Play: Fortune's Fool

Went to Fortune's Fool in the Old Vic tonight. (Goodee, a chance to dress up ever so slightly on my first night back!) I have been there before - once, I think - but it was ages ago, so I made sure to look up directions first. Google Maps as usual - Tube to Waterloo and a short walk to the right. Actually, Google's first suggestion was to take a train from Clapham Junction to Waterloo, but honestly, it seemed too much trouble and the Tube is more frequent - handily, as I left early for once! Also, it's probably easier to change at Westminster Station, as I had to, than Clapham Junction.. and it took no longer.

At West Brompton station, as I was descending the stairs to the platform, an announcement came on. I didn't need to hear it to know what they wanted us to hear. Yes, yet again, the indicator on Platform 2 might be displaying incorrect information and we should check the front of the train to be sure. As proved to be the case. Now, that's all well and good, but they have had this problem for literally months. If they know it's not working, surely they can get around to fixing it..? Until that blessed day, be warned, if taking a Tube from Platform 2 at West Brompton. Do not believe the electronic indicator.

Once on the Tube, I picked up a copy of the Evening Standard, and in due course found myself seated beside a chap who was so enthused by whatever he was listening to on his headphones that he was punching the air. Big happy grin on him. And I changed at Westminster, where I was pleased to see that they finally have the escalator from the District Line platform working again. Out at Waterloo, and turning right, you can literally see the Old Vic, just at the crossroads. Actually, it looked quite nice, lit up and with the play's name emblazoned on the front, and I thought to take a picture - but all I had was my phone camera, and the focus wasn't good enough, so I skipped it.

It's quite hard to cross the road just in front of the theatre, if the crossing light isn't green - it's kind of hard to tell where exactly the traffic is coming from. But I survived (both ways). The theatre has three levels, and of course I was in the top one - the Lilian Baylis level. You climb a rather nice old staircase to get to the upper levels, and each level has its own bar and toilets. Which is an excellent idea. I hadn't had time to eat beforehand, so bought a packet of crisps at the bar. Might have been my imagination, but I thought I heard the barman say something about them not being very good.. anyway, he was right. Fairfield Farms "turkey with sage & onion stuffing" flavour. B****y tasteless. Really, is it me? Why have I never had a packet of UK crisps that I liked?! Anyway, they were so bad that I felt compelled to let the company know. Really, they shouldn't be allowed to sell produce like that. But I was hungry, so I finished them.

Back to the show. I didn't discover until the interval that I was actually sitting in the wrong row - I should have been in the row in front of that! (Confusing row lettering on the way up.) But I stayed where I was, which had just as good a view and more space, the row being half empty. I must give a nod to the set designers - the play is set in 19th-century Russia, in a grand old country house, and the décor is just gorgeous. Straight out of Hello! magazine. The stage is also very deep, and you get a real sense of space, of a grand old mansion.

I really don't know why this is described as a comedy. Yes, there are some funny bits - but it's actually a drama, and strongest in the second act, when the drama is most forceful. Maybe that's what traditionally passes for comedy in Russia, I don't know. As usual with Russian plays, the dialogue is somewhat stilted by everyone commonly addressing each other by their patronymics. So it takes longer, sometimes, to say the person's name than it does to give them the information. But stick with it - it becomes less obtrusive after everyone has been introduced, and this is a great story. And a very good play. Recommended. Runs until Feb 22.

On my way out, I happened to notice the fascinating b&w photos lining the walls, of famous actors performing in the Old Vic. Sir Laurence Olivier as Henry V in 1937, Richard Burton as Hamlet in 1953, Kevin Spacey (currently an artistic director of the Old Vic) in The Iceman Cometh in 1998. Quite a history! Finally, on the way home, I was so engrossed in my paper that I very nearly forgot to get off. A good night, all told.

Tomorrow's entertainment has been planned for a long time to be a film, but I hadn't had a chance until today to go through what was actually on. The highest-rated (according to IMDB) film in town, by a country mile (as they say), is 12 Years a Slave - but it's in preview this week, mainly in Cineworld, where it's only available to Cineworld Unlimited cardholders. Which I'm not, because there's a monthly fee, with a 12-month minimum subscription. Now, it's a great deal if you go to Cineworld all the time, and I certainly go to the cinema enough, but not usually to Cineworld. Even though it's my closest cinema now, still, most of the films I see are not on there. Predictably, the only other preview in town is sold out already. So that brings me to the film I've been dying to see - the trailers look great, the reviews are great, and I've booked to see it in my local Cineworld (ironically) tomorrow. (Even without an Unlimited card, you still get 10% off if you register with the website and book in advance.)

Oh yes! The film, BTW, is American Hustle.  Apparently based on a true story, it stars Christian Bale as a conman. Married to Jennifer Lawrence, he's having an affair with Amy Adams. He's then drawn into the world of the mob by corrupt FBI agent, Bradley Cooper. And the whole is directed (and co-written) by David O. Russell, who also directed Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook. Oh, and I see he also directed Three Kings! Hmm, this guy is good. Set in the 70s, American Hustle has 70s costumes and a terrific 70s soundtrack. And the dialogue - such as I've heard - sparkles. Looking forward to this one.