I didn't forget my Oyster card this time - but then, I was bringing my coat, what with it being cooler and breezier than yesterday. I could take either bus from my local stop - had just missed one, but the other was right along, as was the one I needed to change to, later on. It was a shame I had to change, really - I was eavesdropping on quite an interesting conversation an American-sounding woman was having on her phone, with her mom, during which I found out she was a lawyer and lived with a guy called Sean, and she was 35, and if he had as much saved as she did, they could afford to buy a place.. but he was paying back loans of 240,000, what with his student loan, and medical fees from when he was in hospital (yep, he must be American too). Amazing, what information people drop.
So, back to me. A short walk got me to the theatre, where I joined the long box office queue. And when I finally got to one of the two desks, in the tiny lobby, the guy was called away! When he did come back, with a cheery smile and an apology, I smiled right back and wordlessly handed him the printout. No problems at all - he even called me by her name. And so back outside to chat to the others before we went in, and the same guy as before checked my bag again.
Happily, I was in the Dress Circle, which is on ground level, here. Just five rows in it, and I was second row from the back - right behind a pillar:
Now, it's awkwardly positioned, without doubt. But it's slim, and I was on the aisle, and could lean that way if I needed to look around it. Put it this way, I didn't miss anything! Rather glad I bought a programme, though - they don't tell you much, but they at least give the running order, and tell you when the interval is! And this is useful, because if you think the number of plays in the title is large - wait till you get there! They haven't listed half of them. (Plus, getting a programme is nice, because I do love the smell of paper. Also folds out into a poster, which now adorns the wall beside my desk!)
For instance, we start with Press Conference, followed by Precisely, neither of which was expected from the title. We get New World Order (with some nudity) and Mountain Language, and then a poem "American Football", followed by The Pres and an Officer, another poem "Death", and finish the first act with One for the Road. The second act is completely taken up with Ashes to Ashes.
As was remarked at the interval, the shower of confetti at the start is very un-Pinter-esque! Never fear, it gets darker from there - much darker, as Pinter pokes at the sensitive bits of tyranny and hypocrisy. Press Conference, for instance, has the former head of the secret police now elected Minister for Culture! (The confetti is for him.) Imagine what he'll do with the role.. Precisely has a couple of besuited gentlemen discussing the exact magnitude of a number whose significance becomes clearer as the play progresses. New World Order is set in a prison cell - hope you never get sent there. Mountain Language - the people's language is banned, along with more of their rights.
A couple of digs at America, specifically, then - "American Football" is an all-American interlude, followed by quite a funny take on a certain president.. we thought it was a bit too relevant to recent events to be Pinter, but no, it seems he was quite prescient! The Pres and an Officer was a posthumously discovered play. For me, however, the event of the night was One for the Road - I'm sure I've seen it somewhere before, and indeed this harrowing story is not one you'd forget in a hurry. You hope never to meet this most creepy interviewer. The same couple that appear in that play also star in Ashes to Ashes, after the break - a (slightly) lighter piece, where he tries to get her to come clean about what she's really feeling.
A very dark evening, and not for everyone - several people left at the interval, including the couple beside me, which was handy for having a spare seat for my coat! I might have moved in from the pillar, but with reasonably tall people sat in front, I figured I was as well off on the aisle. Me, I love dark and intense, and that's exactly what this combination of plays is. Definitely not an easy watch, even for me - I don't think even I breathed during the last five minutes of the first act.
Terrific acting throughout, everyone appearing in several of the pieces. Special mention, I think we all agreed, for Paapa Essiedu, who played a blinder as both victim and oppressor, and frequently stole the show when he was on stage. Mind you, my second choice would be the aforementioned creepy interviewer..
As we'd been warned, teeny lobby and bars throughout, here, and we were lucky to find a corner to huddle in at the interval. The lobby bar is gin and champagne only - otherwise, head upstairs or downstairs. A brief chat outside afterwards, and back. Google Maps was good enough to mark the location of a local restaurant, so it was easy to find my way to the stop, where Google recommended a couple of buses as faster. They weren't joking - the driver was going so fast as he approached that he sped past me, and continued in that vein for the rest of the journey. Not that the next bus was exactly slow - I swear, I made it in record time.
Tomorrow, I'm thinking film, and enthused about what's coming on the list - BlaKkKlansman and Searching, tying at the top. I'd rather Searching, the story of a man who tries to track his missing teenage daughter's movements through her online profile, finding many surprises in the process. Very claustrophobic, all focussing on a computer screen - and won't that be a busman's holiday, considering I spend my whole day doing the same! It's showing at my local cinema, but unfortunately too early, given that I have an evening meeting that I can't get out of. So instead, I have to go to the later showing at the Vue West End. What the hey, it does sound good.
Even if I have to be up fairly early on Thursday.. to get to Heathrow.. to fly to Madrid.. for my first U2 concert of the year, that evening..! I've bought a pocket guidebook (and a Kindle version), sourced a continental adaptor. I'm sure I'll find my t-shirts.. somewhere.. Staying in the Novotel Madrid Center, just a block away from the concerts at the Wizink Center. Olé!
Yes, concerts. I have one on Friday too. ;-)
I'm staying for the weekend - it makes a change from Barcelona, which is great, but I've been so often before - and having been to Madrid before and seen most of the city sights, I always wanted to go to El Escorial. Well, I am on Saturday morning.. way too early, ugh! English-language tour, with Ticketbar. And that night, I'm finally fulfilling my ambition of seeing a flamenco show in Madrid - love Flamenco! La Quimera is just up the road from the hotel - show includes a meal.
I fly back, exhausted, on Sunday. With Ryanair, carefully avoiding any of their strikes. On Monday, back with Let's Do This for Duo at Wilton's - always a great night, there. Always great company with them, too!
Next Tuesday, our now-monthly writers' social event - we're just going for drinks, this time, what with work pressures.
On the 26th, finally back with London Literary Walks for his final walk of the year. Vanity Fair, and I'm the only one has signed up for it - tsk! Damned if I'm missing this one, though.
On the 27th, nothing on Meetup - instead, I'm with my £3.60 club for the final night of Between Us, at Theatre N16. Then back to Ireland again for the weekend.
On the 1st, back with North London Friends for Every Day I Make Greatness Happen, at Hampstead Theatre - which I hear great things about. Nice to get a group discount, too.
And on the 2nd, another thing I've heard great things about - I'm taking myself to Eugenius, at The Other Palace. Finally, after all the praise I've heard of it.. This theatre used to be known as St. James', and is dreadful for legroom - take an aisle seat if you're at all tall!
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