Me, I adore the place. And what's more, I was just in time (in the last hour, in fact) to avail of a Time Out offer for tickets - so I booked one. I was lucky with the Tube on the way in to town, got trains immediately at both West Brompton and Earl's Court, where I had to change. They say to print off a voucher, but I didn't need one - just gave my name at the box office and got a ticket. This was a £40 ticket for £17.50, but that doesn't dictate which level you're on, rather your position relative to the stage; £40 for this production gets you a straight-on, central view. It just so happened that my central view was in the Upper Gallery (the top level). What the hey, it's not the first time, and the stairs aren't taxing. What did give me pause for thought was that it said £14 on the ticket itself.. but no, that seat was definitely selling for £40 on the website.
So I got a front-row seat, pretty much directly facing the stage - just high up:
This play is based on the true story of Sister Juana Inés de la Cruz, a nun in Mexico in the late 1600s, who attracted the opprobrium of the Church - simply for having the temerity to write poems and plays. And she a nun! whose time would be better spent in writing in praise of God.
Cue lotsa Church-bashing - in the form of the new archbishop, who can't look a woman in the eye (for fear of corruption) and is the character we love to hate. All sorts of dramatic doings, such as book-burnings, illicit affairs, plotting and scheming, and a woman who just wants to keep writing, who has so much to say.
The writing wasn't as good as the night before, when I saw The Gathered Leaves - but that's quite a play to compare it against. And some of the acting isn't as subtle as it could be - but that's the nature of the Globe, they do have to shout a bit: not least because of the passing planes, which were a real annoyance till it got dark and the flights died out. Personally, I loved it - I'm a sucker for the theme, and for the period. And for the venue. And, near the end of the play, I even saw a shooting star.. the advantage of an open-air venue, and of being in the upper level! This production runs on selected dates until the 5th September: and unless you're quite particular about your seat, there's probably no need to book - it's not selling out.
On my way home, I needed to change at Earl's Court again, and they played a game of musical trains with us - my train was to go to Ealing Broadway, and I needed one for Wimbledon. So I got off. My train stayed where it was. Another Ealing Broadway train arrived at the other platform. We all waited. Finally, my original train changed its destination to Wimbledon, and the other to.. Dagenham East?! That's the other way! (I think it went to Ealing Broadway eventually.) Anyway, it went too late on me to blog last night.
Tonight, I'm joining Let's Do London - for less! for Bears in Space! in the Soho Theatre. Tomorrow's a film, and top of the list - rather surprisingly - is Absolutely Anything, a new Simon Pegg comedy, where he's given unlimited powers by the Monty Python crew, taking the shape of aliens in this. Kate Beckinsale is the love interest. Robin Williams voices the dog. I'm dubious - I don't think it deserves such a high rating, and today already it's dropped from 8.6 to 8.2. Well, we'll see.. could be fun.
Then begins a whole run of things whose booking was inspired by Meetup organisers warning me that things were selling out! On Saturday, I'm back with Let's Do London - for less! for Pop-Up Opera's Carmen, again at the Soho Theatre. On Sunday, I'm with Walk About London for a walk based on the Magna Carta. On Monday, the organiser of Film Nite informed us that his old drama teacher had written a play - Frank Sent Me - that's performing at the King's Head. Actually, he wrote two, and this chap was at the other last Monday, but I flew back that day and couldn't make that. Some of us are going to this.
On Tuesday, I'm headed to a play set in Sheffield during the Blitz. Operation Crucible is showing in the Finborough, nice and close to me. On Wednesday, I'm with Let's Do London - for less! yet again, when they're off to the Globe to see As You Like It. Next Thursday, I'm off to the Spiegeltent - on my own, for a change - to see House of Burlesque. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend, and we're headed to the Irish Youth Wind Ensemble, at the University Concert Hall.
The following Monday, I'm finally going to see Memphis: the Musical, at the Shaftesbury Theatre. And the next TWO days, I'm headed to the Guildford office - first for a meeting, then the Sports Day. Coincides nicely with the next Tube strikes..
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