Play: The Shark Is Broken

Tonight, the start of another run of Meetups - finally back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for The Shark is Broken, at Richmond Theatre. A comedy about the making of Jaws.. how could I resist?! I was perturbed, mind you, to see that the "cheap" seats in the Stalls involve an automatic VIP experience booking, with champagne and such! Huh - I went for the next price level up, in the rear Stalls, thus paying much less.. Booked for the Buenos Aires Steakhouse, across the road, for beforehand..

At least being in the office meant I was halfway there - so I managed to get there by Tube in about an hour. Few enough people were actually travelling that far west - by the time we got to Gunnersbury, the train was practically empty! We slowed down coming in to Richmond, as usual - and so I was slightly late for my restaurant booking. Mind you, I was grateful to Google Maps for telling me about this place - down a backstreet, I'd never have found it on my own! Not a problem at all that I was late, he assured me - they weren't busy at 6pm (they were a lot more so by the time I left, an hour or so later). I could choose my table.

I wasn't actually in the mood for a starter - and I was in something of a hurry anyway - so I didn't have one. Fancied a steak, had the smallest sirloin. When I'd finished it, I realised I could have gone for the next size up, the 10oz, quite easily! It was a lovely steak, I have to say - succulent, tasty.. did need the mushroom sauce I got with it, mind. I ordered fries, which honestly weren't great, although I finished them - interestingly, I didn't see onion rings anywhere on the menu!  Fries, chunky chips, or mash, are included in the price of the steak. There being no New Zealand white wine, I plumped for their recommended, Argentinian, Sauvignon Blanc - and was well happy. I would have stayed for a dessert - or at least another glass of wine - if I hadn't been meeting the others.

And so to the theatre - and praise Google Maps again, because I hadn't been there before, and had the most trouble finding it! The guy on the door insisted on looking, both in my handbag, and in my rucksack - which is fair enough, but was terribly troublesome. And then, wouldn't you know it, I'd screenshotted my ticket, but of all the things to happen, my photos refused to open! I had to go to all the palaver of digging out the email again, to which the ticket was attached - and to avoid which I'd taken the screenshot in the first place. No idea what happened there - it's fine now.

As the organiser had said they'd be, they were over to the side of the foyer, and we chatted briefly before going in. Now, I've never seen this in a theatre before - but gee, they have staggered seats. So, when I was looking for my row, I happened to look at the seats by the wall, got the right row, then checked my number and sat down. Shortly afterwards, a nice chap came along and said I was in his seat, not that it mattered, but.. the guy in the row in front confirmed that was my row, and up I had to get, bags n all, and switch rows. Because the row in the centre section does not correspond to the row in the outer section. For heavens' sake..

I was a bit cramped, with all my baggage - in particular, my leg, on which the rucksack was resting, got very restless, and I spent half the show shifting it. I finally managed to get it completely behind the rucksack, and could stop fidgeting - doubtless to the relief of everyone around me, and certainly to mine.

So. That's the boat, on stage, on which filming took place - a real boat, it was, on a real bit of ocean. And our story concerns the main stars - Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw, and their relationship between takes. A couple of times, we hear the director, Steven Spielberg, offstage.

I liked it. Primarily, it reminded me of the film - which, interestingly, I never considered a horror film - but just watch the trailer! Not to mention that creepy theme tune, which I've actually heard as part of a YouTube horror film music playlist. And of course, it wouldn't be the last time Spielberg did horror - and although Poltergeist is nobody's scariest film, it definitely has its moments.

But back to Jaws - we hear a teeny snatch of that theme, but most of the music is of the less sinister kind, evocative of a sunny day at sea. The video footage that plays behind the boat really helps with this, changing from night to day, depicting a boat that disrupts filming, birds flying past.. and with the horizon going up and down, there were times when, even from the rear stalls, I could have felt as though I was on a boat!

As to the play itself - the dialogue is good, the interaction between the men is interesting - I'm not so much of a film buff that I can testify that what was said about them was true, but it rings true, and much of their banter is hilarious! They do a fine job of representing their real-life characters, too - they vaguely resemble them in both appearance and, certainly for Richard Dreyfuss, in voice and mannerisms.

It never did really take off for me, but there are plenty of in-jokes for people who are familiar with the characters, and with the film. The bit near the start, where they're discussing Nixon (who'd just resigned), and someone remarks that "at least we'll never again have such an immoral President" got a huge laugh from the crowd. In all, it's an enjoyable way to spend an evening reminiscing about the film - I wouldn't rave about it, though. Plays in Richmond until Saturday, then is on tour in the UK, finishing in the Gaiety in Dublin from the 13th to the 17th May.

Afterwards, I wasn't sure where we were meeting, but eventually found the group outside - where, after a brief chat about the play, we hot-footed it to the station, where Google Maps was telling me my only option to get home in under an hour was to get a train to Waterloo, and a Tube from there. Which is what I did. Just as well Google Maps told me what platform the train was leaving from, though - when I looked at the Departures Board, I couldn't find it! (It later occurred to me that instead of "Waterloo", I should probably have looked up "London Waterloo"..

Damn long way for me to come for anything - but it was lovely to see the group again. And wow, am I looking forward to a sleep now, having had three hours' sleep last night, after I'd gotten all my work done prior to being in the office today..

Tomorrow, I just couldn't resist The Monkey, with The Hideout. Based on a short story by Stephen King, with screenplay, and directed, by Osgood Perkins (son of Anthony Perkins), it just seems to have such a great sense of humour.. definite shades of Final Destination, with its inventive ways of killing people. They're going to see it at Cineworld Leicester Square, so I've booked for Bella Italia Cranborne Street beforehand.

On Saturday, rounding off the Meetups, I'm back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpies, whee! I couldn't manage his weekend walk last month, he had it on a weekend I was in Ireland.. great to be back with him again. This one is Belgravia: Elegance, Criminality & Shopping.

Sunday sees our monthly meeting of ex-colleagues - well, most of them; Martin finally confirmed he can probably make it, and James' sore throat seems to be clearing up - but now Ivan's dog is in hospital, requiring him to be there, in all likelihood. Well, you never know. Heading in the direction of Victoria again, we're going to try The Phoenix. Ivan managed an all-day booking.

On Monday, back with UITCS for Lynn Faces, a comedy about women of a certain age starting a punk group, and playing at the New Diorama. And that's it for socialising for me for the week - the rest is on my own.

On Tuesday, I was thinking film - and the film at the top of my list looks really good; I'm Still Here is about a Brazilian woman whose husband disappeared during the military dictatorship. Based on a true story, this is receiving a lot of attention. Also showing widely - the closest to me is in the BFI. I've booked it, because it's started to sell out, and booked to eat at The Archduke afterwards.

On Wednesday - whee, more storytelling! This one is Folk Horror Night, and takes place in Folklore Hoxton, tickets through Dice - run by the Crick Crack Club, performed by Laura Sampson and Daniel Morden. Already sold out. I've booked for The Blues Kitchen Shoreditch beforehand.

Next Thursday, I've booked - because it was also selling out - for Intercepted, an interesting-sounding documentary, showing at Curzon Bloomsbury only, as far as I know, about phone calls home from Russian soldiers in the Ukraine, and intercepted by Ukrainian security forces. And then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.