Play: The Humans

This week starts with two trips with North London Friends. Tonight, we were off to Hampstead Theatre for The Humans. Front row, cool! And would you believe it, I forgot it was Labor Day.. NO AMERICANS at work! No meetings all day! Lordy, what a wonderful feeling..

Despite this, I still ended up on the Tube - even though I could leave in plenty of time, the bus would still take too long at that hour. Wound my way through a sea of people at Old Street - and the Northern Line wasn't too bad; I got a seat, which was the main thing, although it was too hot. Nice breeze at London Bridge too. Unfortunately, all that was to change when I squeezed onto the Jubilee Line.. a sardine sauna, I guess you could call it, and although lots got off at Waterloo, still I didn't get a seat. Although I did get a decent place to lean. Now, I'm not used to the Tube these days, and have never been a good stander anyway - by the time I got off at Swiss Cottage, I was fit to drop! Plus I got the wrong exit - yes, I read on the signs that it was Exit 2, I just came out the wrong way, somehow!

Not too hard to find my way though, given that I've been here a few times. Not seeing anyone from the group, I went to the bar - and when I eventually got their attention, I got a glass of decent house white wine as well. As I waited, I finally had a chance to check my phone - where a message from one of the group said he was at a table out the back. So, when I was finished at the bar, I went out - and had no trouble in finding him. And oh, what a lovely, balmy evening - not to mention the fact that I was now seated. Great to take advantage of the weather before winter sets in again. And as our group gradually arrived, we had a nice chat before taking our seats.

A split-level set - first thing it reminded me of was a dolls' house, as we could see into each room, see doors and windows, furniture scattered about. Mind you, as someone remarked before the start - "where's the bedroom?". Sure enough, that question vexed me for the rest of the play. It's a duplex apartment in New York, an entrance on each level - so there are two front doors, a bathroom door upstairs, a door downstairs that is eventually revealed to be a closet. Maybe it's to the rear of the upper level, on the right - from the front row, much of that level is obscured, so it's possible. (While we're at it, there's also a recliner upstairs, a spiral staircase linking the levels, a kitchenette downstairs, and a large area with a table, chairs and sofa. For completeness.) Oh, and there's a noisy upstairs neighbour - sounded as though they were clattering and banging right on top of the set! 

The family is gathered for Thanksgiving. You've got the granny ("Mommo", I think they call her), who has dementia, and has some fun with it, getting to spend much of the play either in her wheelchair or prone on the sofa, coming out with wildly inappropriate statements. You've got Mom and Dad; Mom is nominally watching her weight - but not today, and is constantly fussing over her daughters; Dad.. well, we'll get back to him later. Of the daughters, the elder has (a) a wicked sense of humour and (b) issues that are gradually revealed as the play progresses. The younger daughter has just moved into this apartment with her new love interest, Richard (but not, as Mom keeps pointing out, married him). He, by the way, is markedly different from the rest of the characters - a bit more sane, you might say. Perhaps it comes from being the son of a therapist. Anyway, all the parts are beautifully played, and instantly recognisable.

They're Irish-Americans, this lot (apart from Richard, of course). So, one of the things that Mom insisted on bringing as part of a "care package" for the couple in the apartment is a statue of the Virgin Mary. Complete with serpent underfoot, as the recipient remarks upon opening it. (Gosh, I know they can come without, but there usually is one..) We also get a lovely rendition of part of The Parting Glass. Not to mention that Dad works for a Catholic private school, which both girls therefore attended for free.

It's a terrific play. Straight through without interval - and apart from my bum getting a bit numb, I didn't mind in the slightest. They're endearingly mad, these people - and what struck me throughout was how normal the story is. Anyone with a spark of imagination can add a twist to a tale - how much more skill it takes to restrict yourself to make a fascinating story from ordinary themes. What's wrong with them? Why, money worries, health worries.. standard stuff. It all comes out over dinner - but you know, they're such appealing characters that I wouldn't at all mind spending an evening with them, rows and all.

