Well, it’s a bit embarrassing really. But we were on the fringe. In Hackney. Again.
And we’d have got away with it too if it weren’t for those pesky playwrights Stephen Sharkey and Dr David Eldridge who were both around to witness the Whingers swan in for the 1pm (!) performance of three short plays at the Arcola Theatre.
This was part of the East festival and featured:
- Purgatory by Steven Berkoff
- Flowers In Her Hair by Rebecca Lenkiewicz
- The List by Dr David Eldridge
The whole thing was over in about an hour, each being short enough that the Whingers’ ever decreasing attention spans could cope.
And the tickets were just five pounds.
And what’s more, Birds of a Feather star Linda Robson was in the Berkoff alongside Joseph Marcel. For some reason these two were reading most of their lines from a script but in any event the play was completely snatched from under their noses by marvellous Kneehigh regular Amanda Lawrence.
Pandora Colin (a WEW fave since seeing her as Dorothy Parker in You Might As Well Live and then in Natural Selection and ..some trace of her) played a delightful blind date scene with an equally strong Simon Poland in the Lenkiweicz.
Strangely, considering one of the plays was a Berkoff, it was Dr Eldridge who came up with the darkest, grittiest offering in which Paul Moriarty pretty much acted everyone else into a cocked hat as a grieving East End dinosaur.
This short play business has got a lot going for it in our humble opinion.
Tuesday 10 March 2009 at 1:58 am
My dear Andrew & Phil, my flat is a 10-minute bus ride away from the Arcola, so next time you’re in Hackney, please send me a text and come over for a bottle or two. 😉
Tuesday 10 March 2009 at 1:13 pm
No disrespect, Simone but to be honest we can’t get out of Hackney quick enough.
Actually, that’s unfair. We spent a long time on Sunday gazing in disbelief and wonderment into the windows of the furniture shops along Kingsland High Street. Is that where you buy your furniture?
If it is we will certainly drop by next time. With a camera.
Tuesday 10 March 2009 at 9:27 pm
But of course! I got all my furniture from Dalston High Street and it’s on 4 easy payments. I have to scrimp on my furniture to be able to support my theatre outings!
Tuesday 10 March 2009 at 9:59 am
‘There whereabouts’??? On behalf of the Amalgamated Guild of Retired Subeditors and Pedants, I respectfully suggest you may be in severe trouble with a headline like that. I almost thought I was reading the Guardian.
Tuesday 10 March 2009 at 10:22 am
That’s what comes of spending too much time in Hackney – there all writing like that their.
Tuesday 10 March 2009 at 11:41 am
I saw them too, and loved them, especially Amanda Lawrence. My friend, who lives in Highbury Fields, was with me and texted me this morning to report spotting Linda Robson nipping down the road – in the same slippers she was wearing in the play. It’s stuff like that that makes a Tuesday morning worthwhile.
Tuesday 10 March 2009 at 2:17 pm
I was there for the 3pm showing, getting soaked on the way, and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. Interesting to see the older actors struggle to remember their lines. Will you be back for Victory with Geraldine James and Matthew Kelly? If you do make sure to leave time for the Mangal across the street for the best lamb chops ever!
Tuesday 10 March 2009 at 3:46 pm
We did indeed do the Mangal despite Andrew’s protestations that we couldn’t get out fast enough – alarmed to find they don’t serve alcohol tho…
Ms Robson’s slippers were duly noted and admired during the play, thought they had an authentic whiff to them.
Wednesday 15 July 2009 at 9:29 pm
I headed back to the Arcola this weekend for the Miniaturists 20 as Dr Eldridge’s play “The List” was performed once more. I loved it even more the second time. He is so clever!