Play: Waiting for Godot

Tonight, I headed to the Theatre Royal Haymarket with Up in the Cheap Seats, who were going to see Waiting for Godot - I always love Beckett. Stars Ben Whishaw. Someone from the group decided she'd rather a sun holiday, so I took her ticket, which was a decent one. And my sometime companion from the group joined me at the Angus Steakhouse beforehand.

I headed off in decent time, arriving in Regent Street, which had a Christmassy atmosphere:

I was first to the restaurant - she was coming on the Elizabeth Line, and someone at work had warned us all that all the lines were delayed - apparently due to yet more flooding! I'd ordered by the time she arrived, but hey - the food came when it was ready, and we were well fed. Certainly, I was starving - had the pumpkin soup from their Thanksgiving special menu, and a steak. We skipped dessert, and headed straight to the theatre - when we could find anyone to pay. Funny how slow service suddenly becomes when you want to leave..

And so we were fortified for the long climb up the - uncarpeted - back stairs to the Upper Circle & Gallery. We met the others in the Upper Circle Bar, then headed to our seats - happily, I didn't have far to go to mine, which was right beside the door! and on the aisle, which afforded me extra space. Unhappily, that did mean I was bothered by ushers' walkie-talkies and latecomers.. but not much. And the view was fine:

(Observe the usher who didn't notice me snapping a photo as she brandished a sign banning photography..) Turned out a seat was free beside my dinner companion, so I switched down there at the interval, to the front row of the Upper Circle - closer to the stage, a bit of the view of the stage cut off, decent legroom.

Sir Ian McKellan was once filmed - 10 years ago - answering questions about this play, and has some interesting insights. Of course, the play is about waiting.. waiting.. Godot representing the hope of an end to the waiting, a light at the end of the tunnel. Well, Sir Ian proposes the theory that Beckett - who was in the Résistance - based his play on two soldiers waiting for a message, night after night, having to return until it was delivered, with no way of contacting the person bringing it, or even knowing his real name. 

Another thing he mentions is that the world of this play is a desolate one. Our two protagonists are without food or shelter, in a desolate landscape. One has boots that are falling apart. And they're waiting for an indeterminate time. He even likens the play's theme to old age - one of the characters has a faulty memory, bad feet.. the other has urinary issues.. and they're sitting around waiting for death. And I think that was my problem with tonight's play - it was too feckin' light-hearted. They played for laughs, played up the jokes, and it didn't tie. There was no comforting background to support them - they had to return to a kind of hellish landscape, and you wondered why they were so happy. No - give me this version. Makes more sense to me - yes, there are jokes, but you have to listen carefully to the thing to get the humour. I think the version currently playing in London completely misses the point. But hey, if you want to check it out, it runs till the 21st.

Tomorrow, I was thinking of film again - Cure is an unusually highly rated horror film, showing at the Prince Charles. Set in Japan, where a detective is flummoxed by a series of inexplicable murders, committed by people who all seem to have lost all trace of memory of the event! Now, I mentioned this to the organiser at the Frost Descends social - and lo, it turns out to be a film he always wanted to see, and never got to! Not only that, but it's said to have kick-started the subsequent wave of Asian horror. So.. now it's a Meetup, with The Hideout! Unusually for events in the area, we're headed to The Bear & Staff - well, he did say he wanted to find a different place. And I've eaten there before, and found it good - so I've booked to eat there beforehand.

That's the start of a few days of Meetups. On Friday, I'll be joining the World Music Meetup - if I can find them. They're headed to the British Museum, which is currently running a Silk Road exhibition - and on Friday night, they're running an event called Music of the Silk Roads, in the midst of exhibits relevant to the music. So, that sounds good.. as to whether I'll come across the others, we shall see. They're supposed to be headed for a drink afterwards - again, we shall see.

Saturday is going to be a busy one for me. First off, I'm back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpies - the walk is Birthday Boy! Winston in Westminster - it was Winston Churchill's birthday, d' you see. And we're headed for lunch afterwards in the Lamb & Flag, Covent Garden - where Helen is joining us (nice n Christmassy). And in the evening, I've finally managed to persuade Ivan and James to meet - first time since September! And with Ivan rehearsing, as most Saturdays, we're headed up in that direction, to the Approach Tavern.

On Sunday, there's a carol service at St. John's Hyde Park, so I might take myself over there. Trying the local Maximini Chinese restaurant beforehand.

On Monday, I'm with CT for Shake it Up - the Improvised Shakespeare Show - at the Hen & Chickens.

On Tuesday, our company's Christmas Party is lovely and convenient for me - at The Oyster Shed, walking distance from home! So I might skip heading into the office that day, which is likely to be manic anyway.

Next Wednesday is the Christmas Social for The Hideout and their sister group, Movie Roadhouse London (MRL). At the BFI again.

On the 5th, back with MRL for Conclave, starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, and John Lithgow as cardinals involved in the election of a new pope. Isabella Rossellini shows up as a nun. Shenanigans are promised. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.

Back in London, two nights of music beckon. On the 9th, I'm at a Conductors' Podium student classical concert at the Royal College of Music. 

And on the 10th, I'm at another Jazz Night at Americana. Courtesy of CT.