I had plenty of time, when I left - but wasn't going to get much more work done; I was just out of a meeting, and was tired. So, I just left - could get either bus at the nearest stop, and the one that came was the #243. The fellow beside me on the bus happened to be reading Fire and Fury, the new tell-all Trump book - so was someone on the plane, yesterday; as I mentioned to someone today, I considered getting a copy myself, but then considered whether I really want to be reading so much about him..?
All went well until we got to Holborn, where the traffic came to a grinding halt. At which point, the driver got some kind of message from HQ to say that he couldn't go down Kingsway. Something about diverting via Whitehall - mind you, the poor driver didn't know the route! Well, that didn't suit me at all - or, apparently, several of the passengers around me, who pestered him until he confirmed that there'd been an accident. He then obligingly opened the doors, and out several of us got - didn't look like we'd be moving for a while. So, seeing that Google Maps estimated a 17-minute walk from there to the theatre, that's what I did - I had time. And so I got to go through Seven Dials, which I used to be so familiar with.. wonder when I'll wander through it again?!
Passed the Noel Coward Theatre - the Duke of York is just past it from this direction, and both had queues outside, waiting to collect or show their tickets. I had my Print at Home ticket - and was paranoid about it, reading the confirmation email that was VERY clear that THOU SHALT NOT PRESENT THIS ON A MOBILE DEVICE! Well, all right then. I see this is an Almeida transfer - it says as much on the sign. Nuts, had it still been there, I could've walked, and probably paid less for the ticket.. Inside, I needed the loo - and yes, ladies' are only off the lobby, gents' only off the Terrace Bar, upstairs. Pokey little toilets they are, too - barely room for the long queue, and for people squeezing past. And then it was up to the Upper Circle for me.
Decent legroom, not much space to the sides. Well, there was to my left, until one guy in the row in front decided to give them some more space, and moved into the seat beside me! Whereupon the guys towards the end of the row moved in as well. And as you can see, my view of the stage was pretty decent - as long as people in front of me didn't lean forward, and as long as the action didn't happen right to front of stage: which was when we all leaned forward!
So - a simple, round stage. They all come out at the start, and I counted 14 actors - mostly men, for a play about two women: but that was the tenor of the time, the corridors of power were almost exclusively male. Two screens, one either side of the stage, are positioned at Royal Circle level - one below me. At the start, they portray a kind of yellow background with a disc in the centre. Well, wouldn't you know it, that's the famous coin for the famous coin toss! Has a kind of Elizabethan head on it. Anyway, with the others behind, the two ladies approach the centre - identically dressed at this point in black velvet trouser suits, white blouses. One called heads, and a man we would later identify as Leicester spun the coin, which displayed a head on landing. The last real act of male power in the play, this decides which is to be Elizabeth; all bow to her, following which, they seize the other - Mary - and strip her of her jacket and shoes, bundling her roughly offstage. Apparently, both have learned both roles!
A clever device, this, to show how similar the two characters were, and how easily each could have found herself in the other's shoes. They were cousins - both descendants of the first Tudor king, and both queens in their day. As has been pointed out, Elizabeth actually started out as a prisoner - daughter of a disgraced mother (who was executed when she was three years old!), she was declared a bastard, and her life was actually in danger when her half-sister was on the throne. Mary I, you see, had married the uber-Catholic King of Spain, who wanted to restore England to Catholicism, and didn't at all like the idea of the Protestant Elizabeth being heir to the throne! He'd happily have chopped off her head. Elizabeth was 25 by the time she took power, and could relax. Slightly.
In complete contrast, Mary Stuart became Queen of Scots at just six days old, when her father met an early death. She spent her entire childhood being pampered and adored; she was five when she was shipped to the French court, for safety - Scotland was always fractious - and she was duly married to the Dauphin, who became King of France the following year. And then was killed in an accident, the year after that. Her mother, who had been acting as her regent, died the same year, and she returned to Scotland, an attractive 18-year-old-widow. (Busy, huh?!)
..And then their fortunes turned. While Elizabeth prospered, Mary made a succession of unwise decisions. Naw, actually really silly ones. She married her cousin, the marriage was a complete disaster, and whatever the sequence of events that happened next, it seems that he was murdered and she married the murderer. Er, what? Yep, I agree. Well anyway, she was imprisoned for conspiracy to murder, and managed to escape, only to find herself holed up in an English prison for the rest of her life.
