Review – The Drowsy Chaperone, Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Last Sunday afternoon’s trip to Highgate to see The Drowsy Chaperone turned out to be that rare thing: a truly life-changing experience. For the Whingers made the startling discovery that Sunday lunch at The Gatehouse is just £6.99 (your choice of beef, lamb, chicken, pork or vegetarian) including a glass of wine. Sundays will never be the same again.

This put them in a very good place indeed, their stomachs, their moods and their pockets all feeling pleasingly attended to. Nothing but nothing would be able to prick their bubbles of contentment. Although Upstairs at the Gatehouse certainly had a bash.

Review: Call Me Madam, Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Phil suffers from vertigo (and everyone around him suffers too) so the Whingers had never before ventured Upstairs at the Gatehouse whose unique selling proposition is that it is “officially London’s top theatre – we’re 446ft above sea level!”.

But ripping off their oxygen masks they were heartened to see that this was actually very much their kind of venue – a sign on the auditorium’s door (see below) which invited, nay almost ordered them to “Drink as much as you like”.

So from grumbling about the Gatehouse’s unreserved seating policy and it’s stupid  ticket-reservation-by-answerphone system (“we will only call you back if there is a problem”) their moods shifted instantly to exactly the right frame of mind to enjoy a Sunday matinée performance of Irving Berlin’s Call Me Madam.