Play: The Misfortune of the English

Today, I had another flat viewing scheduled - with no word about the last one, I thought I'd better attend. It is slightly closer to the office, you never know, it might have suited better. But, before going to bed last night, I had a closer look at the ad - well heavens, if I hadn't been looking at the wrong room! It turns out that there were two rooms with balcony to rent, only one of which was still available. And that one is far too small. So, the search continues - at least I saved myself the trip all the way out there!

For the evening, I was without anything in particular to do for a while - unusually for a Wednesday! Of course, Meetup annoyingly doesn't always show everything running on a particular day - not even for your own groups. So it was only last week that it reminded me that Up in the Cheap Seats had an event on! They were going to see The Misfortune of the English, at the Orange Tree, and I got the last cheap ticket in the front row. It's based on the true story of a group of English schoolboys who arrived in Nazi Germany in 1936 to go on a walking tour in the Black Forest - just as a blizzard kicked in. And it'd be lovely to see some folks I hadn't seen in ages! My only social event of the week, too. Delighted I caught this.

Oh, what a long way it is to Richmond though.. shan't be as long if I'm ever successful in getting a place near the office! The only way of getting there in under an hour involved train, so I decided, of the multitude of ways I could get there, to get the next bus to Waterloo and get the train from there. And that is what I did. Mind you, when I got to Waterloo, I was distressed that there wasn't a train to Richmond for 15 minutes or so - but as I schlepped all the way practically to the last platform, I was to appreciate that delay. And I got to Richmond with nearly half an hour to spare. Not enough for a proper meal, but then I saw a KFC and said, well, under the circumstances..

They were busy, but mostly with takeaways - so there was plenty of seating, handily. I ordered at one of the machines - was supposed to get a receipt, but didn't; good job I remembered my order number. Not that they asked for a receipt, or the order number. I had to queue for it for quite a while though - particularly slow, this KFC. But they are better than the one on Bishopsgate! (wouldn't be hard). That one was tasteless and stodgy, the last time I was there - at least the chicken tasted nice here. Although, what has happened to the "special recipe", I don't know - I haven't tasted it in a long time. I suppose they've given up on it. No longer finger-lickin' good.. but I was fed. And the beans were lovely, as always.

And so to the theatre, where my ticket was scanned at the door. Handily, they sent me a link to it today! Love it when that happens. I ordered a drink at the bar - funnily enough, yesterday we all got confusing emails from them, saying first that we had to pre-order drinks online, then that it was an option! Our organiser had clarified with them that the instruction to pre-order was an old one, from during the pandemic, and that we could certainly order in person! There was a choice of house wine or canned - I chose house, and joined the others at the table at the end, where we had a great time swapping stories about plays we'd seen, or were planning to.

The warning sign in the middle is, appropriately, in German. And I never noticed throughout, but it is placed there for a reason - the same reason that people actually don't walk across the middle of the stage during the play, which is probably why the stagehand is there in this photo, to stop people crossing the centre. It's actually a trapdoor! for use at the latter stages of the play, which runs for 90 minutes without interval.

Opinion was mixed in our group afterwards, but I liked it. I thought the three actors depicted schoolboys quite well, one in short trousers because he hadn't yet turned 14. They made great eye contact with us all, scattered around the theatre as we were. And it's quite a poignant story, apart from anything else, about how an idiotic teacher led the group off the beaten track to climb a mountain en route, without adequate clothing or even a decent map! and ignoring the locals' warnings about wintry weather blowing in. (He was later exonerated, the German authorities wanting to maintain, at that point, good relations with the British.)

However, most of the play isn't really about that - it deals a lot with the boys' attitude, and I suppose is meant to depict the British attitude of the time. They're old enough to be aware of current affairs, and some politics creep in. Mainly though, it seems to focus on their gung-ho attitude to what is happening to them - until it's too late. As for the particulars of the story, the gradual decline in their situation is very well depicted, with fog and snow blasting in from the side, and the boys looking sick and miserable. Most evocative. But the sad ending is told in a strange, dreamlike sequence, where a lady comes on, dressed like the MC in a cabaret, with a model of the mountain, which is raised through the trapdoor. (I was just sad I wasn't on the side with the village on it!) She it is who tells us what happened, then and after. And then, um, it kind of stops dead. Most abrupt ending.

