Play: Giving

London Dramatic Arts Meetup was headed to see Giving tonight, in Hampstead Theatre - apparently, these days they're concentrating on events on Mondays (cheaper) and Fridays and Saturdays (people are more inclined to socialise). Tickets for tonight were sold out otherwise, which made going with them a good option. So I booked - and chose today as one of my days to work from home, given that I had to head all the way up there.

They were meeting at the theatre bar at 7. Hah! Well, that's what they said. Knowing this organiser's record of punctuality, I doubted it - still, I planned to get there at about that time. Having all day to eat, naturally, I ended up rushing for the 6:15 Overground - but I made it. And after the long journey to Finchley Road & Frognal, when I got up from my seat, I discovered that the shoes I'd taken such trouble to dig out from where they'd been packed for the move, and which I hadn't worn in an age, had heels that chafed. Oh lovely - I remembered that about them, all of a sudden. No tissue in my pocket - but I found one in my bag, and spent some minutes carefully packing one troublesome heel - I had a 15-minute walk ahead of me!

..Or limp. And as I limped, I had plenty of time to muse - and two musings occurred to me. Firstly, I was glad I wasn't a wounded impala. (Why impala, I don't know - must've come up a lot on nature documentaries, I suppose.) Secondly, the last time I did this trek, I was rushing to make the start time - that's one handy thing about Meetups, they suggest you arrive early, which does have the effect of ensuring you're not late for the show. And my, was I ever glad I didn't have to run in these shoes! It was all I could do to hobble into the theatre..

Where there was no sign of anyone I knew (and I did know some of those coming to the play). Typical. I visited the loo, with cubicles all named for famous actors, and when I came out, I was just digging in my bag for my phone when - I saw the organiser, in the queue for the box office. Checked my watch - she did well tonight, she was only 15 minutes late! After she collected our tickets, she showed me where some others were standing - one I knew well had gone to the bar, apparently. I thought about it myself, but there was such a crowd I decided not. When this person returned from the bar, we had a right old natter - it was great to see her again.

Our show didn't start till 7:45, but had unreserved seating, so we went down at about 7:25 (it's in the Downstairs theatre). And queued - they hadn't opened the door yet. We found ourselves standing beside an Elizabethan-ish-style costume in a glass case, apparently advertising something called 55 Days. Revolution was also mentioned - and somehow, Charles I popped into my head. Sure enough, someone more eagle-eyed than I spotted mention of the same man on a small sign - and this had been the costume for the play. So, that kept us entertained for a bit!

We eventually filed in, and had a look around for enough seats to seat us all - we were seven. We ended up sat on the far side of the small room - to get there, we had to cross the stage, which - as one of the ushers explained before the start - meant we couldn't be let out during the show to go to the loo. So we'd better do it now, as there was no interval - the 1hr40min production was to run right through without a break.

Seating was on upholstered benches, a cast list placed on each seat. The lady beside me, with our group, spotted someone from another of her groups in the row in front.. small city, eh? The set reminded me very much of the one in People, Places and Things - sparse, modern, white, with cleverly concealed cupboards, doors, tables.. people entering and leaving from both sides. All action takes place in the same space - during scene changes, the light dims, and whichever of the four actors have just been on stage take it upon themselves to do whatever moving is required. What's really nice is that they do it in the style of the previous scene - if they've been flirtatious, they move furniture flirtatiously; if they've been stressed, or angry, they fling it about.

One of the best things about what is a fabulous production is the terrific depth of the characters. Each is well drawn, perfectly cast, beautifully acted. And they have their work cut out, delivering rapid-fire dialogue in a fast-moving play. Started out, for me, a little overwhelming, but I rapidly adjusted.

The title refers to the act of giving to charity, and the plot centres around a young female journalist, Laura - played by Sinéad Matthews - whose editor, Jonathan (Dominic Rowan) sets her the task of interviewing a successful businesswoman, Mary (Sylvestra le Touzel) who's just decided to give a substantial sum to charity. So far, so obvious - until she meets the charity "broker", Michael - Simon Manyonda - who tells Mary where to put her money..

It's quite topical. I've put a moratorium on pretty much all charity donations at the moment - I bought a car and moved house in the last few months, and it's hard enough to pay for my own expenses, apart from donating to the dozens of charities that are constantly asking it of me. There's everything out there - you can choose to save animals, or people in disaster zones, or educate children, or fund research into medical cures.. just imagine the dilemma of someone with plenty of funds, who wants to put them somewhere that makes a difference.

Enter Michael, who works for a "boutique" charity brokerage, which will happily work with you to find how best to match you to one or more charities - kind of like a dating agency. But is anyone in this play quite as they first appear? Laura develops depth as the play goes on; we learn more about Jonathan too. Mary undergoes a transformation that, interestingly, extends to her costume - watch her transformation from the unflappable businesswoman in white, magnanimously donating to charity; she changes to a black and white outfit as more is revealed about her past.. and sure enough, the last we see of her, she's all in black as she reveals a more unflattering side to her character.

As for Michael - well, he's the ultimate manipulator. Or.. is he? Michael represents, I think, the charity "industry", and perhaps is the one who changes least throughout the play. He gets the last line too - something about "What more do you need to know? Go with your instinct." And so we're despatched into the night, to make up our own minds - are these charities really clever business models, playing on our generous natures: or are they really trying to do some good, and perhaps misunderstood by suspicious people who've been betrayed before?

Really, really clever play. Definitely go see - not expensive, playing right beside Swiss Cottage Tube station. Runs until the 11th June, booking essential - seats are selling well for this. And after, we spent some time in the lobby bar, where the chat was good - and I had to bite my tongue as I was advised several times to go see Lawrence After Arabia - also showing there, and which they went to see. And which I also went to see - on my own, same night, cheaper. And had great fun trying to keep out of their way!

Avoiding them should be easier tomorrow, when they're going to Blue / Orange, at the notoriously chaotic Young Vic. And so am I - on a ticket bought independently. I'm seated upstairs, they're probably not - should be ok. (They don't like people buying their own tickets - consider it disloyal. This is a change in policy for them. So I stay out of their way on such occasions.)

On Sunday, I'm on my first walk of the year (finally) - Free London Events and Talks has a walk entitled Fire, Pestilence and Plague. It's supposed to stay fine, thankfully.

On Monday, Henning from the London European Club is running a topical talk on UK and the EU - A Troubled Relationship, at the Devereux - deja vu, my very first Meetup with him was a talk at the same place. Should be interesting, what with the referendum coming up next month.

On Tuesday, the Man with the Hat is taking Let's Do London - for less! to see Last of the Boys, at Southwark Playhouse - indeed, he's also got a bunch of them going to the other show there, The Toxic Avenger, the same night! I've already seen that one, of course. And I can guarantee attendees a great night..

On Wednesday, I'm back with the Crick Crack Club, at The Forge, for a storytelling evening entitled The Howken Field, by Nick Hennessy.

On Thursday, I'm with Henning again, who's headed to a mixed bill by Nederlands Dans Theater, at Sadler's Wells. And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend.