life in the rhubarb triangle
Greetings from an unusually sunny Wakefield, apologies for the sporadic nature of my blogging of late, but, as I may have previously indicated, I have been quite busy.
I write this from the prompt corner of a dark and deserted theatre, the show has, in fact, gone in remarkably smoothly and painlessly, and if it didn't have actors in it, would have been a complete doddle. Bouncers is a piece of intentionally popular theatre, written originally for the drama school at Bretton Hall (just outside Wakefield). Indeed, last night I overheard one of our preview audience of 15 year old's expounding knowledgeably about it being based on 'Bubbles in Pontefract*'. The show explores the drinking culture of the only just old enough, and part of the gag is that all parts are played by the same four men, who are dressed as night club bouncers. All I can say about it as a work of literature, is that it leaves no cliche unexplored, having said that, it is a viciously funny and blissfully short evening.
When you step outside the Theatre Royal and Opera House (to give it its full title), incidentally the smallest theatre designed by Frank Matcham, you fall straight into the nightmare that is Wakefields booze zone, large (very large) and imposing Victorian and Edwardian civic buildings, symbolic of the days when the local prosperity was based on wool and coal, are now eviscerated and plastered with neon, and troupes of shrieking semi-naked teenagers wobble up and down the road, lurching from one themed bar to the next. The only food available after 8.00 pm is kebabs, fried chicken or pizza, it's not a very cheering experience.
That being said, when I stayed in Nottingham last weekend, I found the perfect touring companion (See Ill.), now I will never again be without that little extra bit of piquancy in my dinner, Tabasco is not my favourite chilli sauce, but it is a good stalwart, and the convenience of the tiny little emergency bottle makes it a winner.
*I made the name up, can't remember which club she said it was, just that it was in Pontefract. It occurs to me that as John Godber (the playwright) is coming to the opening tonight, I could ask him, probably won't though.
posted by Lampy @ 3/23/2006 11:04:00 am
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