All the world really is a stage

If I remember correctly dear reader, I left you still at Frank’s (did you have a nice time?) following a Sunday lunch at a local pub. Well, sadly come Monday this week I had to return home. After a civilized start to the day (local honey on toast, thanks Frank), we headed off for the station and back off to London, having had a great few days with Frank. As I made it back to London for a reasonable time, I popped across to see Peter having not seen him for a few months. As ever we chatted for a fair few hours and he introduced me to his new favourite café down the road (it was rather good). Peter and Frank once worked together it transpires (although on exactly what we’re not sure), so when I mentioned that I’d come from staying with Frank, Peter said how nice it was to hear that a director he’d worked with was still alive! Following on from my catch-up with Peter I headed home (trip number one from London to home).

What a view!

Tuesday was a drive down to London (well St Albans, but that's close enough, isn't it?) as Mum and I had booked to see a number of shows. Our first show was ‘Ivanov’, part of the young Chekhov season at the National. Having got to St Albans early we wandered around the South bank (I do like it there) and went to our favourite little pizza restaurant, before the show. Having not seen any Chekhov before I had no clue what to expect (pretty much the theme of the week), but I was pleasantly surprised to find it laugh out loud funny (Mum had said ‘oh Chekhov, this could be heavy’). As the National offers student tickets, I was sat on the very front row, dead center which was an amazing experience, to be able to watch the play from so close a seat (I almost felt like I was in it). Geoffrey Streatfeild as Ivanov was fantastic, really showing the different sides to his confusion and depression, whilst Peter Egan played a wonderfully eccentric duke. The only drawback of sitting on the front row, was that I spent much of the play worrying that I would be splashed by the water around the edge of the stage, as the chap a few seats down got quite wet. Having thoroughly enjoyed the play, I think we'd both be interested to see the other Chekhov’s at some point. As I'm sure you'd expect dear reader, following the play, we stage doored (yep, still a verb) and managed to meet a very sweet lady called Olivia Vinall who I think was a little surprised to be stopped, but never the less we had quite a chat about Chekhov.

Despite making it back to the hotel very late, we were up early (for a holiday) on Wednesday and off to London to see our next play, a matinee of 'Romeo and Juliet' (you may have heard of it dear reader, I think it’s been done before), produced by the Kenneth All-bran company (a Ken Dodd joke for you there). As we got to London early we managed to catch two actors, Chris Porter and Meera Syal (more on them later) before the show, but went for an explore of the National Portrait gallery (well we went in for the cafe and toilet initially). We realised that neither of us had ever been, and explored a few rooms, having agreed that we shall go back at some point to see the rest of it.

Having explored the portrait gallery we went in for our matinee. What struck me most was the staging and setting of the play, as the set was very simple, but effective. It was comprised of a number of different stage levels with stairs, but then there were five pillars that were flown in, in different variations for the different locations. A combination of the set design, contemporary suits and direction made for a very modern retelling I thought (I did spend a fair chunk of the play thinking it was an updated adaptation). Unbeknownst to us, Freddie Fox (Romeo) had only done one show before the matinee, as Richard Madden had injured himself, as had his understudy, so late last week Freddie was brought in, and you wouldn't know he'd had such short notice, as he was brilliant! After the excitement of the play, we did manage to chat to Chris again, as he'd been a little rushed on the way in and it transpired he knows one of the actors from DGM (it’s a small world).

From the Garrick (that sounds rather grand), we headed over to Sloan square (I've never heard of that stop before) to see 'Unreachable' at the Royal Court. I was surprised just how small it was as obviously it is so well known, but it seemed tiny (the seats were very comfortable though). Having worked on 'Narrative' at the beginning of the year (remember dear reader) I was interested to see a Neilson play first hand and it didn't fail to meet my expectations. As is characteristic of his work the play was developed through rehearsal, with the script being completed only a few days before the opening night. Again, I was surprised just how funny it was; another great play! For me, Jonjo O'Neill stole the show (remember him from the Exchange) as 'the Brute'. Afterwards (as per) we waited and Matt Smith signed for people, but what I was expecting was for Neilson himself to have been watching, so I had quite a chat with him (he's also ex-college). Having worked on one of his plays and had a great time doing it, it was a little bizarre to actually meet him, but a delight none the less.

Following two days in London, Thursday morning we checked out of our hotel (they do a good breakfast I must say) and drove up to Stratford -Upon-Avon to see 'Cymbeline' at the RSC. We discovered that there had been cast changes (twice in one week and both for a Shakespeare play), but once again you'd never have known, I quickly forgot who should have been playing who. It was a very different Shakespeare to All-bran's. Whilst I felt that his was very modern, the RSC seemed to have gone in a more mythical, old world direction with theirs which was interesting. Our stage door for the RSC was a nice chap called Graham Turner]. From there we headed home (trip two from London to home).

Guess what dear reader, on Friday I went back to London (see why I keep calling this a rather silly week). This time Dad and I went and saw 'Yerma' at the Young Vic (another new theatre for me). Again we got there early and had a lovely meal in the restaurant (I think the restaurant alone was bigger than the Royal Court) before the show, during which I unexpectedly spotted one of the cast and as she was early for the show, we were able to have a chat about the play (it only opened on the Thursday I should add). The play its self was fantastic! It was performed in a glass box, with titles for each scene, as though we were only seeing brief parts of the lives of the characters; trapped within the events of the play as it unfolds. We both left quite stunned by what we’d watched; it was incredible. As I’m sure you’re expecting dear reader we then waited to Billie Piper after the show. As ‘Yerma’ was only 1 hour 50 minutes, we wandered over to the National and surprisingly met a fair few actors (yes, from Who), some of whom we’d not seen come out on the Tuesday, so it was nice to be able to talk to them about ‘Ivanov’. Surprisingly, Ryan Sampson wandered past and Stephanie Hyam emerged from the National, so they were two extra unexpected people to meet (I’m doing well).

Following a week of incredible theatre, we were up very early (even by normal standards) for LFCC on Saturday (I’ll leave you to work out what LFCC means for yourself dear reader). After completely our expected queueing time (we are British), we met four people and had a rather extensive (not too expensive for a change) look around the merchandise. Amongst the guests was Michelle Gomez who was wonderful and so much fun, as I’m sure anyone who met her would say. As we all as Michelle, we met Steven Berkoff (the legend), which was quite odd, as not only has he done Who (that goes without saying), but having studied his work for a good few years at school it was a little surreal to meet the him. Following a busy day at, we headed home (third time for me in a week).

Sunday was a much quieter day, is what you may expect me to write dear reader, but no. Mum and I went to see Ken Dodd (yes again) at Gawsworth Old Hall. Having seen him a few months ago we both laughed just as much, if not more, at what was admittedly a lot of the same jokes (it is still the same tour), but he did a lot more with the audience which was hilarious. The hall its self is a beautiful Tudor house, which I believe you can look round (perhaps that’s one for another day). It was a lovely, light hearted way to finish my rather silly two weeks (I’m tired just writing about it all, hence the delay!).