Meetup had nothing interesting scheduled for tonight. They're getting a bit lax, mainly, over the summer.. anyway, I found myself back on Time Out, looking for something to go to, and came across The Gathered Leaves, starring Jane Asher and showing in the Park Theatre. Good reviews.. turned out the venue website is sold out for the entire run, but any number of resellers had £20 tickets in the upper level for sale for £26. So I went with Time Out. In retrospect, I probably should have shopped around for someone that would leave the ticket at the box office for me - instead, Time Out shipped it to me, for an extra 95p. Ah well, at least I didn't have to queue at the box office.. in fact, I'd completely forgotten they were to ship it until I arrived back after the weekend and it was there for me! Actually, my flatmate saw it and brought it in, which was just as well - I'd have panicked if I'd realised it was supposed to be posted and I hadn't found it yet..
It's a long journey, but a simple enough one: Tube to Finsbury Park, make sure to take the correct exit, and it's a short walk. Of course, this is while we have the luxury of the Tube - this journey would be completely impossible for me during a strike, and these days those are more and more frequent. They've just announced TWO more for the week after next - that'll be four days in a row when services will be down. They're objecting to the rosters that have been set up for the new 24-hour service supposed to start next month, you see. Well, I sympathise with anyone that has to deal with the likes of Boris Johnson - but they are really pushing the goodwill of the public here. These next strikes will affect people heading away for the bank holiday weekend.. expect trouble, methinks.
May I just take a moment to warn people about the own-brand chicken tikka at the Co-Op. I had business at my local one this evening - actually, at the post office that lives down the back - and decided to buy dinner there. Chicken tikka, because some folks had had it at lunchtime and I'd envied the smell, and it'd been quite a while since I'd had it. Well, "chicken" tikka was almost misinformation, considering the tiny amount of chicken in it - and I was advised to add far too much water during cooking, making the whole thing soggy. Avoid, avoid, avoid..
Dinner over (thankfully) and while we still have the Tube, I took it. And it was a long enough journey that I had time to read the paper cover to cover - thankfully, I got a seat the whole way. And I didn't get lost in the station - just follow the signs for Wells Terrace (and make sure to locate them at each branching of the corridor!). Upon exiting, you can see the theatre, straight ahead on the left. I threaded my way through crowds of people, bravely occupying outside tables despite light rain, and made my way straight upstairs, where they were already open. Wound my way past some people to my bench seat at the side - there are no really bad seats here.
Predictably, this (quite small) theatre was packed - I only saw one free seat from where I was, by the end. The play is a family drama, centred around a family reunion at Easter, and featuring the return of a couple of members to the fold, coinciding with the birthday of the head of the family. Because the family connections are a bit convoluted to remember at the beginning, let me elaborate; the head of the family is the ageing William, his long-suffering wife is Olivia, played by Jane Asher, and they have three children: Samuel, who's autistic, Giles, a doctor, and Alice. Samuel lives in a care home. Giles is married to Sophie, with two grown-up children, Simon and - I can't actually remember his sister's name. And Alice has a daughter, Orelia. And they all come to visit for this fateful Easter.
So, a family drama then. But, as the reviews say, this production breathes new life into an old form. It is absolutely a gem, and I'm not in the least surprised it's so popular! The script absolutely sparkles. The characters are well drawn and complex, beautifully played. The play is utterly engaging - there is laughter, there are tears. There was one scene where one of the performers played the piano - for real, unusually. And as the others clustered around to listen, I found that the most moving scene of the whole night. Very highly recommended - if, as predicted, this moves to the West End, it'll be one of the best things there. Runs until Saturday, and I feel lucky to have seen it - as I say, the official website is sold out, but you might have luck if you search around.
I occupied myself on the Tube back by realising how out of practice my French is, reading the French novel over the shoulder of the woman beside me.. Tomorrow, I'm off to the Globe. Always a treat - and tomorrow is supposed to be the best night of the week to see shooting stars - there's a passing meteor shower. Hey, it's open-air; you never know.. the play is The Heresy of Love, bought on a Time Out offer again, but at a discount this time, in the last hour of the offer. And on Thursday, Meetup redeems itself in the form of the Let's Do London - for less! group, who are off to (ahem) Bears in Space, at the Soho Theatre. There's a rumour of a discount for people who dress up. I'm not tempted.
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