Play: The Beaux' Strategem

Looking for something to do last night, nothing appealed in the Meetup groups of which I'm a member. So I had a look at the film list - but what appealed more was The Beaux' Strategem, a play running at the National, and being attended by one of those theatre Meetup groups that charge a membership fee. So I booked my own ticket - at the venue website, seeing as they still had cheap £15 tickets available, and no booking fee.

I left yesterday evening in good time. As it's a Restoration comedy, I felt justified in unpacking my velvet coat - a little decadence is permissible on such occasions, I think! The first Tube wasn't heading into town - but oh! it's lovely not to have to rush, and I was in no great hurry. Neither was I perturbed as it chugged slowly along, or pushed about dashing up the steps onto the bridge. Indeed, I arrived about half an hour early - how unusual, for the National! and treated myself to a tasty, if overpriced, chocolate ice cream. Which I ate on the terrace outside the café, on that level between the Olivier Stalls and Circle. The café was practically deserted, and I had the terrace entirely to myself, with most people milling about outside either the Stalls or Circle themselves. And it was a lovely evening to sit and gaze.

My seat in the theatre was to the side - but no harm there - second row from the front of the Circle. And I do believe the performance was entirely sold out, from what I could see. There was supposed to be music playing when we came in - the person I got my ticket from had said as much to the person in front of me in the queue; she was getting headphones, and the box office person suggested that she could try them out on this pre-performance music. They must have been tired of playing though - although I could see the band, perched on a ledge opposite where I was, and dressed in period costume, they were silent for now.

The set is split-level, stairs connecting the levels and allowing the actors to run up and down. There's a lot of running around in this, and a lot of tomfoolery - typical of the period. It's the story of two personable but impoverished young gentlemen, who have travelled to a small country town with the aim of marrying money. It's slow to fire up, but hang in there..

It is hilarious! The text seems original, and has lost some of its comic appeal over the centuries, but the comic genius is in the direction - a wry look here, a staging trick there. Whenever a character takes a fancy to burst into song - which happens from time to time, particularly in the second half - it's preceded by the appearance, on the top level (unexpected by the characters) of one or more of the musicians, as accompaniment. So you have a pause, and then a banjo-player (for instance) pops up upstairs, sporting a big grin. And then we can start.

Comic star of the night is the manservant called "Scrub", who speaks with a Northern English accent and plays the whole thing completely deadpan. He had us rolling in the aisles. It's really enjoyable - the only blot on the evening for me was the return, for the second half, of the stomach pain I'd had earlier, which I'd thought was gone. I am glad I lasted, because I'd have hated to miss this. Runs until 20 September - a long show (nearly three hours, including interval) but highly recommended. (Even with the inclusion of the Stage-Irish persona, and the description of the Irish as "bog-trotters". Forgivable for the times.) Booking advisable.

It was an unpleasant journey home, what with the pain in my stomach. (By the way, if you need the toilet at the National, I recommend the one at the back of the café - less crowded than the others.) I was glad to arrive at West Brompton, only a couple of minutes' walk from home - until I saw my way blocked by police tape! There'd been some incident outside one of the local pubs, and our way home was blocked - leading to a long walk around. At least it meant I got to go by Tesco, which was handy because I needed some groceries. And a man who lives near me accompanied me, and was good enough to carry my shopping all the way back - and a long way it was. And wouldn't you know it - by the time we wound our way back to the other side of the police tape, they were letting pedestrians through..

So I went straight to bed - hence no blogging. Better again today - long may it last! Tonight, I'm off to a meeting of the World Music Meetup: The Sparrows of Paris - Vintage French Chansons. And what a great location - The Troubadour, under 10 minutes' walk from where I live! (Assuming no further police incidents..)