Play: Battlefield

Oo-er, back with London Dramatic Arts tonight for the first time since the war of words that included banning me from posting the link to my blog on their site! All because I posted a link to London Box Office in one of my blog posts, having got a cheaper ticket from them. Well, I didn't have a good alternative for tonight, and I'd have to meet them eventually - so off I went. Tonight's play was in the Young Vic, which is delightfully convenient to Clapham Junction - grab a train to Waterloo, find the exit for bus stop C and it's a short walk - and one I already knew. Google Maps said the whole trip should take just over 20 mins.

Lovely - I got home in plenty of time, and set off in plenty of time; the organiser had said she'd be in the upstairs bar of the Young Vic from 7 to 7.15 or so (for a 7.30 start). I'd make that.. arriving in Clapham Junction station, I checked the London departure board: Victoria, Victoria.. Waterloo in 2 mins, from Platform 4! Well, that was right beside me; I scuttled up the stairs and made the platform at the same time as the train, which turned out to have been delayed - someone had pulled the passenger alarm further down the line. Suited me perfectly..

In Waterloo, I don't doubt there are other ways down to Waterloo Road, but damned if I'm going looking for them. I know one exit, and that exit I will use! Stairs down to the Jubilee Line in the centre of the station, hang a right at the bottom and the exit is straight ahead. Out the door, turn right and walk to the crossroads, with the Old Vic on the other side; hang a left there, the Young Vic is a bit further down on the left. I remember being very surprised when I first found out how close together they are..

The Young Vic was bedlam. Usually is, in fact - the bar is popular, and I don't think exclusively with theatregoers. I could barely get through the lobby - fought my way upstairs, couldn't see anyone I knew in the upstairs bar. Walked all the way through, and when I saw someone go out on the terrace - well, despite the cold of the night, I thought, maybe.. and when I went outside, saw her coming towards me.

Now, I've known her for a little while, and frankly, she does mean well, but can be extraordinarily tactless. Which, I think, was the cause of much of what she said on the group's pages - most of which was subsequently deleted. Well, on balance I don't want to leave the group, and tactlessness isn't, after all, a hanging offence (yet!) and I wasn't going to foster any awkwardness - so I greeted her with a big hug, which was reciprocated, and that was ok. More or less. She gave me my ticket and went off to deal with the other tickets - it was getting close to the deadline for people to collect the remaining ones from the box office, I think - and I went down to where she directed me and had an interesting chat with the group members there about ticket prices.. and Meetup fees.. Honestly, I didn't choose the topic!

Surprisingly, for such a cold night it wasn't that cold on the terrace - but after a bit, we decided to go and find our seats. Unusually for this group, we were scattered about the auditorium - four of us on one side, her on the other; I don't know where the remainder went. All seats are good here anyway, with a good view and good legroom, and we had plenty of time to peruse the stage - very bare, just a bongo drum and some poles for ornamentation, a couple of things to sit on.

The play was Battlefield, based on the Mahabharata. So it surprised me somewhat that the first person on stage looked Chinese.. he turned out to be the drummer, taking a seat and drawing the drum to him. And at first, I had no idea what to make of what happened next. And then I realised - this was closer to storytelling than a play! Should've recognised it - jeez, only last night I was at a storytelling session.. That settled, I could enjoy it.

And enjoy it I did - from the sensual drumming to the pared-back stage; I love minimalism in theatre (no wonder I'm such a fan of Beckett), it allows me to concentrate on the essence of the thing. I also love how you can imagine a pared-back production working in any setting, practically no props. Simpler. And the only essential difference between this and what I was at last night was that a number of different people were playing different parts - otherwise, you had the telling of a story for the sake of the story, the rhythm of the words, the rhythm of the drum in the background..

They were inventive with the use of what little they had on stage, of course, and I thought they really evoked the stories. Stories I wasn't familiar with, but what harm.. they wove their own spell, and I really enjoyed it. Funnily enough, at the end they all sat on stage in silence for what seemed like an eternity, until the lights seemed to brighten a bit and we started to clap - hesitantly.. earning a smirk, I thought, from one of the cast. Still not sure whether they were really finished at that point..

Outside, I lost track of everyone - we found each other eventually, just four of us staying on for a drink. Except the Young Vic was still manic - we figured we must find somewhere better locally, so we went exploring. In the cold. Rounded the corner past the Old Vic - and right around the back of it, we found an unassuming sign for Waterloo Bar + Kitchen. Turned out to be a restaurant - lovely, we were all hungry! And four of us was the perfect number for a meal. So we took a table.

One had a salad, two had lamb, I fancied a steak; they had sirloin or rib-eye - I had sirloin. And never has a simple plate of steak & chips (with garlic butter) tasted so good - I was starving. Extensive wine list, and reasonable prices. The sweet potato fries were so popular that three servings were ordered. And as the others decided they'd like more drinks, I took the opportunity to try the fascinating-sounding double chocolate brownie. With ice cream & hot chocolate sauce. Which I can highly recommend. And which kept me very happy, while two of my party practically came to blows, debating the Brexit from opposite sides. Some opinionated people we have in this group..

When we finally left (no doubt the very obliging staff were relieved!), gee, it was still freezing cold. We all returned to Waterloo, where we made our separate ways home. And tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend. On Monday I'm back with Let's Do London - for less!, who are off to Soho Theatre for What I Learned From Johnny Bevan. More politics.. yippee! ;-)