Play: The Motive and the Cue

Tonight, I finally got to see The Motive and the Cue, now showing at the Noel Coward Theatre. A National Theatre production, it's now moved home - I never did get to see it during its initial run. It depicts Richard Burton rehearsing to play Hamlet, under the direction of John Gielgud.. I heard great things, and I was delighted to be seeing it at last. Cheapest tickets I found with Official London Theatre - which isn't official at all..

Left it to the last minute to book anywhere to eat, of course - I am that busy. Happily, it's a Monday! so I was ok - saw there was a Bella Italia just down from it, and lo, they had availability at 5.45. Booked, and managed to get myself there in decent time - mercifully, the bus had been delayed, so I was in perfect time for it. After an afternoon's snow (!), there were a few icy patches on the pavements - but I made it there safely.

Typically, they were busy. They had to clear a table for me - right beside the stairs leading down to the toilets! So I took the chair on the other side.. they were steep stairs, after all.. I wondered whether this would reach the dizzy heights of their branch on Shaftesbury Avenue; happily, it did. Interestingly, they have an app you can order on - I thought about using it, but when I tried, it said "online ordering was not available right now". Of course it wasn't, they were all racing around serving people in person!

They didn't leave me for too long, though. I had the same as before - dough balls with garlic butter to start, chicken milanese with fries for main, sauvignon blanc. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. I didn't really have time for dessert - by the time she came to ask, it was about 6.50, and the show was at 7.30. Had a second glass of wine, though. Love this chain! You can't really go wrong.

Now, the theatre was literally a minute's walk away - I could see the head of the queue as I left the restaurant. The end of the queue, mind, was around the corner - but it moved fast. And happily, it isn't nearly as far to the Balcony as it was on Thursday.. no confusion about the seat either, you can only enter on one side. Although you can exit either way! And my end-of-row seat had a much better view:

I should have known I'd love it! Since I moved to London, I've discovered that I love the company of acting folk.. and here, we have it in spades. Gielgud, Burton - and Elizabeth Taylor - hanging out at dinner parties, rehearsals.. I was in seventh heaven. They are depicted accurately enough that you could imagine the real characters are there, on stage. On top of which, you have them enacting snippets from the play.. 

Had time at the interval to go to the loo AND the bar, which was gratifying. Both of which are on the wrong side of the row - must remember to get a low-numbered seat in future..

Of course, it gets a bit darker in the second half, with the bickering between Burton and Gielgud intensifying. However, as it points out in captions at the end - this, in its day, was a fabulously successful production. And they do so to the music of Zadok the Priest! Oh my, how appropriately grandiose.. nothing else could fit so perfectly with such massive egos as are on display here. I just melted. Adore this production. (Sorry though, for me, Andrew Scott still has the crown as the perfect Hamlet.) Runs until the 23rd of March - beg, borrow, steal a ticket. If you love theatre..

Amazingly, the weather seemed have gotten milder on my exit. Tomorrow, I'm off to The Enfield Haunting (woohoo!). Starring Catherine Tate and David Threlfall, it's based on real events.. showing in the Ambassadors Theatre. 

On Wednesday - Wednesdays seem to be becoming my Meetup days - I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for the Matthew Bourne production of Edward Scissorhands, at Sadler's Wells. Love Matthew Bourne - but by the time I got around to booking this, it was nearly sold out! so, for once, I'm in the First Circle - a level lower than normal. Which should be just fine..

On Thursday, back with the Backyard Comedy Club - tickets from CT again. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.

Next Monday, finally getting to see the RSC production of Hamnet, the story of Shakespeare's short-lived son. Playing at the Garrick.

On the 16th, seeing Rock 'n' Roll by Tom Stoppard, at Hampstead Theatre.

On the 17th - which is a Wednesday - yes, back with Meetup! This time, it's the New Year Social co-hosted by the London Movie Club (LMC), the Hideout, and London Hot 100! all of which are run by the same people. I've just booked with the LMC myself, which was the first to advertise it. Back at the BFI.

On the 18th, Helen is in town - and suggested we have dinner, and head to the Canary Wharf Winter Lights! Excellent idea - I was thinking of seeing them, but didn't have a specific date in mind. Must try not to be in the office that day - I hate the idea of lugging a laptop around! We're heading to Amerigo Vespucci for food..

On the 19th, back with CT - for a show called The Gods, The Gods, The Gods, at Underbelly Boulevard. New venue, it seems!

The 20th is when I'm trying to catch up with all those ex-colleagues.. still waiting on word of whether Ivan can move his rehearsal from that day.. he says he's "working on it".

On the 21st, I'm back with London Walking Tours, Art & Culture Explorers for Jane Austen's London Walk..

On the 22nd, back with North London Friends for the first time in ages! They had one remaining ticket for Cold War, at the Almeida - otherwise completely sold out! So I bit the bullet and bought theirs - albeit above my normal price range, including a Paypal fee, and with a Meetup fee on top.. it was that or not see it at all! It'll be good to see them again, too..

On the 23rd, back with UITCS for Blood on Your Hands, at Southwark Playhouse - for which I used the second of my theatre vouchers, bought under their Pay as you Go scheme, where you get them at a discount.

And on the 24th, another CT ticket - this is for The Gorgeous Diva & Katie Norris Double Bill, at the Pen Theatre. Somewhere else I've never been, hmm..