What a day - I had to pick up a parcel (and the sorting office for my new place turns out to be all the way over in Mount Pleasant, where it was two flats ago). Had to take the bus, it's so far. Traffic in the City was unusually bad for a weekend - but I think they've blocked off City Road, and they've certainly restricted movement on Old Street roundabout, so that might explain it. My journey was further lengthened by Google Maps, who told me that my second bus left from a stop that it turned out not to! Then I was waiting for fully 25 minutes at the stop, for the bus back.
So I was late in dropping the parcel back at my place, then had to schlep up to the old place to get some more things - and by the time I got back with those, it was time to leave for the restaurant. And no, I hadn't eaten yet. Boy, was I looking forward to it.. anyway, tight for time, I took the Tube, which at least is only three stops from Stratford. Just as well, considering how crowded it was.
Well done Stratford for getting me lost again! To be fair, it's ages since I'd been here - but I was confused by where I was supposed to be going, and yes, made it out precisely the wrong end of the station. "Town", I should have headed for. Anyway, I ended up outside Westfield - on precisely the wrong side - where I discovered a footbridge. Once I figured out how to get up to that, things improved, and I eventually made it to the restaurant - 20 minutes late!
At the restaurant, I asked for the table for eight, booked under the organiser's name. I was shown to a table at the end - which was completely empty! Would you believe, everyone else seems to have got lost too.. By the time anyone else arrived, I'd ordered my whole meal, and had been served my (first) glass of wine. In the end, only six of us made it to the restaurant, and the last arrived just as we were due to leave! The waiter arrived with a menu, only to be asked for the bill..
The food, by the way, was excellent - but the portions are huge, so beware. I had an excellent salt and pepper shredded chicken starter - someone else had a chicken and nut dish that was raved about. I dared to brave the sichuan beef, despite dire warnings from the staff that it was very spicy. In the end, it was as spicy as I'd had anywhere, but no more so - perfectly edible, and very tasty. I finished the rice for once, hungry as I was. Others had duck sichuan, which is only spiced on the edges, and thus a much less spicy dish overall. And by the time people #4 and #5 arrived, three of us had been served, so they got to taste ours, which shortened their time reading the menu. Anyway, highly recommended - I'd happily eat there again.
And we were just around the corner from the theatre! which we made a mad dash to, as our organiser had the tickets for everyone, including those who hadn't come to the restaurant. Straight in - just in time - and we were in the second row of the Stalls:
So. Despite all the mentions of Reagan on the opening screen (I was doubtless distracted by that giant photo of Carter right in front of me), I'd missed the message that this is set in the 80s - my first clue was when the young female character came out in shoulderpads. We're in a rundown neighbourhood of Pittsburgh, in the backyard of the title character's mother. Besides him and his mother, we get his wife (with the shoulderpads), his less ambitious business partner, and the nosy next door neighbour, who provides some comic relief. Lenny Henry - in a darker role than I'm used to seeing him in - plays a hustler, a sharp-dressing, sly old flame of King's mother.
It's beautifully acted. In a neighbourhood like this, you just know things aren't going to work out right - King himself is a study in barely contained fury, easily sparked off. The women seem mainly morose, unhappy with their lot, constantly casting their eyes to heaven at the vagaries of the menfolk. They certainly have no chance of telling them what to do - they'd be put in their place quite fast. And the banter is terrific..
..until it goes on and on and on.. this is over three hours long, and feels it. They could easily have cut over half the play - a number of us, after the interval, heard what sounded like the same conversations start up again, and went "Oh, no".. Stick with it for a devastating climax though, it is worth it. Strange scene changes involve flashing lights and peculiar images - oh, and there's plenty of swearing. You have been warned. Recommended, with caveats. Runs till the 15th. And afterwards, a wild party continued in the bar - I stayed for a couple with one of the group, who was kind enough to run me home afterwards. Hope it's not as long till I see them again.
Well now. Tomorrow is looking like film, and the film is looking like Rocketman, based on the life of Sir Elton John. I've seen the trailer, which looks excellent - and having always liked his music, I'm looking forward to this. Indeed, it is the film of the moment - I just got a rave review from a friend of mine who's seen it, that Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) organiser I was with so much during the week is also seeing it tomorrow, and indeed, North London Friends is seeing it tomorrow too! but I'm not schlepping all the way up to Crouch End to join them. No, I'll go to the Barbican, which is an easy walk. Three showings - I'l make for the early one.
And on Monday, my only meeting with UITCS this week - we're off to the National for Rutherford and Son. I got the last £32 seat, when I booked! although there are plenty now.
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