Slave Play

Tonight, with Over 40 Living the Life again, for Slave Play - at the Noel Coward, it got terrific reviews. Stars Kit Harington - who gets his kit off! (pun intended). Ate in the nearby Bella Italia - happily, not the same branch as last night! And also happily, I'd already worked so many hours this week that I could skive off early today.. whee!

Having said that, I left later than I should have - underestimated how long it'd take. So I ended up on the Northern Line - the wrong branch, so I had to go all the way down to Kennington and change to a train heading back the same way, on the other branch! It then took me a while to find the correct exit from Leicester Square Station - I'd booked for 5.45, but it was nearly 6 by the time I panted up to the door. Joined the inevitable queue - this time, at least, the maitre d' came out to enquire from people what the story was.

So I told him I was slightly late for my reservation. He went and checked - even though I was within 15 minutes, he'd "had to give the table away", as he said. But seriously, he couldn't have been fairer - brought me inside, said I'd have the next table, gave me a menu while I waited. He asked me whether I was in a hurry - I said I was to meet people. So he let me order while I was standing there! When I asked for a glass of wine, he asked whether I wanted it straight away - I said, "Why not?".

It flowed quite seamlessly from there. This time - partly because of last night's disastrous experience - I decided to change my starter, and go for their new "chicken frites": chicken strips in breadcrumbs, flavoured with salt and chili, and served with a dip. Oh my, great idea! They were gorgeous.. quite spicy, but beautifully cooled down by the dip. Very moreish - and unusually spicy for an Italian! My main was as delicious as ever - I was glad not to have anything more spicy, mind..

I did run slightly later than intended - came in at the same time as another from the group. As we went in, we were given little stickers to put over our phone lenses - for obvious reasons. I do have to wonder about the use of the name - I know it's mentioned in the play, but did they do a sponsorship deal?

Our organiser had said she'd go in at 7, and it was just after that. So, upstairs with us - a quick trip to the loo, and bar, and up to the balcony, where we occupied most of the back row:

(It did fill up a lot more than this - we were seated early.) Yes, that is a mirrored safety curtain - actually, it isn't even really a safety curtain, it's the set wall! There are doors in it, and it's movable, to create a different size of performance space. Did I read somewhere that the mirrors are supposed to have the effect of making the audience feel self-conscious? or was that for something else? Anyway, I heard it at some point.. And yes, I did remove the cover from my phone to take this photo. It's easily done, there were no ushers around at that point, and it's not like I tried it during the production.

A play in three sections - without preamble, we're straight into the first one. And this is the bit that's generated the most controversy. The basic story, you see, concerns three interracial couples, in each of which the black partner has lost interest in sex. They're all attending therapy - part of which involves roleplay, whereby one person acts as slave to the other, and subject to their sexual fantasy. That's the first part. The second part is a therapy session, and in the final part we see the fallout.

The first part is all about rape fantasies. That's mainly what's supposed to be controversial. Jeez, I dunno - haven't they been around for years? Aren't we all familiar with them? Perhaps it's more shocking to American audiences - I dunno. There is some nudity here, but not an awful lot. Don't expect titillation. In fact, I wasn't the only person to find that this section just dragged..

Of course, all of this is tied up with the black participants' social history, and knowledge that their family histories would likely have involved slavery, and possibly rapes similar to the fantasies depicted. Which is mainly, I guess, why they're all in therapy in the next scene! (No interval in this play, BTW - I suspect many would have left if there had been.) Now, the therapy scene divided people in our group - one liked it; one thought it was a parody, and annoying; certainly, some of the scenarios must be exaggerated. Personally, this was the closest I came to leaving - I thought it just went on and on and on..

And then we come to the final scene, and the fallout from everything that's gone before. And that scene saved the entire play for me. I do love a good ending anyway, and this is one of those controversial ones, for sure, that will have people talking as they leave - a lot of that was going on as we left the theatre.

Someone I know asked, after seeing this, what the point was. I would say there are several possible directions it could point in - like all good fiction. So many points are raised - black people's relationship with their own past, and how it informs their choice in the present: how power dynamics operate between couples: even how race is defined. Thorniest of all, perhaps, is the question of what happens when two people want different things, and each wants to give the other what they want.. how far can you - should you - go to please someone else, especially if it goes against your core beliefs?

So. Recommended - but sit tight through the first two scenes. The payoff is worth it, I think. It's certainly, as I say, generating a lot of discussion. Runs until the 21st of September - not booking out, interestingly..

Tomorrow was the next date possible for my ex-coworkers' reunion, what with everybody travelling hither and yon, and suffering from jetlag.. I was thinking of going back to Brown's. But then Ivan requested Sunday, because he's rehearsing that day - and the others were fine with it. But now it turns out he's needed in Scotland, where his family lives, on Sunday, so kind of has to meet us tomorrow.. he's cutting his rehearsal short.. and you might ask why I say it's like herding cats! So we now seem to be back to that day again.. I've booked The Albert for that day now, instead of the next.

On Sunday, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) (at last!) for a short play, Comment is Free, at the Putney Arts Theatre. Sounds really interesting, having cancel culture as its theme. It's part of their Box Set Summer Festival - they do have a discount if you book multiples. The organiser is availing of that, but I'm not - I've seen one of them (A Hundred Words for Snow), which was a memorable production, but I don't generally like to repeat myself - and I'm not around for the others she's going to, the following weekend. For food afterwards, I'm heading to Lila, just up the road. It's got great reviews, and it's years since I ate Thai food! And we're meeting for coffee beforehand.

On Monday, finally going to Mnemonic, at the National, which this group saw on Wednesday, but of course I was otherwise engaged that day. Does sound interesting though.

On Tuesday, back with CT: for The Improv Comedy Show - Can We Have a Word? at Upstairs at the Green.

On Wednesday, I'm back with UITCS for Starlight Express! Heard of this, never seen it - it's at the new Wembley Park Theatre. And I'm trying out their Studio Five restaurant beforehand.

On Thursday, heading to Frankie Goes to Bollywood at the Queen Elizabeth Hall again - should be fun. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.

On the 5th, heading to Next To Normal, at Wyndham's - cheapest tickets with TodayTix. Eating at Bella Italia (St. Martin's Lane) again.

On the 6th, headed back with CT to Stagetime - more improvised comedy - at Shoreditch Balls! Eating at the nearby Blues Kitchen, which I love.

On the 7th, back with London Literary Walks for Dickens, Woolf and Lawrence. Meeting at The Dolphin, but they don't do food, so I'll eat at the nearby Isolabella Italian restaurant beforehand.

And on the 8th, back with Buddies on Budgets for a sketching evening (!) in Phoenix Garden. Tickets from Eventbrite. If I go.. not usually my thing, but we'll see.