I think perhaps the playwright was trying to do something quite profound, but didn't quite pull it off. But it is interesting. Runs until the 28th of next month. Anyway, it was great to see everyone! And I got the Tube most of the way home, with the luxury of a bus for one stop, just because that was the only way I'd get back in under an hour.

Tomorrow, back to Riverside Studios, for a rescheduled concert. Liza Pulman - The Heart of It was supposed to happen over lockdown. She'll be singing popular show songs. And at least, after yesterday, I know where I'm going, now! Well, as far as the main door anyway! Shall still probably have to ask directions to the concert venue..

Then back to Ireland for the weekend. Yes, almost every weekend this month - it just worked out that way. I'd normally have been in London last weekend you see, except for staying in Ireland to see my friend. And this trip for the upcoming weekend was already booked when that was organised. Now, it's a long weekend, so I have an extra day there - can see two films! The Arc Cinema now being the cheapest around, I'm concentrating on that - there isn't anything special showing in Limerick anyway. Higher rated is The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, a comedy where the versatile Nicholas Cage plays a version of himself, apparently sending up his iconic characters. I'll have to see how many I recognise - I'm not the most dedicated follower of his work! So, thinking of that for Saturday.

And for Sunday, it's looking like Downton Abbey: A New Era. Like the tv series, the films focus on an aristocratic English family: Dame Maggie Smith as the dowager Countess, Hugh Bonneville as the Earl, Brendan Coyle as his valet, Laura Carmichael as one of his daughters, Jim Carter as the butler, Penelope Wilton as a cousin, and friend of the dowager Countess, whose son is heir to the earldom, as the Earl and Countess have no sons. I was never a fan of the tv series, and didn't see the first film, but hey, it should be watchable. Apparently, in this one, a film crew arrives at the stately home - the real-life Highclere Castle.

Back then on Monday, and on Tuesday, a revamped version of Oklahoma at the Young Vic!

Next Wednesday (Star Wars Day - May the fourth be with you), I'm at last back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners! Ah, it's been too long.. someone suggested that I skip off work for a couple of hours during the day to go on the walks, but seriously, every time I checked when his walks were, I had a meeting that clashed! So, not an option. Anyway, this is the Cool Camden Pub Walk! It was actually rescheduled - was originally supposed to happen tonight, which was why I was left for a while with nothing to do tonight. Unfortunately, next Wednesday, it clashes with a couple of other things - a Civilised London (CL) meal I was actually booked on (happily, he gave me a refund of my deposit), and leaving drinks for my favourite ex-boss from my last company. Tarnation. Well, can't be helped - this is a pub tour I really want to go on. I was originally booked for an online talk that night - Fight Them on the Beaches is a talk about the greatest speeches in parliament. Courtesy of Guided Walking Tours in Brighton and Sussex. But they record the talks, so I can catch it afterwards. True, isn't it - everything happens on Wednesdays!

On the 5th, I'm off to Scandaltown, at the Lyric. Yet another play by the prolific Mike Bartlett, this is a revamped Restoration comedy, set in modern-day, debauched London. As always, love his stuff and am really looking forward to this. But wouldn't you know it, now CT has tickets.. ah well..

Just as well I had the 6th free when another ex-boss, Ivan, asked when we could do drinks again! He also suggested we try to find somewhere quieter than the last place - not an easy ask, for a central venue on a Friday night. Ah, but I have contacts.. the organiser of CL once recommended to me a pub just off Charing Cross Road, which he knows as quieter than the usual - I couldn't remember the name, but he reminded me it's the Round Table. I'd have booked, but they seem not to take bookings on Friday evenings. Our ex-colleague is coming, and for the first time, my aforementioned ex-boss from my last company! Should be cool.

On the 7th, back with Laurence and the 45+s - this time, it's a walk called Red Lights, Rabble Rousers & RocknRollers, around Soho. And Helen is coming up for it! So, a highly sociable week!

And on the 8th, back with the Crick Crack Club. This is The Origins of Life and Death, with Jan Blake, at the British Museum, which I missed in January. Limited availability at time of writing, as they have socially distanced seating.