Working from home yesterday, I had plenty of time to make it. And just as well I was a bit early to the bus stop, because so was the bus! And when the driver realised this, he began to stop at every stop along the way, and wait some seconds - just to regulate the schedule, we guessed.
What the hey, I was early. Nipped to the toilet first and ran right into Judy Garland! (Through the Mill, the excellent show about her life, is still playing there, till Saturday, in the other theatre.) Mind you, by the time I'd got a drink from the bar and headed down the back, where we usually meet, there was a whole flock of people there already! Fair enough - we sat and chatted until the Man determined that the house was open, and we flocked in.
This one is showing in "The Little", and the first thing I spotted as I entered was a large, framed eye on the wall straight ahead. It's not the only one, mind - the whole place is dotted with them. The walls are covered with newspaper clippings, maps - I saw a streetmap of Denver, and figured that was where this was set - pictures, shelves, apparently randomly positioned chests of drawers, mounted high on the wall. The props in the stage area are minimal - a couple of benches, basically. Everything else they need is on the wall, and some of the posters echo references in the play - a Star Wars poster, a poster for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
We wondered why it was late starting - well, see, we were obviously waiting for the Man with the Hat, who stole the show with a late entrance, accompanied by a ripple of applause from his flock, scattered all around the theatre - not quite theatre in the round, but we were seated on three sides of the stage. Ah, the responsibility of shepherding a straggly flock. The play's protagonist was already on stage, though.. poring over a notebook, lacing up his shoes. And when the Man with the Hat was sitting comfortably, the lights went down and we began.
This is a lovely, intimate venue - you're never very far from the actors, and as it turned out, less so on this occasion; the main protagonist may have been centre stage for almost the entire thing, but the other actors frequently sat amongst the crowd until required - look out for the Reserved signs. Six actors in total - the author, his bogeyman, and their respective parents, a couple of whom play multiple roles.
It's told with an immediacy and an attention to detail that smacks of it being a true story - and it turns out that's exactly what it is, as told by a journalist who was raped as a child and later plotted revenge. Part of the intimacy of the play comes from this being such an uncomfortable subject - and over the course of an hour so intense it was practically immersive, we were asked to acknowledge how these things happen, we were presented with some graphic details, and we were made to consider what revenge we would find fitting.
The acting and writing is superb. It all rings true, as we meet the creepy rapists, the feisty drug dealer (also abused as a child), the appalled parents. Oh, it's intense all right - I'm glad there wasn't an interval, to break the mood - but it's more enthralling than depressing. Yes, parts of it are horrifying - but this is ultimately the story of a survivor. Runs until Saturday week, and very highly recommended. Bring something to fan yourself with though - it was very hot.
Afterwards, we flocked to the bar again, but our numbers gradually dwindled until just the two of us die-hards (not including the Man with the Hat, who'd escaped by then) were left to be politely ejected.
And so home. Too late to blog, certainly, given that I was in Guildford today. Yes, I say "was".. a couple of things combined this morning, including a bad cold I've been nursing all weekend, to knock me for six - and having dragged myself all the way down there, a couple of hours later I dragged myself all the way back. And when I crawled through the door, I needed my bed - so there's been a slight delay with this post.
Tonight, there was a whole heap of comedy on, and upon checking the lineups, I decided that the best of the bunch was Max & Ivan - Loose Brie Edinburgh Previews, hosted by London Live Comedy, all the way over in Shoreditch. Well, I'm still a bit woozy, so I don't think that's likely to happen - no, an easy night in beckons - dinner and some more sleep, up early in the morning again.
After all, I want to conserve my strength - the Man with the Hat is at the Globe tomorrow night, to see The Taming of the Shrew. Seated rather than standing, thankfully - and I'd have to be on my deathbed to miss this. Interestingly, they seem to have linked the thing to the Easter Rising.. now, I know it's the centenary and all, but it seems kind of a curious connection. And then I'm back to Ireland myself on Thursday - not flying back to London till Wednesday of next week!! Why, you may ask.. well, weekend flights at this time of year are so expensive..
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