Theatre: Ukraine Unbroken

Last night, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for Ukraine Unbroken, a set of five short plays at the Arcola, incorporating Ukrainian music. And as I was nearly there, a wailing beggar got on the bus, pleading for £2, just £2 - traipsed all over the bus until a woman near me got out her wallet. At which, interestingly, the price rose to £5, please, just £5.. in fact, she only had coins, as she told him, digging them out and giving him what she said was about 40p, and that that was a start. He got out at the next stop.

I got out at the stop after, and made my way to Nando's, where I sat down the back - and after I'd ordered, quickly ran to the loo - the afternoon had seen me consume a packet of Terry's Chocolate Orange Minis, and I now had the runs. Anyway, dinner was lovely - although the mash wasn't up to the buttery wonderfulness of Nando's Brunswick (I forgot to mention), whose mash was practically dripping with butter!

Started to eavesdrop on an interesting conversation at the next table - they were chatting, on speakerphone, with a friend based in Abu Dhabi, who was complaining that he couldn't leave; the flights were all cancelled because of the current war in the region. They duly figured out he could get to Bangkok. Anyway, what with that - and the wine being better there than in the theatre, and cheaper, and served in larger glasses - I decided to have a second glass of wine, and ordered it on my phone. Unfortunately, this seems to have coincided with chaos at the counter - something to do with a till roll misbehaving, by the look of it - and when, after 15 minutes of waiting, I went to collect it myself, he wouldn't let me have it! Promised to bring it down. To be fair, he wasn't long in doing so - I drank it in five minutes flat and scarpered down the hill to the theatre, meeting the others in the lobby - not a chair to be had, I had to steal one from the bar. The queue at the theatre bar mitigated against getting another glass.

When it came time to go in, I was sure the announcement said something about high numbers having to enter by the street - but although I was in seat 1, I had to, too! At various points during the show (and beforehand), the screens display information that gives context:

Throughout, between plays, Ukrainian music is played by a lady on a balcony that, until we were discussing it at the interval, I didn't even realise was there! It was obscured by a pillar. Anyway, she explained at one point that her instrument is a traditional bandura - banned by the Russians. 65 strings, crikey..

First up (set pictured above) was Always, set in a bedroom of a hotel overlooking Maidan Square in 2013/4, which, as described on screen, was the site of huge demonstrations against the pro-Russian President, Viktor Yanukovych. On this occasion, it's occupied by a cabinet minister and his wife - until two men burst into the room. It gradually becomes apparent that the incursion has something to do with the protests, down in the square.. and that this couple's son is one of the protestors.. Honestly, I think this was the one that least impressed us - great premise, but the script, and the acting, we found a bit wooden.

Next, we had 5-Day War - a much more successful piece, set in a remote hunting lodge in Ukraine, run by a mother and daughter. A number of politicians have gathered there, and over the course of five days, plan what a new, pro-Russian government will look like in Ukraine, following the Russian invasion. But as they jostle for promotion, what's going on outside..? ;-)

At the interval, I made it first to the bar, got a glass of wine, joined the others in the lobby. Talked a lot of politics before going back in. And as I queued on the street to get back inside - who should happen along but a certain beggar, whining for £2, just £2.. funnily enough, the lady in front of me complained to her companion that she'd also seen him on the bus.. and as she produced her wallet, the price again increased to £5, just £5.. the companion kept telling him to stop yelling, that he'd get something if he did. Didn't have much effect, and they didn't go as far as £5, but he did head off then..

Back inside, we had three more plays. First up is a very well-thought-out piece called Three Mates, focussing on a bloke who's hiding out, somewhere in Ukraine, to avoid conscription; we find out about one of his mates, a brave freedom fighter, and the other, who fled the country and is living it up abroad. Raises a very astute question - if you were suddenly ripped from your comfortable, modern life, could you become a soldier? Or would you run as fast as you could to avoid it..?

Fourth play is Wretched Things, set on the front line, in a bombed-out primary school, where three sheltering Ukrainian soldiers discover a seriously wounded Korean soldier. Question here is - what is the right thing to do, when it's a choice between leaving a hated enemy and saving yourselves, or saving the enemy and potentially endangering yourself and your comrades, because you have to hold out and wait as a result?

And I think we all found the last, Taken, pretty devastating - a personal story of a mother and daughter, the father away fighting, a Russian soldier coming to take the daughter to a "holiday camp". The statistics are frightening of the number of Ukrainian children kidnapped and sent to Russian re-education centres.

All in all, a very affecting evening - and we agreed that this is a marvellous way of giving an overview of the entire war. Highly recommended - runs to the 28th. A long bus journey home, and it ran too late to blog last night.

Tonight, back with storytelling - and the Crick Crack Club has a new idea, the Story Pick + Mix - apparently rough cuts, experimental work. This one, The Bodies on the Beach, is the story of the legendary Irish hero, Fionn MacCumhaill, and is said to combine elements of 15th-century manuscripts, archaeology, and folklore. And these shows are happening at some place called Theatre Deli, right in the City. Eating in La Spezia restaurant next door beforehand - not a long journey, happily.

On Thursday, back with UITCS for Blink, at The King's Head. A romcom that asks, in the digital age, when we can see everything someone is doing, what does it actually mean to know someone?

And then I'm heading back to Ireland for the weekend - a little earlier than anticipated, but I'll be busy for the rest of the month, so might as well go now, before things hot up! On Saturday, thinking of seeing The Secret Agent, finally - a political thriller set in Brazil in 1977, highly rated, and happily still showing in Ennis, which is handier.