Out of Order (98)

It's  slightly odd  to see an 'out of order' sign isn't it?

I'm not sure how many years I've been visiting the theatre at Richmond  or more generally seeing live shows.


It's a pleasure to be surprised and lose myself in drama or humour  and to find how changes in expectations and taste are reflected in the production.


Today we went to a matinee performance of Ray Cooney's  Out of Order a (Farce style ) play which did seem to be rather nostalgic in the activities portrayed and the style of  performance that was presented.

This play has been on tour and has a strong cast  who performed with gusto but there was little (I felt) going on below the surface and the audience were not overly challenged (which I would think looking around suited  them just  fine).


Often I consider that things I do and see  in the present have incredibly high thresholds to overcome yo impress me which is hard - today I have thought about the thrill I had on receiving my first bicycle which my father had bought second-hand and rejuvenated - much as performances of classics may aspire to.

Richmond Theatre

Okay we're £128. 02p

A little less than Boeing Boeing which I saw last year (Questors Theatre) but this also  felt that it was from a time and a place where women's issues were of less concern and I think that seeing it when it was first performed would have been a very different experience for audience and cast from how it feels now.

Doors

As Roxy Music would no doubt like us to do

An old charmer in terms of doors

Back to The Questors and Red 31

A 'Farce' but in a good way

Many years ago I volunteered at The Questors Theatre (on lighting and sound duties I think) and last year I saw a couple of productions there - the plays The Master Builder and The Crucible were two important works.

[looking back I see a visit almost 10 years ago too]

On previous visits  I see that marvelled then at how much work and commitment the actors show and yesterday's performance of the farce Boeing Boeing  reminds me of how true that is.

The Play did feel initially a little out of time and there were stereotypes and gender clichés all over the place but such was the pace of the play  and the 'historical' staging  that this got lost in the terrific pace.

The Questors -A great Ealing community resource 

Farce is a very much a French seam of comedy and the play is written by the Farce-Master Marc Camoletti but the lead male actors Gerard Collis and Eamon Goodfellow gave it something of an Irish flavour.



In fact looking through the programme it's worth noting  just how international the company, is with  actors featured  from Poland, and Argentina. (and also that two of the leading actors are husband and wife)



Staging was excellent although part of the set was removed by an enthusiastic Robert (Eamon Goodfellow) - it was repaired during the interval.

My exhibition from earlier this year 

After the production I had a very pleasant pint in The Grapevine bar it really is one of the best value bars in this part of London and has rightly won many awards for the quality of the beer there



It was nice to see the bar again had space for local 'Art' (as it had done when I was showing my photographs in January) and I was impressed with the very low cost of works on show (£20).

Red 31 

Looking at this Red adorned truck the  Chris Rea anthem suggests itself  'On The Road to Hells'

I tried but it was moving too fast - (but I did have a nice Pint of Beer after Boeing-Boeing)