Last night, I went with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) to the Arcola, for Elephant Steps. Ryanair, the night before, surpassed themselves in actually taking off with a delay of only about 1hr 45 minutes, so I got home at the abnormally early time of 3.10am, and wasn't as tired as I might have been. Still not exactly bounding with energy.
The main thing I hate about the decimation of our team at work is how, after a full day's work for us, California comes online, and hey, we're off again with a swarm of emails and messages. And late meetings. And we're the only ones to deal with them. So, even if I don't stay for them - or even if I do, and then rush off - I feel guilty, because I'm leaving my boss to pick up the excess. I really wish he wouldn't do that - let them wait. Anyway, yesterday I managed the late meeting, then explained how, not only was I leaving now (6.30pm), but I wouldn't be coming back to the office after the show. Not convenient. As I pointed out, it's good to take a night off, every now and again..
I can walk to the Arcola from home, but from the office it's a bit far, so I took the bus - which obligingly came a couple of minutes after I got to the stop. And dropped me around the corner from the theatre. I'd just picked up my ticket when there was an announcement that the doors were now open for the preshow.. I checked, and couldn't see the group organiser (I didn't know any of the others coming). So I went in and took my seat.
This is part of the Grimeborn opera festival, which runs until Sunday.. Truly not your average opera festival. Now, this particular piece's preshow is interesting.. a man lies in a bed, another sits at a table, jiggling. That must be hard work, for the nearly half hour he has to keep it up before the show starts. They are later joined by a few ladies - one in Edwardian, white lace, the others in psychedelic minidresses with long, silver boots. People wander in and out, a fellow appears from a window shouting "63". That sort of thing.
See, it turns out that this show turns 50 this year! So it's a product of its times, and as they say, if you can remember the 60s, you weren't really there. Very strange stuff indeed.. the main show is more of the same, really, with some singing. The overhead captions are mildly interesting. The story is - baffling. Something about the guy in the bed turning into an elephant, and repeated references to someone called "Reinhardt". Goes on for over an hour. The soundtrack is - for the most part - rather catchy.. Oh, and they hand out cucumbers at the end. Which would be great, if I liked cucumbers - as it was I had to endure the smell - bleurgh.
I'd have left pretty quickly if I hadn't been in a group. There being a large gap in the audience, we'd all been moved down from the side balcony before the show started, so I was third row from the front for most of it - £20, whereas I'd only paid £12. I was glad I hadn't paid £20 for this. Anyway, I moved down to the front row to join the others for the Q+A. And, to be honest, I was glad I'd come, just for that - it's happening after every show, and the director is in conversation with the musical composer, who turns 80 this year. And last night, the cast members came out, when they'd showered and changed. And do you know, it's absolutely fascinating to hear somebody who was active at the height of the 60s, in New York, talk about what it was like, and his influences. I'd nearly book for the other performances, just to hear what he says next! Such as the little anecdotes, like where the song You Can Call Me Al came from..
Nobody felt like a drink after - not even me, really, although I'd like a chat with the organiser about how he got on at the Edinburgh Fringe. So I walked home. Tonight, the £3.60 club is providing me with a ticket to see Aprile Millo perform at Cadogan Hall. Gotta say, terrific value for something whose official prices start at £35! Had a dicky tummy all afternoon, but mercifully it seems to have sorted itself - I've cried off the last meeting today, and will head off soon.
And tomorrow, again, off with UITCS (and the same organiser) to the Camden Fringe. We're seeing Secondhand Stories and Whimsy, two short plays at The Lion and Unicorn. I would have been missing an evening with London Literary Walks that day, but he then moved it. And scheduled something else in its place, nuts!
No comments:
Post a Comment