Well, Google Maps said I could walk there in under half an hour from the office, so off I set. For whatever reason, I hadn't gone this way before; I found it very interesting! For instance, this is a pretty cool youth hostel around the corner from St. Paul's, which used to be a school for choirboys:
And I'd have made Google Maps' estimate too, if not for having to wait to cross roads - and cycle paths! Anyway, all's well that ends well, and I duly joined the large group clustered at the outside of the theatre. Where we chatted before going in. Now, this time I was in Row P of the Lilian Baylis Circle - beware, the seat numbers don't run like the other rows. Generally, the left-hand door is for seat numbers up to 20 - mine was 19, but for Row P, that's on the right-hand-side. You have been warned - go in the left-hand door for that and you'll just have a wasted journey.
I had to grab that last snap while the usher was away querying something for another customer - they don't like you taking photos inside at all! Anyway, Row P - it turns out - is one of the bench rows, well-upholstered, and comfy enough. There's a partition to lean back against, and a couple of rails in front - one in your line of sight, one lower, just about low enough to rest your feet on. You do have to be careful not to kick anyone in the row in front, though. And leaning back isn't an option if you want to see what's happening on stage - it's fine if you do, just the very side is blocked off, but if you lean back, you can hardly see anything at all.
Well now. The play starts with our hero feeling ill and being taken to hospital, where they struggle to figure out what's wrong with him - by dint of great musings, and with his assistance from his personal experience, they conclude that he's been poisoned with polonium (the "very expensive poison" of the title). We even get a short demo on its origins, and a mention of how it's almost only produced at one nuclear facility. In Russia.
The rest of Act I sees the start of the murder investigation - for he's sure to die. As he describes the events that might have led up to his murder, we see them reproduced on stage - kudos to the massive Spitting Image-type puppets that represent different Russian leaders! After generally making a nuisance of himself at the FSB (formerly known as the KGB), he's hopeful of a change in attitude when a new leader arrives. Introduced to us as Vladimir Vladimirovich, you should know that this is actually Putin.. and the highlight of the first act has to be the final scene, where massive, gold doors are revealed, to the stirring notes of the national anthem. They open to reveal, first, the national symbol, and once the red carpet is unrolled, out the Man himself comes, to debunk all that has gone before. Oh, and to advise us that everyone lived happily ever after.. and since we know the ending, we needn't come back after the interval!
The bar on Level 1 was predictably crowded.. and we generally agreed that the play was very interesting. My main quibble with it was the poisoned man's vacillation between something like a Russian accent.. and Rodney from Only Fools and Horses! Mind you, someone opined that he sounded Russian when speaking to English people, and English when speaking to Russians! Perhaps - I didn't keep track much, but watching for it in the second half, I did notice something like that. Still, I found it unnecessarily distracting.
For the second half, Putin takes a box seat and occasionally tries to put his own spin on proceedings, as the madcap poisoning attempt takes place. They could certainly have found more effective assassins! A much-needed dose of humour is injected here - take, for example, the jibe about the theatre charging £4 for a programme, then making you go outside for the loo! (Building works still underway.) Otherwise, this could have been most depressing. As it is, once the dust settles, and the grieving widow is left alone on stage, it's quite poignant as she tells us what ultimately happened, and distributes segments of the final court judgement for audience members to read out loud.
So yes, well worth seeing, if only as a reminder to all those things that happened some years ago. And I'm glad for his widow, that she finally found a measure of justice. Runs till the 5th of next month.
Took the bus home.. which arrived early, for once! Ran too late to blog, though. Tonight, my first Meetup with Love London Theatre, Arts, Music & Stuff - we're off to Secret River, at the National. And there should be a couple of people there from other groups of mine - nothing like cross-pollination! This one is about the tensions caused by Europeans' arrival in Australia. Mind you, we'll see.. I might have to stay a little late at the office.
Tomorrow, back at last with Spooky London! It's ironic, he'd only just said that I'd been to all the pub socials - and I stopped going! Not deliberate, I can assure you.. this time, we're at The George. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
On Monday, back with London European Club for a night at the Proms - this is Prom 68: Wagner Night. At the Royal Albert Hall, natch.
On Tuesday, back at Trafalgar Studios - this time with North London Friends, for The Fishermen.
And next Wednesday, I'm back to the Proms, on my own.. Prom 71: Bach Night
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