I really thought I wasn't going to make this. The madness at work continues, and it was only today that many teams found out they're unexpectedly completely without documentation - well, unless you count me. I do hate to let people down, so I stayed long after I'd meant to, trying to get things in a decent state - finally, when mercifully I found out that a release was delayed again and wouldn't be happening tonight, I raced out the door. Google Maps said my bus would be delayed - it was early, as it happened, and hallelujah, I just made it! despite the driver nearly closing the door on my arm as I was getting on. He nearly closed the door on someone getting off, later - I wonder whether he was quite with it.
Praise be, he made great time, at least - and even stopped a bit past the stop, because of traffic congestion: which was great for me, because that was the way I was headed. I had to queue for ages at the box office - another place where I had to pick up the ticket. Confusingly, "Upper Circle", as booked, is actually "Grand Circle" - oh, whatever, it's the top level and you have to go mountain climbing to get there. So I was a bit breathless, understandably, by the time I panted all the way up to the top level bar, with its bare wood doors. Just had time to say hi and nip to the loo, and it was time to go in. It was nice that the usher at the entrance said I could sit a row forward from where I'd booked (the back rows were pretty empty).. well, once I'd inched my way down the steep stairs, it was!
The show opens beautifully, a violin player whenever the security curtain is lowered, and an opening scene of graceful waltzing in long, swishy gowns. Kudos to the waiter carrying a tray of drinks, who whirls around the stage without dropping them. Again, what a rarity to see a play in period costume. As it happens, most of the cast only appear in this opening scene, then vanish into the London night, ne'er to be seen again - till the final bow.
The story concerns a respected society couple - the wife idolises her "ideal husband". Unfortunately, a lady of shady reputation soon reveals a sordid secret he's kept hidden for years - will his wife's stubborn morality prevent a happy ending? You'd be surprised at the role that the "most idle man in London", who normally spends all his time living the highlife, plays, and how he becomes the champion of common sense. Played by Freddie Fox, he spends much of his time being bothered by his interfering father (also his father in real life, Edward Fox) - we did wonder, afterwards, how much fun they had with that!
Of course, watching something like this brings to mind Wilde's real-life story - at the time that this was released, he was being charged with "gross indecency", and you have to imagine that he was putting himself in the role of the husband that must be forgiven. I also saw something of him in the man-about-town, the social dandy. By and large, this is a lovely production - the only time it lagged, for me, was in the drawing room scene in the first act, where the ladies are making small talk. But then, perhaps the play is making a point, here, about the senseless small talk of upper class society ladies. And I must say, if that's what you want to do, you couldn't do better than Susan Hampshire, who is in her element here.
Recommended for fans of plays of the period. Booking until the 14th of July.
It was raining when we came out to make our separate ways home. Tomorrow is for Mood Music, at the Old Vic, with Ben Chaplin - and I hope to goodness I don't have a repeat of this evening at work; I can't take much more of this.
On Thursday, the London European Club is attending a lecture at the LSE, on Euroscepticism and the Future of European Integration. Then I'm back to the highly non-Eurosceptic Ireland again, for the weekend.
On Monday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats, for A Gym Thing - got a fright when I saw that, but no, it's a play - in the Pleasaunce.
Next Tuesday, I'm back with North London Friends - to the Theatre Royal, Stratford East for Our Country's Good.
On the 2nd, Up in the Cheap Seats is off to The Writer, at the Almeida.
On the 3rd, London Literary Walks is doing - ahem - Stalin's Doss House. Meeting at Starbucks, naturally!
Then we're into the Early May Bank Holiday - and I saw an interesting trip, advertised by Carpe Diem, for a long weekend in Bulgaria. So I applied for a place - only to be told that there'd only been six, which were now gone. When I pointed out that the Meetup page advertised 12 places, and that some were shown as still available, they removed the event entirely. Instead, on the 4th I'm headed - with the £3.60 club - to Music Hall Monster: The Insatiable Mr. Fred Barnes, at Wilton's. Could be good.
And on the 5th, as of now, I'm signed up to an overnight trip to Newquay in Cornwall with Eddie's Excursions. This time, I got in the first six - ironically, they're not guaranteeing it'll go ahead unless they can fill a minibus! Watch this space..
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