Play: House of Shades

Now, this week is a bit problematic - my boss is mooting a team dinner, but is supposed to have a poll to decide the day. Which hasn't happened yet. And of course, I really want to meet these folks in person for the first time! So, all plans are up in the air. But he didn't say anything about it today, so I headed to see House of Shades, in the Almeida. I heard mixed reviews, but what I see here tends to be marvellous!

Ooh, I can walk from home! Lovely, and I did - despite all those hills I have to climb. Headed ASAP, but still didn't have time for anything major to eat - happily, the cafe at the theatre had some rather nice smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwiches, so I had one of those. Unhappily, they didn't have seating to go with it, so I ended up sat in the lobby. As I keep saying, the one major flaw of this theatre is the lack of seating in the cafe! Anyway, had Picpoul de Pinet to accompany it, and you can take it in as long as it's in plastic.

Despite having to queue behind a group of indecisive people for my drink, I was still the first person into the stalls! possibly because, even though an announcement had told us that they were open, a barrier was still blocking the stairs to the entrance!

Now, I found this a very interesting play, if hard - at least initially - to pin down. The year is flashed onto the rear wall - we start in 1965, and there's a scene for 1976, 1985, then 2017 (as I recall). Basically, the recurring theme is of the shades - ghosts, if you will - of the past, haunting the people of the present. In the family at the centre of the story, the mother is haunted by memories of an unhappy childhood, which blighted her adult life in ways that gradually become apparent; a teenage daughter becomes pregnant, and what happens next is only fully revealed when the mother is on her deathbed (for once, the trigger warning about the "graphic depiction of an abortion that involves blood" is justified - even I was disturbed). Her children grow up with their own ghosts to haunt them.

As I say, it's initially hard to pin down - there's plenty to be distracted by: for example, when the son of this Labour-voting family brings home a Tory girlfriend, and you get the distinct impression that the Tories are supposed to represent feminism! Jesu, just because Thatcher became PM?! Lordy, feminism isn't exactly what the party is known for, these days..

Overall, I did feel connected to the characters, and it was fascinating, towards the end, to see the older and younger versions of the same characters appear together on stage, in juxtaposition. Caveat: as I say, there are disturbing elements - also strobe lighting. But I do recommend this. Runs till the 18th.

For tomorrow, I figured, well, he didn't say anything today, so this dinner is probably not happening this week at all! but certainly not tomorrow. Watch this space. So that left me free to book the opera of Samson and Dalila, at the Opera House, with London Classical Music and Theatre Group. Got the very last seat in the slips - and this will be my only Meetup of the week. Ironically, the office is only a hop, skip and jump from there, and I initially thought to head in for the first time tomorrow - but then I realised I have an early meeting, so I said, perhaps not. And later, the agent contacted me to ask whether I could be in the flat from 4 to 6, so someone can come and inspect the gas - so that's that, then.

On Wednesday, headed to The Father and the Assassin, at the National. Based on the story of the man who murdered Ghandhi, this is supposed to be excellent, from reports I've heard!

On Thursday, heading to Britannicus at the Lyric Hammersmith (and damned if CT doesn't now have tickets for this!). A political thriller, set in modern-day Rome. Then back to Ireland for the weekend.

Next Monday, I've booked for Tony! The Tony Blair Musical, at the Park Theatre.

On the 14th, booked for Girl on an Altar, at the Kiln Theatre. This is the story of Clytemnestra and her husband, Agamemnon, following his sacrifice of their daughter to the gods.

On the 15th, I'm going to a concert in the City Churches Music series. This is Brilliant Brass, performed by the Royal Philharminic Orchestra Brass Quintet in the church of St. Stephen Walbrook. I got my ticket from CT, though.

On the 16th, headed to Mad House at the Ambassadors Theatre.

On the 17th, back with the Crick Crack Club! for The Nine Muses of Queen's Crescent, at Rich Mix. Courtesy of my favourite storyteller, Clare Murphy, whom I haven't seen in an age!

On the 18th, I had booked with TAC for Haydn's Creation at St. Pancras Church, Euston. And then I saw that Bucket List London had booked something for that afternoon! specifically, a trip to Greenwich Royal Observatory and/or the Ranger's House. Ah well now, I haven't been out with this group since January! Ironically, that's where I first met Laurence, on so many of whose walks I've subsequently been - and who knows when I'll see him again?! since he seems only to run walks on weekdays, now. I seem to be swapping one for the other.. So anyway, I'm now going to all of the above. One of those busy days.

On the 19th, back with London Guided Walks - but, armed with the information that they now advertise through TAC, I've booked through them instead! This is the Secrets of St. James Walk, and given how I booked, I must remember to bring £3 cash on the day. I have to admit, the standard of these walks is excellent.

On the 20th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Jitney, at The Old Vic. I didn't fancy the cheapest seats - but gee, SFF had seats in all but the most expensive price bands, for very little more! So I now find myself in the central Stalls for this..

And on the 21st, I'm at the Royal Court for That Is Not Who I Am, a play about identity theft, from an unnamed writer. Ooh.. website seems to be down currently.