Autobahn, The Bridewell Theatre

Date: May 30, 2013

Present: Nic, Brian, Alessandro, Jenny Mann, plus Albert and assorted SCEE staff by separate arrangement

A bit of AmDram to support Alex Hornby, who turned in a disturbing performance as a paedophile school teacher in this cycle of 2-person vignettes.

There were a couple of wobbly accents but the general standard was high.

Favourites, apart, of course, from Mr Hornby, were the girl who was being driven home from rehab by her Mum and the wife who had accidentally had a group orgy, again.

The Winslow Boy, The Old Vic

Present: Nic and Kate

Date: May 13, 2013

This night is memorable for two reasons.  One: it was the day I gave a poor homeless man, who had asked for money for chips, a quinoa, fig, beetroot and feta salad.  Two, it was the interval discussion that has led to this blog as I sought to remember the other Rattigan play "we'd" seen at the Old Vic and it transpired that "we" hadn't seen it at all: I had seen it with Helen, Nic and Brian.  Time to try to out-pace the Alzheimer's by keeping a written record!

The set was charming and authentic and the acting was strong - the suffragette daughter a particular favourite; as well as the barrister seemingly inhuman but then touchingly human; and Henry Goodman was also on good form.  Rattigan's skill is his ability to capture human frailties and emotions and to create "real" characters (though these are real people and events, I believe, which makes it easier).  This was accomplished but old-fashioned theatre.  Nothing revolutionary but a nice, period reproduction of a Rattigan (though not my favourite, which of what I've seen to date, is After the Dance).

Doktor Glas, Wyndhams Theatre

Present: Nic, Nic J, Brian

Date: May 11, 2013

Dinner: Post-theatre at Eat Tokyo, Trafalgar Square

This was, admittedly, a wild card entry into the year's theatre going - an 85 minute, one man monologue in Swedish with subtitles.  It was the last night, yet, you'll be surprised to read, it was not a full house and we were happily upgraded from the back of the gods (we hadn't wanted to gamble the cost of the expensive seats on this!) to the dress circle.

Nic and I awarded ourselves some pre-theatre prosecco for our post 15-mile walk from Hampton Court to Hammersmith - our first training walk for September's marathon.  My feet were what hurt before the play but after it I could barely straighten up - only the lure of Eat Tokyo could keep me shuffling onwards.

Initially we were intrigued by where the subtitles would be shown.  When the play started it was revealed they were on mounted screens but also projected onto the scenery itself, making it easy to both watch the words and the actor (Wallander: not the fat ugly guy and not KB), whose face and voice were emotional and expressive.  The play had some profundities and great quotes:

"We want to be loved; failing that, admired; failing that, feared; failing that, hated and despised."

It turned out to be interesting and rewarding though sombre.  It certainly made me want to read the play.  The actor appeared sincerely touched at the end and received a standing ovation, lobbing red roses from the stage into the audience.