Talk: The King's Assassin

Tonight, took a break from Meetup - I went 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 was giving this talk - tickets from Eventbrite. Also walking distance from me. I booked Bill's for dinner, hoping the service would be decent, as it isn't always..

This time, I walked - immediately regretting it, mind, as the rain poured down. Especially when I had to cross the road, and just as the light went green for me, an ambulance chose that moment to come screaming towards me. By the time it had passed, my light was red again.. I was minutes waiting there. In the rain. And was, therefore, a few minutes late - which wasn't a problem.

Mercifully, I got seated to the left of the entrance, where, in my experience, service is better - I dunno why. Certainly, it wasn't a problem tonight. I had calamari to start - they offer a choice of "red", with warm tomato pour-over sauce, or "white", which I chose, which comes with a moreish garlic mayonnaise. For main, I was back to the "truffle chicken", done two ways.. Pity I didn't read my previous review of that. So - the calamari was gorgeous. The chicken was indeed done in two ways - one good, one terrible. Again, the grilled chicken was tough - the breaded chicken lovely, with its accompanying sauce absolutely divine, and went really well with the gorgeous mash. Such a pity you can't just choose one of the two chickens..

I didn't have time for dessert, but it was mainly a good meal. I schlepped along to the cathedral in good time - a fellow inside the door directed me upstairs, and I followed the open doors on the principle of the "path of least resistance". Had my name checked off the list - and then, unexpectedly, saw a lady with bottles of wine and empty glasses, laid out on a table! "Ooh," I said, "Is that for now, or after?" "Well," she said, "if you want some now.." So I did. And as I passed towards the front to get a decent seat, someone exclaimed, upon seeing my wine, "Are they serving now?!" "It would seem so," I replied, whereupon he fairly leapt to follow my example. Just as well.. perhaps they'd gone through all their stock beforehand, but by the end, there was no sign of the wine..

We were in a library.. with a really curious quantity of books about various aspects of Jewish history!

The speaker was already in situ, and had a large display screen:

One woman, sat in front of me, was describing, irately, in broad terms, to the ladies beside her, how very unsatisfactory the series is in terms of historical accuracy. Mind you, the writer, when he began, displayed a much more conciliatory tone, acknowledging that compressions must be made for the sake of drama. He was a really entertaining presenter, going through the whole process from his perspective, and explaining how he has to sign an agreement that he won't have anything to do with the adaptation. However, he also explained how this production allowed him an unusual degree of involvement, as he was in the room with the screenwriters..

They changed the name for the series primarily to avoid giving away the ending! It seems that what happened, in real life, as the king lay dying, surrounded by doctors, was that the two protagonists pushed their way in and, in defiance of the doctors' wishes, applied some sort of poultice to the king. He was dead a couple of days later. The author did mention that he'd asked a medical friend of his what that might have been, that might have occasioned the king's death.. apparently, it could have resulted from a common herb, found in many English cottage gardens. So now..

He also played a couple of short clips from the series, and showed us a fascinating database that he set up, as the series' "historical consultant", that the filmmakers could draw on, with portraits of the real-life personas on whom the characters are based, maps, diagrams and pictures of the stately homes and so on. And he mentioned other instances of drama distorting the truth - like The Crown, for instance.. Must get round to watching that, some time.

They were selling the book down the back - I wasn't tempted. What I can find on Wikipedia will suit me fine.. Walked home, and although it was cold, the rain had stopped, mercifully! Passed St. Olaf House on the way:

Tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again. Film-wise, I'm seeing That They May Face the Rising Sun, based on the last book, of the same name, by John McGahern, set in rural Ireland in the 80s. Yes, showing in the Omniplex..

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 Monday, I'm finally getting to see Player Kings, depicting the relationship between Falstaff and Hal from both parts of Shakepeare's Henry IV, with Sir Ian McKellan as Falstaff. 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 Tuesday, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats to see Opening Night, a musical with music by Rufus Wainwright. Before it closes! That's at the Gielgud. Mind you, I'm beginning to hear bad reports..

On Wednesday, 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. I have started the book.. just need to find the time to finish it!

And next Thursday, back with London Classical Music and Theatre Group, for the opera Lucia di Lammermoor in the Royal Opera House.