Play: The Nether

Well, I'm back in the saddle again! See, the last two days, it was just too hot to think of going anywhere - certainly, of traipsing to the other side of town. Today, I might have gone to The Scoop, but by lunchtime there were ominous clouds in the sky, and at lunchtime there was torrential rain, thunder and lightning. It never really improved all afternoon, and was raining again by evening - so an outdoor venue was out of the question.

With Richard III still not showing any availability, I came across The Nether, which has the advantage of showing at the Royal Court Theatre, really close to me. The synopsis sounded interesting, and after the interactive trailer, I was hooked. So I booked myself a seat in the balcony - the cheapest, non-restricted view.

Now, Google Maps assured me that I'd be there in 15 minutes. Fair enough, but the website had also said that there was an interactive kiosk in the lobby, and I wanted a go at that - so I said I'd leave a bit early; I wasn't doing anything else anyway. Good job I did - I'd just arrived in the station when I heard an announcement that the Wimbledon branch of the District Line had delays because of a signal failure at Putney Bridge. Unfortunately, I'd just missed a train - you get a view of the tracks on the approach to the station - and had to wait about 10 minutes for the next. All the trains seemed to be going to Edgeware Road, so I said, especially considering the infrequency of the service, that I'd better catch the next one and change at Earl's Court - and that's what I did. I was waiting a considerable time for the next train to town, but I was only going three stops further on, and the theatre is right next door to Sloane Square Tube station. Just turn right - you can't miss it!

I arrived with 10 minutes to spare. The tiny lobby was quite crowded, but I got my ticket without too much delay. Ironically, although the theatre is called "Jerwood Downstairs", you still have to go upstairs for the balcony - the "Jerwood Upstairs" is one more floor up. There had been no interactive kiosk in the lobby - which corresponds to the circle of the "Jerwood Downstairs" - but the foyer of the balcony had one, which I played with for a bit. It's a Second Life type of experience - the graphics are good, but they don't provide much detail. I do recommend making your avatar fly, it's quite cool. After a couple of minutes of that, I was ready to take my seat, which was in the middle row of the three rows in the balcony, and in the centre of the row. I'm glad I wasn't in the back row - its view seems to be impeded a bit by the ceiling spotlights. As for the front row of the balcony, the website warned that it had restricted legroom. Mine was ok, although it helped that the couple on one side of me moved over one when they realised the seat on their other side was free.

Now, the reason that they have an interactive trailer on the website, and a Second Life type kiosk in the foyer, is that this play is set in a not-too-distant future, where most people spend most of their time in "the nether" - the new name for the internet, essentially. There are five characters in this play, although two of them only exist in the nether, and are alter-egos for two of the "in-world" (real, if you will) characters. One of the in-world characters is a detective, working for a "nether investigation unit", and the play concerns itself with the question - if you commit a crime in the nether, (a) should it be considered a crime in-world, and (b) does it have any ramifications in-world?

This is a very clever play. Well, I thought it was fascinating. I do wonder whether the people in the stalls are at a disadvantage, considering that the in-world characters spend most of their time sat at a table with a screen on top, that gives the appearance of being interactive - a la touchscreen computing. I'm not sure you could see it from the stalls, and for that reason I was glad to be seated upstairs. There is a display on the wall behind them, but it doesn't show exactly what's on the table, and I wouldn't have missed that.

The in-world action serves to remind us of the plotline, but - as did the characters the detective is questioning - I found the sections set in the nether the most fascinating. For those, a digital display on the rear wall resolves gradually into a photograph, then a panel opens in the centre of the rear wall to reveal a raised stage, surrounded by disorientating mirrored walls, and with transparent steps leading up to it from different sides. Until someone does enter from the side, it's impossible to see where the entrances and exits are! It's also completely removed from the style of the rest of the play, as we see this ideal world, created by one of the characters in a Victorian style. With a twist, which I shan't give away, except to say that paedophilia is involved - that's not a spoiler, it's on the theatre website.

And so we return to the question - does the fact that it's happening virtually make it ok? If so, how far are you prepared to go with that thought? And does any of this have real-world consequences? Me, I loved this! Highly recommended, if the subject interests you at all. 1 hour 20 minutes, no interval - so over nice and fast - as someone remarked on the way out, "It's still light!" Adult viewing only - many people will find the content disturbing. Runs until the 9th.

On the way home, at least I got a direct Tube - and got to watch the passengers play "Tube bingo" as two Wimbledon-bound trains were stopped on adjacent platforms at Earl's Court, and literally hundreds of passengers decamped from my train to catch the other, figuring it would leave first! Maybe because it was a newer model. I decided to stay put - I wasn't in that much of a hurry. And - nyeh - mine left first. (Cue smug expression.)

Well, tomorrow, I'm finally getting around to seeing Bring Up the Bodies. I should have seen it ages ago, when I saw Wolf Hall, to which it's the sequel. Staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company, they're based on the Booker Prize-winning books by Hilary Mantel. Set at the court of Henry VIII, they tell the story of Thomas Cromwell, who rose high in his favour by supporting and enabling his marriage to Anne Boleyn, despite the inconvenient fact that he was already married. By the time of Bring Up the Bodies, however, Henry has begun to tire of Anne, who has merely managed to provide him with a daughter, despite her promises of a son. And one of her ladies-in-waiting, Jane Seymour, is waiting in the wings.. I loved the first, and am really looking forward to the second. Despite booking being slower for this than for Wolf Hall, the official website was still sold out. After much shopping around, the cheapest tickets - by far - I found were on seatwave.com, where I got two resold tickets for not much more than face value for one! Even though I had to buy two, they were still far cheaper than the next best price. Granted, they're in the rafters, but I hope the view is ok. I have to go to the office in Moorgate first to collect them, then take a bus to the Aldwych Theatre. Will probably grab a bite to eat somewhere in between, given that there's a gap between the office closing time and showtime.

And on Sunday, I'm going to see a play in the Globe for the first time! I've done the tour, but never seen a play there - I'm headed to the matinee of Antony and Cleopatra. The only availability was on lovetheatre.com. Now, the seating is on wooden benches, so I'll have to try and hire a cushion beforehand..