Took the bus, but missed the one I was supposed to take - so, although the group were meeting in the bar beforehand, I was a bit late for that. I just intercepted them en route to the box office to leave my ticket there, actually! And so we took our place, queueing on the stairs - they didn't open till nearly showtime.
As we went in, we were warned that the show contained incense. We hadn't been warned about the goggles provided for the front two rows though.. The performer was standing behind a table (on which the incense burned throughout), and under a fluorescent triangle. And as we waited for her to begin, we mused on why we might need the goggles. Clue - it's to do with that large piece of (salt) rock under the table, and the sledgehammer that rests, initially, on a ledge underneath..
This is the story of a young black woman from Birmingham, of Jamaican heritage, who decides to make a trip out there. Connect with her roots, as it were. As she describes, it started with a trip by cargo ship to Ghana, then back, a flight to Jamaica, and another boat trip back. And thus she would complete the slavery triangle, whereby Europeans brought slaves from Africa to Jamaica. Hence the triangle on the wall, I guess.
It's not a very long show - but it felt it, with the uncomfortable seating in the Royal Court Upstairs! Afterwards, much of the talk centred on how the show is short on detail - which is true, this is more an emotional journey than a fact-finding one. We do get an excoriating account of her boat trip to Ghana, which was the first - and worst - part of the trip. She vents her anger with the sledgehammer, of course - as she says, when she wears goggles, so should we. Uncomfortable things they are, too, but I can testify that they're large enough to wear over glasses. And by the end, that large rock is pretty well smashed to smithereens - never fear, she does sweep up at the end.
The rest of the show is an emotional reflection on her impressions of Ghana and of Jamaica. I admired the obvious depth of emotion of the piece - but agree with another of the group, who said she thought it dragged a bit. Like anything that's deeply linked to the personality of its creator, it's going to be quite subjective, not to everyone's taste. Probably worth a look - oh, and she sits with a basket of bits of rock near the door at the end, giving them to people as souvenirs. Quite nice, in fact. Runs till the 1st - some shows sold out, as in fact was last night's. Most of us repaired to the downstairs bar for drinks afterwards - again, kindly provided by one of our number! Quite noisy though, with both cast and audience present from both shows currently playing there.
On the bus back, we had a driver changeover - just as well I wasn't in a hurry, what with the replacement driver being held up chatting! Lively banter between the drivers after that.. and this is renowned as a scenic route.
Tonight, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for Man of La Mancha, starring Kelsey Grammer and Nicholas Lyndhurst, at the Coliseum. Being in the balcony as usual, I had to go in the very back row - can't handle those vertiginous stairs! Tickets a bit cheaper with WhatsOnStage. Mixed reviews for this - we shall see.
Tomorrow, back at another Spooky London Paranormal Pub Meetup. This time, it's The Morpeth Arms. Mercifully, they don't tend to stay late - I need more stuff from my old flat, and need some time to get it! Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.
On Monday and Tuesday, it's UITCS again. On Monday, we're going to Rosmersholm, by Ibsen, at the Duke of York's Theatre.
On Tuesday, it's Our Town at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. Hope the weather holds!
Next Wednesday, back at last with London Literary Walks - whom I'm shamefully neglecting - for "The Second Westminster Walk".
On the 23rd and 24th, I booked with UITCS. The 23rd, it's for The Starry Messenger, at Wyndham's, starring Matthew Broderick. I waited the longest time to book this, because I have theatre tokens, earned from posting photos to Seatplan, and every time I thought of booking it, I was either away from where my tokens were, or it was out of office hours - and they have to be booked by phone, generally. Well, I was to be glad I waited - they finally released really cheap front row seats in the stalls! (Restricted view, it's a tall stage.) And I was within arms' reach of my tokens, mid-afternoon. After being kept forever on hold, I was put through to someone who had to have everything spelled out for her, and emitted a big sigh when I told her I had a theatre token. So she had to log into that site. But it was all worth it, to get a ticket for £2.25.. Of course, I knew something would go wrong: and now the office social is scheduled for that very day. Ah well - curry night it is then, venue TBD.
On the 24th, I'm off, with UITCS, to Jude, at Hampstead Theatre.
And on the 25th, back - for the first time in a ridiculously long time - with London Dramatic Arts! We're at King Hedley II, with Lenny Henry, at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East. As usual, she closed RSVPs too early, but I asked, and she reopened them. Be good to see them again!
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