It's also hilarious, with quotable one-liners through much of the play. As for Dad? Turns out he's the one trying to keep everything, and everyone, together, and wracked with angst that it doesn't seem that he can. Marvellous stage direction includes the lights in the apartment, which gradually go out as the story gets darker. Watch for a surprising, but low-key ending, culminating in a completely dark stage. Ah yes, this is a superior piece of writing - 5 stars. Go see, go see, go see.. Justifiably award-winning. Runs until the 13th of next month, but with limited availability. Afterwards, we had drinks in the lobby bar - I'd forgotten they tend to order a bottle in this group, it's been so long, but hey, I got the end of it as well as my own! And as the cast made their way out, we got to congratulate them - and confirm that yes, they are actually American. All in all, a great evening - great company, a great production: what more could you ask for?

En route home, I took the bus. Which one was a mystery though - I'd remarked on the way out that, with so many options, I'd be checking my phone as each approached! And sure enough, I was. And sure enough, I took the right one - in the wrong direction. (Well, this is the first time I've been to this theatre since I moved.) Corrected myself after one stop, and got back in due course - just in time to relieve my bursting bladder, which started to make itself felt on the journey. Wine does go right through me..

Tomorrow, we're seeing The Aristocrats - by Brian Friel - at Donmar Warehouse. Now, initially, I didn't book anything for this night, what with another late-night work meeting planned. Forgot about that when I was booking this, next time I looked - but sod it, the last late-night work meeting didn't even happen, and I'm sick of them just blithely assuming we'll work after hours. (And guess what? The meeting has now been cancelled! Wow.)

On Wednesday - well, I got tired of waiting for London Literary Walks to arrange something, and with a huge choice on Meetup, I'm now going with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) to Dance Nation, at the Almeida.

On Thursday, in contrast, there's nothing on Meetup that I fancy! Instead, the £3.60 club is letting me see Scandale, at Sadler's Wells - for £5.40. Still a big improvement on the official price of £20 - and just like before, they have a cloak-and-dagger collection method, where you collect your ticket across the road, from someone with a pink clipboard..! Hey, I might get a better ticket than usual.

On Friday, I'm with Spooky London - for yet another ghost tour. This one is the Thames River of Death Ghost Story Tour. Be interesting to see what hand this group makes of ghost stories - payment on the day, so (unusually) I must remember to bring cash.

On Saturday, Let's Do It! is off to Windsor. However, they're off to a Mexican restaurant as part of the day, and I don't really like Mexican food.. and have seen Windsor town in general anyway. However, I haven't yet been around the castle.. so lo, I've booked myself a ticket for that day, finally. I see it's one of those places I'll have to buy a souvenir guide for - no photography allowed inside. Tip when booking train tickets - use the Trainline website to look, not book! Get the rail company name from them, then book with the company direct. It's cheaper. 

On Sunday.. tan-ta-ra! The Crick Crack Club is back after the summer! Not that you'd know it from their Meetup group, whose next advertised Meetup is next month! Anyway, on Sunday, Tuup is telling the tale of The King and the Corpse, at the British Museum, accompanied by Sheema Mukherjee.

Next Monday, back with UITCS - all the way to the Orange Tree, in Richmond, for Losing Venice.

On the 11th, my £3.60 club has a ticket for me to hear Professor Rana Mitter speak about China for an hour in the China Exchange.

On the 12th, well, London Literary Walks is back on - but I'd already booked with UITCS for Natalia Osipova in Sadler's Wells. Then I'm back to Ireland for a long weekend.

On the 17th, Crick Crack is back.. again! Just as well I'm on the main club mailing list. This time, it's Aye, Coyote! in Soho Theatre.

And on the 18th, back with UITCS for Pinter at the Pinter.. Pinter plays at the Pinter Theatre! Our particular combination is One for the Road / New World Order / Ashes to Ashes / Mountain Language. I bought my ticket for this one from another member who couldn't go - Ticketmaster, so hopefully there won't be a problem with me picking up the ticket.