29 March, 2008 | Leave a Comment
My winter hibernation has ended and I’m out doing cultural things again. It feels good! This evening I went to see The 39 Steps on the West End. Apparently this theatrical spoof of Hitchcock’s spy thriller has already crossed the pond to Broadway. My friend and I had our own box, which was actually the highlight of the evening. I’ve never sat in a box before. When we first opened the door it was a bit Abe-Lincoln-in-Ford’s-Theater creepy, but I totally loved it. A box is the way to go! If you book theatre tickets, it’s worth asking about a box — since they are on the side, they technically have a restricted view and may be cheaper than seats in the stalls.
As for the play, it was cute. Not necessarily my cup of tea, with all the slapstick and jokiness, but I recognize the talent of the actors (4 actors playing over 100 roles) as they improvised with very few props and virtually no set. Simon Paisley Day, who plays the lead role, looks like he literally stepped out of a classic black-and-white film. I’ve never seen Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps, but it’s playing now at the BFI, so it goes on my list.
After this evening I have the theatre bug again, but next I need to see a play that’s more to my liking. Something that takes place in a drawing room, preferably in the 1920s. There needs to be family dysfunction, unrequited love, screaming, suicide attempts. That’s what I crave.
Link: Guardian review
Anglofille said @ 7:46 pm | arts & leisure |
