James Joyce Walk & Play: A Midsummer Night's Dream
Last Wednesday night, with London Literary Walks.. he's BACK!! Great stuff - and he started, appropriately for me, with the James Joyce Walk. I was actually supposed to go last week, but it transpired that his popularity was proving a hindrance - he had too many people for that night, and asked his regulars to switch to another date - he was actually doing the walk twice more: the next day, and last Wednesday night. So I went last Wednesday night. Happily, the weather was dry, if a bit chilly..
Second day in a row on the Jubilee Line.. and just as crowded both nights. I just managed to squeeze on the first one. At least this time, I got to change to the Circle.. no crowding, spacious carriages, and a seat. Thought I felt a few drops of rain as I walked to the pub - but that was as much as we had. We were in The Goat Tavern, and well, as our guide was wearing the same shirt I've seen many times before, I had little trouble in spotting him - and it was good to see him, after so long!
Two people had gotten there before me - newcomers to the group. Now, this group is run the same way it always was - wait in a pub for half an hour beforehand, allowing people time to make it there, time for a drink and to socialise. Somehow, at least one of the newcomers had missed the mention on the event page that we'd be there for half an hour - I actually had her asking me whether there was going to be a walk at all! She was already antsy about the potential rain (which didn't come) - it didn't take much for her to become so irate that she upped and left! As did the other chap shortly afterwards - without explanation. Happily, none of the others who arrived were so discomfited, and we did set off in due course.
I didn't get the chance to take a lot of photos relevant to the theme, but there are some interesting views in Kensington - although you do have to look up sometimes! As we went around, our guide was assisted in his facts by a Joycean expert - someone who even runs his own Ulysses Reading Book Club.. I was interested to learn that James Joyce was married in London - lived here just for eight months, mainly because there was a six-month residency requirement!
As someone remarked, it was interesting to walk the backstreets of Kensington, near where Joyce and many of his compatriots lived.. plenty of quirky shops:
We passed a couple of plaques - only thing was, they were hard to see in the dark! For example, his home in Campden Grove (which, apparently, he called "Campden Grave"..):
Also Sibelius' house..
and that of the scientist, James Clerk Maxwell. And quite honestly, for all his influence on science, I never knew he had such an influence on popular culture too.. his connection to Heaviside, for instance, and the Heaviside Layer that he discovered, which lent itself to a song from the musical Cats.. not to mention the subatomic particles, quarks, whose name apparently comes from a cheese in Finnegan's Wake! Well, I never..
Some more quirky shops completed the evening:
The wine was nice. The chips were lovely, and the steak was actually really tasty, and a good-size portion - unfortunately, it was a little tough, and trying to cut it with the supplied bamboo cutlery was an exercise in frustration.. I managed about 2/3, and left the rest. If I'm on a walk here again, I'll know to eat beforehand..
I was doing a film list, so it ran too late that night to blog. Last night, I was back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS), for A Midsummer Night's Dream (perhaps a bit early) at Wilton's. Wow, Meetup seems to have woken up at last.. Anyway, my sometime companion from that group also went, and we booked the local Cote for dinner beforehand. It's walking distance from home, so I skived off from going to the office yesterday, which I should - as usual, nobody noticed. (Also gave me more freedom to start the blog.)
With the enormous new preview that follows below - not to mention actually planning and booking the events included in it - of course, I didn't have time to finish this post before I left. It was nice to walk somewhere for a change - although breezy, crossing the bridge. I arrived slightly early, took a table, ordered for both of us, as my companion had asked me to do - she was late. I said they could bring the wine straight away - I love their wine list, it's improved so much. Last night, I tried #17 - one of their three sauvignon blancs. The lady remarked, as she poured it for me, that it was her favourite..
I have to give her, and the rest of the waiting staff, credit - there was such confusion over my companion's arrival time. And they pretty much did have her meal ready for when she'd said she'd be there! It arrived within five minutes after she did! Now, that's service..
Well, we were both fed - and I had most of the bottle, with my own meal, which I'd asked to come first - and we did make the play in time, just as our poor organiser was wondering what had happened to us!
As you might notice, the row in front of me was pretty empty - right after taking this photo, I nipped into the seat in front, for a better view.
