Musical: The Frogs

These two days are with Meetup. This evening, back with Up in the Cheap Seats - this time, at Southwark Playhouse, for The Frogs. Based on a play by Aristophanes, this version actually has music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Got a free ticket on my PAYG subscription. Funnily enough, also starting tonight in the other theatre there was Who Is Claude Cahun? starring Amelia Armande, who was at the storytelling.. and promoting it..

Planned to eat beforehand, as usual, in Mercato Metropolitano - which I could walk to. Except.. firstly, I left it a little late (ooh, surprise!) and secondly, it was too damn hot to walk for half an hour. So I was on the bus - and just in time for it, again. Made it to the Mercato in good time - the Wine Bar, I see, has changed their menu of wines by the glass! Gone is the Albarino - I had Sauvignon Blanc instead. Had to go to the back to order it, where I found all the staff sitting around a table sampling the stock - how great it must be to work in a wine bar!

After I'd eaten - and drunk - I headed straight to the theatre, arriving first of the group.

Got a drink, got the last packet of Tayto cheese n onion (from that side).. got a table down the back, where the others joined me in a bit. As one remarked, the aircon wasn't bad. Actually, it was lovely in the auditorium, when we went in:

I was right at the entrance - front row, which meant I had to do a lot of pulling in of my legs, as the actors made their way past. Or it felt as though I had to.

Believe it or not, reading the original plot, this is very close to it - Dionysus, in the company of a slave, travels to Hades to rescue a playwright. He decides to disguise himself as Heracles, who's been there before. Crossing the Styx, he is greeted by a frog chorus (the only actual frogs in the play), and once there, is distracted by a group of Dionysians. Finding the playwright he's after, he also meets another, and to decide which to take, has them debate each other - Dionysus ends up taking the other. All Sondheim did, really, was to set it to music. And change the names of the playwrights.

Well, I knew about the wine (etc.), but I never realised that Dionysus is also the Greek god of the theatre! That makes so much more sense. The playwrights in question, here, are George Bernard Shaw (whom Dionysus goes in search of), and - Shakespeare.

You couldn't mistake the music - Sondheim is instantly recognisable. And for anyone who loves musical theatre, as I do, that makes it an absolute joy to watch. As to the plot - well, Dionysus is trying to improve the state of civilisation by resurrecting one of these guys. His final decision, upon comparing the works of each, rests on the belief that it is poetry that will save humanity, rather than bland logic. Hey, it's an appealing concept. Anyway, it's great fun, enthusiastically played - runs to the 28th. Recommended. Oh, and they play frog-related music at the interval..

Tomorrow, back with London Social and Cultural Meetups, who are headed to the Prince Charles to see 10 Rillington Place. Based on a true story, it stars John Hurt as Timothy Evans, a man of diminished mental capacity who was wrongfully hanged for the murder of his wife and daughter at the address, where he lived. The actual murderer, it later transpired, was his neighbour, John Christie, who was also responsible for other murders there.. he's played by Richard Attenborough.. the case played a large part in the introduction of the idea of diminished responsibility, as well as the abolition of capital punishment. Eating beforehand at Bella Italia Cranbourn Street (must remember to use my voucher), and we're heading for a drink afterwards. 

On Friday, back with TAC at last for a concert called Lux Aeterna, featuring different requiems in St. Giles Cripplegate. Part of the Summer Music in City Churches series. Eating beforehand in Cote Barbican. 

On Saturday, I'm back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpies, for the rescheduled tour of the Wallace Collection, yay! And what's more, Helen is coming to town.. and I doubt not that much of our chat will be about the Hurtigruten cruise I've booked for later in the year, and which she's been on.. ;-) Not to mention the one she's going on next month.. Might just be the three of us on Saturday, but what the hey.

And on Sunday, I'm finally getting to see Tutankhamen: The Immersive Exhibition, which I had previously booked and had to cancel. Now, this time, it's hosted by a group called Fun Activities to Do in London on a Weekend. But gee, they bought tickets already, and are charging extra.. so I just booked myself again. And as I booked before, I'm even getting a couple of quid off!