Play: A Picture of Autumn

Well, I wasn't sure whether I'd attend tonight's offering from Thumbs Up Theatre Toronto - but (as so often) I'm glad I did. So, we were watching a free, online recording of a 50s English play called A Picture of Autumn, staged at the Palace Theatre, and broadcast by Mint Theater. The host explained, afterwards, that they offer "rescued" plays, that otherwise wouldn't see the light of day again.

As usual, very few attended the pre-show chat - and to be honest, there were some awkward silences. People just don't have much to say, these days. We don't get out much. Anyway, we all started watching a little early. Name and email address required, but as I say, free to watch, and available until the 27th. The play centres around an elderly trio, living in a decrepit country manor - the Lord and Lady of the manor, and his brother. Coming to visit are the Lord's and Lady's sons, along with the elder son's wife and stepdaughter - the elder son, wife, and stepdaughter just back from living in Somaliland. It's set in the 50s.

And it's absolutely charming. The genteel, slow pace of life at the manor, matched by the genteel manners of the three elderly people, is in sharp contrast to the officiousness of the elder son, who breezes in and immediately starts to try and fix things. Comic relief is provided by the family jokers - the younger brothers, one from each generation - who are the charmers, the dreamers. And, of course, there's the comical old retainer, deaf as a post and doing things her way.

The times, however, are a' changin'.. or are they? How far will these people allow themselves to be tugged from their familiar, old lives? A clever, well-written play, with appealing characters - it's strange that it's sunk with hardly a trace. But then, as the host suggested afterwards, perhaps the topic was a bit sensitive at the time of its release, when it would have struck close to home for people who were seeing their old worlds disintegrating. Anyway, well worth a look - highly recommended. And that theatre has another couple of offerings this month, too..

Afterwards, only a couple of people logged on to chat, apart from myself and the host - and gee, it wasn't nearly as late in the evening for them! But I'm delighted to have come across this group, it's really giving me something of a social life. Nice to be reminded how a proper conversation works.

Tomorrow night, the same group has another of those quizzes on, so I've signed up for that as well..

And on Saturday, reliable Cultureseekers has a quiz of their own: this time, name the Ladybird book whose cover I'm showing you! Well, I mightn't be able to identify them - but they're delightful to look at!