We were relieved, when we arrived, to find no sign of a wedding - this is a major venue for them, and they do tend to spill over into the bar. When we're eating at the Castletroy Park, we don't go for the main restaurant - we prefer the bar, which used to be called the Merry Pedlar, and is now "The Brasserie". I guess this was inspired by the knocking down of the back wall, opening it to the other public areas, and making it lighter and brighter.
Their soup is always excellent, so I had that. Decided to have steak, for a change - and o my, what an excellent idea that was! The lamb t-bone was the cheaper steak, so I had that. And it was fine - the real stars of the dish, though, were the roast potatoes, the mash (which was supposed to be minty, which I couldn't taste, but was tasty nonetheless).. and the gorgeous whiskey and pepper sauce that I doused everything with. Gosh, I should start looking for dishes with whiskey in 'em - I always seem to love it! Dessert was an "artist's platter" - ice cream of three different colours, with sauces of accompanying colours, sloshed messily around the plate. Calling this artistic is really pushing it, and the ice cream wasn't the best - I wouldn't bother with it again. But that sauce with the steak was truly memorable..
We left in plenty of time for the Limetree - I actually beat Google Maps' estimate, and got there in about 10 minutes. That turn-off by Lidl, which was the first part of the journey that was new to me, was clearly signposted for "Mary Immaculate", and the later signpost - a confusing one, shown on Google, that directed you to the offices, which wasn't the way I needed to go - wasn't there any more. Instead, before I knew it, I was upon the large, concrete entrance to the college.
Pass the first car park on the left, head for the second - then head to the second section of it, which has the closest spaces to the entrance to the Limetree. We were still early - doors weren't supposed to open until half past, and actually didn't open until about 7:50. And the dreadful thing about here - especially considering the elderly demographic of the audience - is that there's really no seating while you're waiting. O yes, there's a bar - you just stand. Would it kill them to scatter a few chairs about the place, before a show? There is a kind of bench seating, down some steps- not suitable for people with limited mobility. It's something to bear in mind if attending here with elderly companions.
When they finally did open the doors, we made our way upstairs, as we'd booked for the back section - it has a ledge in front of it that my mother likes. And there's a lift. And the upstairs door wasn't open, the light inside it was off.. another couple were with us, and we dithered in confusion until someone appeared behind the door, and let us in. Poor management, but we did get in eventually. I remember the last time we were here, we'd booked the same row, but the house was so empty we ended up sitting much further down - not this time.. the place was packed. Including a group of schoolboys that filed in just before the show start time.
Because, you see, this is a historical piece, and would have been educational for them. Five actors portray the Irish Republican Michael Collins, his fiancee Kitty Kiernan, and sundry other characters. In fact, the actors portraying the aforementioned two characters are the only ones who get to keep the same character throughout - the others are forced to switch through an absolute array of them.
The events of the play centre on the negotiations for Irish independence in London in 1921, in which Collins led the Irish delegation. The thing is just about decided by the end of the first half, and debated in the Dáil in the second, when that massive (and somewhat grubby) Union Jack is pulled down to reveal a tricolour underneath. The whole play is based on historical documents of the time. And we're taken briefly through the ensuing civil war, and in a short bullet list, it's explained how Ireland finally gained the status of a republic in 1949.
Because, of course - as is a matter of record - the treaty agreed in 1921 didn't provide republican status. No, that wouldn't have been acceptable to the British - instead, Ireland was offered dominion status, as with Canada. That, or a return to the open warfare of the War of Independence. Now, Collins had had enough of war, and he - and the other plenipotentiaries - decided that equal status with the likes of Canada was much better. But, you know, the Republicans back home didn't agree - and given that the treaty meant swearing an oath of allegiance to the crown, and retaining British naval bases in Ireland, you can hardly blame them. Still, when De Valera led his delegates in a walk-out from the Dáil, starting a civil war, you'd have to wonder about his motives in sending Collins over to negotiate at all. No wonder, as Collins remarked after the signing of the treaty, he'd signed his own death warrant - and indeed, it's not much of a spoiler that he was assassinated in 1922.
To this end, whenever he's on stage talking politics, it's underscored by an ominous, low drone. This is, in fact, a very powerful piece - as one review of a previous performance stated, more of a history lesson than a full-blown play, with the three other actors (the multi-character ones) at the back, rattling off facts and figures. Still, they've dramatised it wonderfully. And those three actors give an absolute masterclass in dialect, switching effortlessly between Irish and English accents to portray people on different sides of the argument - one, in fact, does three, also portraying the prime minister, the Welsh Lloyd George! He also gives the most fantastic impersonation of De Valera, donning a pair of round glasses, a pinched voice and a mincing stance.
Light relief is provided by Kitty Kiernan, whom that review described as "a lightweight", and someone on the way out described as "wishy-washy". She comes across as completely apolitical, talking about dances and romances - possibly a less girlish actor would have come across a bit better, but at least it does give us a break from all the serious stuff happening around them.
Highly recommended, and deserving of the almost complete standing ovation it received - I've rarely seen such enthusiasm from a crowd, here. Sadly, there was no mention on the flier of what theatre company is showing it, but I did see that it's on a tour of the island, culminating in the MAC in Belfast from Thursday to Saturday of next week. If you happen to see it advertised in your area, do try and go.
The rest of my weekend was too busy to blog, culminating in a dinner in the Abbey Tavern yesterday before my flight. Which was lovely - but I missed that whiskey sauce! Tonight and tomorrow are devoted to the Man with the Hat. Tonight, he's taking Let's Do London - for Less! to Southwark Playhouse, for Punkplay - as the name implies, all about punk. On roller skates, I believe. And tomorrow, he's taking London for Less than a Tenner to Soho Theatre, to see Two Man Show. Which, as you might expect, has two women in it. Talking about men. I managed to secure the day after both of these shows working from home - in anticipation of late nights!
On Wednesday, I'm back with London Literary Walks - this one is called the Tate Switch Walk. And on Thursday, I'm delighted to be going on my first pre-Hallowe'en event.. London for a Tenner or Less (NOT the same as the above 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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