Play: Pantaloon's History of Britain

Ah, it's good to get back to the Scoop! When it came up on Time Out, there was never really any doubt. Not with the weather we've been having! The show was Pantaloons' History of Britain (in two hours) and I was hooked. Haven't been there since last year - they only run shows in the summer - and I'm a big fan.

I kinda remembered how to get there, but it was a good job I checked, because I was hazy on the walk from London Bridge station. It's easy though - take the Tooley Street exit, hang a right, carry on past Hay's Galleria, and take - not the next street, but the turn into the plaza after that. And it's right at the end, with a gorgeous view of Tower Bridge. No distance at all.

I picked up the makings of a small picnic in the Marks & Spencer you pass on the way, and made my way straight to the Scoop - which, as the name implies, is a sunken amphitheatre, beside City Hall. I got there about 15 mins early, and it was about 1/3 full - no booking required (or possible) for this venue. You can rent cushions, which I completely forgot about until I had sat down - I decided it wasn't worth getting up again. I discovered later that they seem to have changed their cushion policy - last year, you could rent one by leaving a refundable £5 deposit. This year, it's only £1, it seems, but non-refundable.

The Pantaloons are a mad bunch. They seemed to have a number of friends in the audience, but interacted merrily with pretty much everyone. The show unofficially started several minutes before the official start, with them jizzing everyone up. And finally we were into a race through about 2000 years of history. Two hours, with a 10-minute interval around 1588. During which they distribute comment cards - and bless! they're including a pen this time, very practical.

They're great performers, great singers. Two of them, as I remember, play the guitar at intervals. And they have great fun - and so do we - as they recreate famous moments in history. Highlights include the rather clueless Henry VIII, who has an unfortunate habit of losing his wives and having to get new ones. Popular cultural references are rife, more so in the beginning. Audience interaction is expected. The only bum note, for me, was the 15-minute excerpt from Richard III. Apart from witty asides, it's played pretty straight, and I have no idea what it's doing in there. Its tone differs completely from the rest of the play, and if they can't do anything with the production of it, I think they should leave it out entirely.

Having said that, I had fun, they had fun, and it was a fantastic evening to be outdoors. Roll on many more such! And it was free.. This show runs for just one more night - although the company is touring - the Fringe Festival at the Scoop runs until the 20th, and the Scoop will be hosting free events right through until September 26th. Certainly, if you're in London over the summer, don't miss it!

There's lots of interesting stuff roundabouts:

 

 

Now, I dunno about you, but to me, that skyline is beginning to look like something out of a cartoon..

 

Tomorrow, Helen and I are heading to the zoo. We have tickets to tomorrow's Zoo Lates event, for which we got a half price offer on Time Out. Sold out now, and the offer probably is too. These run on Friday nights, if you're interested. Entertainment and animals! Definitely different. And on Saturday, I have a free ticket to Dreams of the Orient, a dance show in Fairfield Halls in Croydon, courtesy of ShowFilmFirst. Earlier in the day, I figure I'll regret it if I don't head along, for a while at least, to the Naked Bike Ride..