I had an idea to bus it, and researched the whole route - the 44 to Victoria, the 38 from there. And with our esteemed new mayor's new Hopper fare (came into force just yesterday), you can get two buses for the price of one, within an hour of each other! All hail the chief. I had to make my way to Battersea Park Road to pick up the 44 - on the hot walk up there, I got slightly lost trying to follow the route that Google Maps suggested, but when I realised that I had to go down a footpath, it became much easier. Then I got myself on a bus that turned out only to be going to Battersea Park Station - well, it was confusing, the front of the bus said it was going all the way! Shouldha' checked with the driver.
Curiously, while I was waiting for a bus there to take me further, a coach passed that I had to do a double-take for, as the destination display read "Áth Cliath" (Dublin). I guess it's a common sight, but it made me feel strangely nostalgic. Anyhoo, another #44 duly arrived, and took us all the way to Victoria. Well, to be fair, we'd just passed the coach station when we hit gridlock, and the driver started letting people off where we were stopped. I eventually joined them - only to find myself waiting at the next bus stop, staring at more gridlock. Gave it about five minutes and took the Tube instead - which was so overcrowded that they started letting us through without touching in. Which means I was charged maximum fare, because the system couldn't figure out where my journey started. Well, they're good enough about refunds.. have to get onto that, but need to allow 24 hours.
And so down Oxford Street - Exit 5 and turn right, keep walking till the construction hoarding; Dean Street is on the other side. What'll we do for a landmark when they (eventually) finish building work? Meantime, we pedestrians were delayed while a lorry reversed into the site. Still, I made the theatre in plenty of time, got a drink, and plonked myself amongst our group at the tables reserved in the bar.
When the house opened, we made our way (all the way) upstairs, to the studio. As I remarked to those around me, how much better it is since I started coming here with Meetups - means I arrive early, and don't end up dashing up all these stairs and giving myself a coronary, with someone in the box office having radioed someone upstairs to say I'm on my way. O believe me, that's happened more than once!
When we got there, the first item of interest was a kind of box display of "patriarchy". Definitely attracted my attention, but I didn't get much of a look at it - apart from a sort of Barbie doll with her intestines showing, which - from the explanatory text, was apparently something used for anatomical discussions. From what I gathered, the point was that she was sexy, which was shockingly patriarchal. Anyway, I decided to make for the water that was kindly provided just outside the door.
Got a front-row seat - seating is unassigned. The stage is a long strip, with mics at one end and musical instruments at the other, and the surface of the stage area was swept down before the performance started. And when it did start, we were treated to the sight of three ladies, clad in sort of silver robes, singing most beautifully in harmony. After which they separated - one to take her place behind the keyboard, the others to a position of prominence at the other end.
This is an ambitious show, covering a few different themes in its (roughly) 90-minute runtime, no interval. To begin, we're treated to a perky analysis of how patriarchy came to be, back in prehistory, when humans moved from a hunter-gatherer society to a more settled one. And over the next while, they present a few different takes on gender stereotypes.
The company in question is Rashdash, composed of Abbi Greenland and Helen Goalen, Becky Wilkie on the keyboard at the other end. The "two men" of the title, whom they portray, are dealing with the reality that their father is dying.. but the girls go much deeper than that. As the clothes come off (yes, the promised nudity does happen), so, I guess, the emotions are laid bare. Not only what it means to be a man - and what we expect of men - but also what it means to be a woman. One of the most powerful pieces of the performance comes from Abbi, who refuses to give up her male persona, in order to accept what she sees as the straitjacket of a femininity that she can't accept. Immediately followed by Helen, who defends that same feminine ideal, most eloquently.
But, as Helen says during that piece, words simply aren't enough - and so there's music and dance as well. They're all terrific singers. The dancing is mostly contemporary, performed semi-nude, sweat streaming down their torsos in the overheated room, air conditioning not doing much. I was taken with the bit where Abbi was posing Helen, like one might that Barbie doll outside the door. Helen, I daresay, is classically trained, given her dainty little ballet dance near the end.
An impassioned, sassy and provocative show. I think the audience was mainly female - certainly, the voices I heard whooping and cheering at the end seemed to be! A well earned standing ovation ended the show. Recommended - runs until 1st. There was a Q+A afterwards, but most of us needed to get out into the cool air, frankly, not stay upstairs in the heat.
Our fearless leader (complete with hat) selflessly led us to the Nellie Dean, across the road, before nipping back to the Q+A. We headed upstairs, as is our wont, and occupied the sofa at the end - the upstairs bar wasn't serving, mind, and we had to go downstairs again to order. Now, I've never eaten here, but tonight one of our group did:
..and proclaimed the "deerstalker" pie to be rather good, with a hearty filling and crisp crust. Dunno, he should really have been the one to take this picture; turns out - which I hadn't realised - he's an award-winning filmmaker, these days concentrating on photography. Interesting website here. And he's recently had some big news - been nominated as an official finalist in the London Photography Festival, and a semi-finalist in the prestigious Australian 'Moran Prizes' competition. Well now! Best of luck to him - you really do meet the most interesting folks in this group. Here are the photos that impressed the judges:
(I don't think the second one is a self-portrait!)
Without an interval, and with an early start, the show had finished really early, and we weren't very late in the pub. I managed to bus it all the way home.. thanks again for the Hopper, Sadiq! Still n all, the blog's been a bit delayed - never mind, as long as it gets out before the next event.
Tonight, I'm back with London Literary Walks - this one is called the Tate Switch Walk. And tomorrow, I'm delighted to be going on my first pre-Hallowe'en event.. London for a Tenner or Less (NOT the same as last night's group), and therefore Funzing, have organised a Ghosts and Executions tour. Cool - I missed the first date of this, but they do tend to repeat them.
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