Not, I think, that Elizabeth cared much about the murder - no, she was more concerned with the fact that Mary was her closest relative, and heir to her throne! unless she had children, which seemed unlikely, given her extreme reluctance to get married. Which is another story. (Rumour has it that she was madly in love with Leicester, and might have married him, but for that he was married already - and when his wife was found dead at the foot of the stairs at home, well, she was no Mary, and wasn't going to repeat her mistakes.. Mind you, the guy beside me got very irritated by all the gyrations that are meant to suggest a relationship between them. And I can't blame him - it is very OTT.) Anyway, point was, Mary was a Catholic, and Elizabeth knew well that there was a whole Catholic lobby (including her half-sister's widower, the King of Spain) that would happily have had her killed, in favour of Mary. She was keeping Mary under close guard.
You do need a smattering of all this history to understand the situation fully. In real life, they never did meet, despite Mary's entreaties. Indeed, when they do, in this play, it's very satisfying - how would Mary react, having to pretend subservience when she obviously thought more highly of herself than of Elizabeth? Much is made of the idea that Elizabeth is just as much a prisoner as Mary - she gets dolled up in period garb, at the end, when her acting is done: and no-one in history had a more elaborate daily outfit! It is pretty accurate - and restrictive isn't the word. The play is very obviously sympathetic to Mary - which is pretty typical. So, you know, she flies free at the end (spoiler - she gets herself executed..)
Quite long, this - three hours, including interval, and no interval until 90 minutes. Latecomers, apparently, have to wait for the 40-minute mark! I was so glad to stretch my legs at the interval - had a glass of very insipid house white, and a bag of very moreish mini chocolate buttons, which come in a variety of flavours. Could have done without the display of artworks about Princess Diana, scattered around the bar..
The play is very wordy, of course. I liked it - made me nostalgic for the Globe (roll on the summer, and more evenings there!). The complicated politics and side-switching of the courtiers are very well-played. The performance of the leading ladies is outstanding - even if, as my neighbour thought, a bit overwrought at times. And I found the ending very clever. Recommended, for lovers of the period - runs until the 28th. Booking recommended - it was pretty full tonight, on a Monday.
The reliable #4 whisked me home - no traffic problems. Tomorrow, my annual trip to Cirque du Soleil at the Albert Hall! The show this year is Ovo - cheapest tickets for the date coming in at just under £50, but they're worth it! So, back through that subway again..
On Wednesday, more comedy - Sara Pascoe, at Wyndham's.
On Thursday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats - my first Meetup in a week will be Lady Windermere's Fan, at the Vaudeville Theatre. Stars Jennifer Saunders.
Finally, I have something for Friday! Jeez, that took a while - well, with Meetup resolutely providing practically nothing that day, I'm with one of my groups whose names I can't mention. I hadn't checked for a while, and when I did, over the weekend, the "£3.60" club had tickets for Bunny, at the Tristan Bates Theatre. So I'm going to that.
On Saturday, Happy New Year to Helen and her husband! We're all off to see Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution, which is showing in County Hall - should be fun.
On Sunday, I'm going to the matinée of Barnum, in the Menier Chocolate Factory. And then, wouldn't you know it, Up in the Cheap Seats advertised a trip to the Lumiere Festival that evening! It's the last day. So I said I'd tag along, after my show - as the organiser said, it could be a problem finding each other, but what the hey! I see London Social Detours is doing the same thing - and charging £3. So I'll stick to Up in the Cheap Seats.
Next Monday, I'm finally off to see Everybody's Talking About Jamie, at the Apollo - I rescheduled from the date I'd booked for last year.
On the 23rd, I'm going to Yous Two, at Hampstead Theatre - my first Meetup with North London Friends, finally! I think they might have been the only outlet for tickets, when I booked - I haven't tended to book with them, as they charge a fee.
On the 24th, I'm finally going to Rita, Sue, and Bob Too! at the Royal Court, with Up in the Cheap Seats. Interesting one, this - we'd booked before, but then the whole run was cancelled after the co-director thought that the subject matter, about the exploitation of teenage girls, was too controversial in the wake of the Weinstein controversy. The artistic director subsequently reversed the decision.
On the 25th, I'm going to The Birthday Party, in the Harold Pinter Theatre. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.
On the 29th, back to the Orange Tree in Richmond for Out of Love, with Up in the Cheap Seats. Have to rush for that one - it's another evening I have a late meeting! Should make it, though.
On the 30th, finally back with Funzing! LDN Talks @ Night and London Speaks Sessions are talking about the Seven Wonders of the Solar System, at Cafe 1001. Yeuch - can't stand the place: hipster central. Still, at least I can walk there from work..
On the 31st, I had RSVPed with London Science Talks and Museums Meetup, for a Science Museum late. But hey, it's free - so I had no problem cancelling when Let's Do This advertised a meal the same evening. Turkish, I believe, with a drink at the George Inn beforehand.
And I start February with two from Up in the Cheap Seats. On the 1st, I'm at John in the National. And on the 2nd, my now-nearby venue, finally - I'm at Sadler's Wells Sampled.
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