true story of a group of Glasgow teenagers who join forces when their school friend is forcibly taken from their home to be deported. It's a truly remarkable story and everything about this production was incredible and was without a doubt one of the best things I saw in the last ten years.

The Snaw Queen (Tron Theatre 2016)
I imagine if I had children, being asked to choose my favourite would be similar to trying to choose my favourite Johnny McKnight panto. The Tron Theatre annual pantomime is the jewel in my theatre-going crown and every other year, writer Johnny McKnight stars in the show on a rotation with the Macrobert Theatre in Stirling. The Snaw Queen sticks out in my mind as it featured my other pantomime favourite Darren Brownlie. The casting of these two together is a dream for me and The Snaw Queen had all of their trademark wit. It was also a special one for me as I took a wee pal for his first-ever panto and he absolutely adored it.

Bold Girls (Citizens Theatre 2018)
Written by Rona Munro and set in early 90s Belfast, Bold Girls is a story about friendship and betrayal. This was a truly remarkable production and one that has obviously stayed with me for a long time. The performances were excellent and the writing was packed with humour.

My Left Right Foot (National Theatre of Scotland 2018)
Another Birds of Paradise Theatre production makes the cut! My Left Right Foot was a National Theatre of Scotland musical that took a look at whether it was acceptable for able-bodied actors to 'crip up' for a role. In typical BOP style, My Left Right Foot is absolutely outrageous and a riot from start to finish. The music was created by Noisemaker and I will never know peace until we get some kind of cast recording.

What Girls Are Made Of (Traverse Theatre 2018)
I first saw and reviewed What Girls Are Made Of at the 2018 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. I was completely blown away by the story of Cora Bissett's time in indie band Darlingheart and insisted everyone I know go and see it. Then when it embarked on a Scottish tour the following year I really insisted and bought friends tickets for several venues. What makes this show so special to me? I love the storytelling combined with the music and it has so much heart. The mark it has left on me is quite literally permanent as I got a little Shetland pony tattoo after it finished its 2019 Edinburgh Fringe run.

Gut (Tron Theatre 2018)
Written by Frances Poet, Gut is a gripping play about who can be trusted with our children. In a casual conversation about their outing, three-year-old Joshua's grandmother mentions to his mother Maddy that during an emergency toilet situation in a supermarket, she allowed a stranger to take the toddler to the bathroom. The grandmother saw it as a kind gesture but Maddy obsesses and rages over whether something more sinister could have happened. What sticks with me about seeing this play was the prolonged tension in the auditorium. Poet's writing is exceptional and the performances were outstanding.

Mouthpiece (Traverse Theatre 2019)
Another Edinburgh Fringe show for me. I saw Mouthpiece by Kieran Hurley in 2019 at the Traverse Theatre and it is one of these plays that hits you like a gut punch and stays with you for a very long time. I saw it again when it came to the Tron Theatre in early 2020 and it's a playtext I find myself going back to fairly often as it reads so well.

Moorcroft (Tron Theatre 2022)
I was hesitant about putting something so recent in my top ten list of the decade but I'm going with my gut on this. Eilidh Loan's Moorcroft opened at the Tron Theatre in 2022 and is coming back to the stage in 2023 with National Theatre of Scotland. It is some of the most beautiful and moving writing I've seen in a long time and something I know I'll stand by in years to come.

As much as I am someone who loves a list, narrowing down 737 shows to just 10 is not something I would recommend to anyone. I've had an amazing time reviewing theatre, music and comedy for BroadwayWorld over the last decade and I am looking forward to what other productions lie ahead!

Photo Credit: Mihaela Bodlovic

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