On a gloriously sunny evening it’s hard to be down, but heck, i’m worried that this is it. Have I made my last tv series or short film? My birthday is looming and I’ve been reflecting on the last year, which was pretty disastrous professionally and certainly financially and the only real satisfaction came from the unpaid stage production of Ladies in Lavender. That did bring a lot of satisfaction so I will cling on to that. I’ve not done as many talks or teaching as usual, and when a high profile festival on the other side of the world asks you to give a talk, well that’s great but now we are not having flights or hotels or even a fee paid. Thanks but no thanks.
With the back of the sofa now being rifled, I’ve not seen any shows or films this week, but I was itching to go an see the last performance, that is on now, of War Horse. I was in the building on Wednesday and was tempted to sneak in for the second half. Also in town has been the glorious Play that Goes Wrong, and Legally Blonde – oh hang on, I did see a show, and a special one, thanks to the kindness of a good friend. Another new theatre to me, the Chester storyhouse. their opening show was The Beggar’s Opera which I adore but I got nervous when i’d read that they had supplanted most of the music with a modern score. I missed that one and was nervous about A Little nIght Music. Here, it wasn’t the score that they had modernised but the costumes, but actually I didn’t mind at all. The costumes were much of the period in which the brilliant musical was written, about 1973, and rather drab, but it made the relationships very convincing and intimate, rather than about the distant rich and famous behaving badly. The piece is a masterpiece however you play it, and I love this new theatre. a real buzz and many different creative activities going on. I did write to the director but haven’t heard anything. Chester is also doing the Mystery Plays – hmm, I’m tempted but if there’s a twangy rock guitar, I’m out of there.
and yes the sunset is a magnificent colour tonight, but this is due to the devastating fires up on the moors just a few miles away.