With no snow since the previous morning, the place was a mess of slush. Yaktrax aren't quite so effective on that - so I forsook them, and trod gingerly to the bus stop. Waited for a bus that was due for ages, but not arriving.. it did eventually, and I gingerly stepped on. And some time later, had to change, damnit! I was to be glad there were people in front of me to hold the driver of the other bus, as I minced over to him. Really, I'm awful on slippery surfaces. Mercifully, the roads were pretty clear at Tower Bridge, and I could make my way safely to the theatre. (Good job I didn't come back that way - I just read that it was closed later, because of the storm..)
What a relief to get inside. I was spotted after a few seconds by one of our group, who'd snaffled a table near the door, complete with chairs. Excellent! The organiser, mind you, was on the other side of the enormous lobby, with some others.. she ended up coming over to us, so we had something of a split group. Never mind, it's an awkward place to meet people in, anyway! And after a chat - and a trip to the loo, for me - in we went. This time, I was in Gallery 2 - a high seat at the back. New for me, but an excellent view, and the seat was just at the right level:
Well wow, I do recommend arriving early for this show - particularly if you're standing. There's a rock concert! (Political rally for Julius Caesar, you see.) Oh, they have it all - vendors going around selling hats, t-shirts - plenty of souvenirs for the mob. Balloons (later), little flags, political pamphlets.. Oh, I do love modern adaptations of Shakespeare.
David Calder, as the man himself, comes on like Trump, in one of those red baseball caps they're selling, round about, and flanked by his loyal attendants - Mark Antony (David Morrissey) has his name on his jacket, to make sure you don't miss him. The crowd cheers.. they do get shoved around a lot, as the set changes frequently, very clever in that bits of the floor can be raised to different levels, to create separate scenes - particularly indoor ones that don't require a crowd. We soon switch to the political shenanigans of Brutus (Ben Whishaw), who comes across very like a Marxist revolutionary, with his leather-jacketed compatriots. Cassius, Casca, and Decius Brutus get transmuted into women for this - and why not give women politically important roles, for once? Yeah, I know that isn't how it was back then.. nuts, as I say, I do love an update.
Well, with some spectacular staging - and I was glad to have a bird's-eye view, for that - the assassination is completed, and civil war duly breaks out. Which is when the standing crowd, most of all, get to find themselves in a war zone! A helicopter sound, explosions, barricades.. kind of glad to be seated, myself, although someone did say afterwards that he loved being in the midst of it. So, a most immersive production - they certainly didn't do it like that in school! Great fun - recommended. Runs till the 15th of next month - booking recommended.
Afterwards, yippee, there was a move to go for a drink! Annoyingly, the theatre bar was closed - so we schlepped up the road to the Shipwright's Ams. I was fine until we got onto the road itself - that bit wasn't cleared, and I had an awful time. Kudos to the two who hung back a bit, to make sure I didn't get lost as I shuffled carefully along! Made it eventually, and got a drink - after a long wait - and a table, after another bit, where we had a convivial chat. So nice, just to chill after a show. When we ventured outside again, we were at the door of London Bridge Station, and once I was in, I was ok to get a bus back home. Well, I say home.. I still had a 10-minute walk, and boy, when I hit Goswell Road, Emma was waiting for me, with a vengeance! If you were waiting for a thaw, it ain't here just yet..
Back too late to blog, again. Tonight, back with North London Friends, at Hampstead Theatre, for Acceptance. The organiser has been encouraging people to brave the weather - indeed, it's been snowing solidly now, as I write, for the past couple of hours! Here we go again..
Tomorrow, Up in the Cheap Seats, and Beginning, at the Ambassadors Theatre. For once, not an official ticket for this - got better value with What's on Stage!
On Sunday, I found another Southwark tour - excellent! The "Family Friendly Liberty of the Clink" tour is run by Walking in London.. therefore Funzing.. and Londonist is involved somewhere too. Hard to keep track of everyone involved in walks. The standard code (crazy_fun) is still giving 10% off on Funzing's website. I believe the weather's supposed to have warmed up by then.. here's hoping.
On Monday, London European Club is headed to Monologue Slam, an actors' showcase at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East.
On Tuesday, Up in the Cheap Seats is at Sadler's Wells for a performance by Ballet British Colombia.
On Wednesday, Let's Do This is off to a jazz evening at Two Temple Place. Beautiful venue - should be a lovely evening.
On Thursday, Walking Victorian London is running a walk around Il Quartiere - Tales from Italian Clerkenwell. Excellent - I've had my eye on that for a while.
On the 9th, Helen's in town, so we're headed for lunch, somewhere TBD. In the evening, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
And on the 12th, London Dramatic Arts is at Caroline, or Change, at Hampstead Theatre. As usual, too expensive for me, and I got my own ticket, at about half the price. She's only going with one unnamed guest - maybe she won't go at all!
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