This production is by a company called Flabbergast, whose stated brief is to produce "vigorous physical theatre". Yep, they do deliver on that promise.. this isn't one of my favourite plays, but I have to commend the sheer enthusiasm that they put into it. There were some issues.. and certainly it wasn't popular with the group, with two leaving after the interval, although they sociably stayed for the interval and chatted. There were definite problems with the actors' accents - mainly, I had little idea what they were trying to say.
But it will stay in my memory for a wonderful staging.. Oberon and Titania, in particular, had spectacular costumes, he spending most of the play in a gold mask with ram's horns, and a gold mankini.. she in a long, drapy, white jumpsuit and corset, with a lovely pair of white horns of her own (think Angelina Jolie in Maleficent, only, as I say, white horns). The madcap nature of the production does suit the play.. and you know, I'm always won over when they play music: in this case, when Bottom starts strumming a banjo (or something) for Titania. However, without being able to understand pretty much anything they were saying, it was a long and difficult watch. The run finishes tomorrow, if you're interested.
Afterwards, my companion and I repaired to the nearby pub, The Brown Bear, where the friendly barman happily served us another bottle of sauvignon blanc, and we whiled away the night till closing under the watchful gaze of royal parties:
I was too tired to blog last night. Tonight is film.. but you know, after all the effort of doing the list, I decided sod it, rather than go on my own, I'd rather go with The Hideout, even though I'm not as keen on the film they're seeing - Abigail, about the pre-teen vampire daughter of a rich man. Pity her kidnappers.. well, there do seem to be some amusing moments in the trailer, and I see its rating keeps going up.. Showing in the Vue West End, so I've booked to eat in Bella Italia again. Let's just hope that the cinema bar isn't closed for an event, like last time!
Tomorrow, whee! Back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners.. first time in months! This time, it's for The Great City of London Walking Tour - we're having lunch afterwards at Ye Olde Cock Tavern. Now, this is also the only day this month I can find for my work reunion.. James couldn't make it on the 6th because of rail strikes. Ivan can't make it, and I'm still waiting to hear definitely from Martin - but anyway, James is joining us for lunch, and we might stay there, as I've told Martin. Having said that, James isn't a definite, having had a busy week.. he's to decide in the morning. Ah well, at least I'll be there!
On Sunday, back at last at the British Museum with the Crick Crack Club! This one is Woyengi and the Medicine Woman, by Jan Blake. Man, I've missed these.. it's nearly a year since I was last there!
On Monday, back with UITCS for Boys on the Verge of Tears, at Soho Theatre. Again, ages since I was last there!
On Tuesday, another dinner at Greenwich Yacht Club with Over 40 Living the Life. Third Tuesday in a row - but the last time for a while they'll be doing it.
On Wednesday, I'm at The Hideout's April social! The BFI Riverfront Bar again..
On Thursday, taking a break from Meetup - I'm going to a talk, interesting-sounding to me, at Southwark Cathedral. It's The King's Assassin, about the relationship between James VI/I and George Villiers, now a TV series, Mary & George, with Julianne Moore as his scheming mother. Based on a book, whose author is giving this talk. And as that's also walking distance from me, I'll look to go to the office on Wednesday. Maybe. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
The next two days in London, I'm ticking theatrical boxes - both in Delfont Mackintosh theatres, and both, would you believe, cheapest from the official source! On the 29th, I'm finally getting to see Player Kings, depicting the relationship between Falstaff and Hal from both parts of Shakepeare's Henry IV. Looking forward to it - I love Shakespeare adaptations. That's in the Noel Coward Theatre, and I'm paying a little extra not to sit in the slips, so I get more legroom.
On the 30th, I'm back with UITCS to see Opening Night, a musical with music by Rufus Wainwright. Before it closes! That's at the Gielgud.
On the 1st, back with The London Horror Book Club - they're doing a book I think I'll like - well, I certainly was interested in the free sample, so I bought it. It's The Fifth Child, about a couple living in domestic bliss, having four children, and all is sweetness and light.. until the fifth arrives.. This will be in The Prince of Wales, Drury Lane again. A few months since I was last with them.
And on the 2nd, back with London Classical Music and Theatre Group, for the opera Lucia di Lammermoor in the Royal Opera House.
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