Play: Rapture, Blister, Burn

Those of you who've been reading regularly will know that tonight's play - Rapture, Blister, Burn - was third on my list, the other two being sold out, and that there were only two tickets left for it.. was it worth it? Read on!

It involved a trip to Hampstead Theatre, and when I looked it up on Google Maps, I realised that yes, this was one of the first places I blogged about! Which means I've been there exactly once before, last April. So first, I looked up what Google had to say about getting there. Unlike last time, this time they were promoting the Overground. Which is fine and dandy, if it got you straight there - unfortunately, you then have to change to a bus or the Tube. Which, again, is fine if you have a travelcard - I don't, so it would work out more expensive than getting the Tube straight there, for which you pay a fixed fare the whole way. So that's what I did.

So I rattled along on first the Piccadilly Line, then the Jubilee Line. (And my, that Jubilee Line does tear along at a ferocious pace! Holding onto something is definitely recommended.) This theatre is the one where you get off at Swiss Cottage. And I'm quite glad that I had looked at the blog, and that the blog recommended Exit 2, because, while it does mention "Hampstead Theatre" on the sign, I was in something of a hurry. I should have mentioned in my blog that you turn right out of the station - it being dark, I was confused for a moment. But all went well, and the "House Full" sign outside was very satisfying, considering I had a ticket! Good job I hadn't left it any later - the two-minute call went as I climbed the stairs to the upper level.

It didn't take me very long at all to figure out that this is an excellent play. It's clever - which, frankly, makes a nice change. It's about two old college friends who meet after about 13 years. One has become a housewife and mother, the other a successful academic. Each envies the other - the housewife wishes she had a career and freedom, the academic that she had a family. The fun comes when they figure out a way to switch. But what will happen if they switch? Which life will they prefer? And, to throw some spice into the mix, the academic seems to specialise in women's studies.

So, we have an analysis of the second wave of women's lib, compared to what we have today. And we have the housewife's babysitter and the academic's mother to add another couple of generations into the mix. An awful lot of ideas are bandied around here - about relationships, independence, porn, horror films.. it's fascinating stuff and I'm not at all surprised that it's selling out. Runs until the 22nd February, but many shows sold out - check the website for details if you're interested. And you should be, if you can get to this.

So far, tomorrow is looking like a film, and top of the list is Dark Days - a documentary about the homeless of New York. Goodee. I'll see how I feel.. Wednesday is The Night of the Hunter (finally!), Thursday I'm in the Guildford office, back to Ireland for the weekend, and the Beckett Trilogy on Monday. Yum!