alinewaites

2Aline

PIPPIN ****

Last night I returned to the pretty little Garden Theatre in Vauxhall, where last month I saw the enormously successful “Fanny and Stella” At the time socially distancing meant there were only 20 audience seats for each performance. Now the stage is in the round situation and audience area has been enlarged and there is room for forty.

The new show is Pippin – full of Stephen Schwartz’s joyous tunes and with incredibly wonderful choreography by Nick Winston – who also staged “Fanny and Stella”The six-person cast members are arrayed in colourful hippie style tie-dyed costumes designed by David Shields. The whole show has been given a circus feel by Bob Fosse in a previous Broadway production and it adds a wonderful almost childlike appeal to the story as well gives even more opportunity for Winston’s amazing choreography.

Pippin, charmingly played by Ryan Anderson is a young man who needs to find out where his life is going. He is a Prince with a powerful father, Charlemagne. Dan Krikler gives a very impressive performance as Charles the Great. He is a terrific oppressive character, forever beheading and hanging protesters, fighting wars against the Visigoths and behaving very much like any other Medieval dictator. Pippin watches his father, thinking ‘There must be something more in his life than this’. He wants to be extraordinary. He does achieve some of his goals but is never really satisfied until he does a Candide type retreat with a rich widow, (Tanisha-Mae Brown) helped by a pet duck (played by a yellow feather) and his stepson to whom he teaches the recorder.All highly satisfactory.

The music is some of the best from Stephen Schwartz and here there is even one opportunity to join in with Joanne Clifton who plays outrageous comedy as the mother to him and his simple brother Lewis (Hary Francis) and also his sex-mad grandmother Bertha.

The actors will joyfully take o other roles whenever necessary. With only six in the cast, this versatility is essential. They all dance and sing up a storm – an incredible casting job by Anne Vosser.

The virtual star of this production is The Leading Player, who opens the show and carries Pippin through his trials and tribulations. The part is quite brilliantly played by Tsemaye BobEgbe.

Musical Director Michael Bradley is in charge of the piano and the music fits the actor-singers perfectly, but it is the dancing that is the main part of this show. Nick Winston has arrived at a compromise between circus-acrobatic and hippie style matching the seventies design of the costumes.

Steven Dexter directs and much of the effects are is by overhead lights that change colour according to the mood of each scene.The script is cleverly adapted to include a few topical jokes about the measure of leadership and class. (When a country is in difficulties it is the arts that are first to go)It is a sad fact though that some of the gags are lost because, with a prevalence of masks, the laughs from the audience are difficult to hear. it is a shame but unavoidable in the current situation.

Pictorially it is exquisite and exciting (unfortunately it was often lost on me because of a huge man sitting on a bench directly in front of me. You can’t win them all!).Nevertheless, it is a joyful and satisfactory way to spend a theatrical evening. Everybody, actors, creatives, ushers and audience is having a good time.

Production by Peter Bull for Lambco Productions.

Pippin is at the Garden Theatre in Vauxhall until 11th October.The Garden THeatre at the Eagle until October 11th349 Kennington LaneSE11 5QY

CHAMPAGNE 

WHEN i WAS five, I was a bridesmaid at my Auntie Dot’s wedding to my favourite Uncle Len. (always known as Mick) 

I had a long white dress in velvet and a little posy of flowers round my head. It was all a load of fun until it came to the wedding breakfast. All the grownups were drinking some  

fizzy yellow stuff it looked really good to me. The glasses were different from normal wine glasses, they were wide and flat. 

I was given one of these exciting flat glasses full and it tasted like the best thing I had ever had in my life. I was told it was champagne, 

Champagne at five years old.  

It was sometime later I found out that I wasn’t drinking the same champagne as the grownups. Mine was called Lucozade. 

Now when I am indulging what my friend Roger Foss calls “My champagne lifestyle” I admit I expect it to taste of Lucozade – a bit. 

It is also why I would rather have nothing than Prosecco which has no more taste than soda water. 

I have to say Lucozade is a darn site better than prosecco 

my first affair

MY FIRST AFFAIR. Donald Simpson. 

By Aline Waites 

My Grandma was boasting about me to Aunt Olive, her cousin 

The family resemblance was slight.  My Grandma Beat had brown curly hair, was slender and could do the splits. 

Aunt Ol was magnificent and big, with jet black hair and the air of a Queen. 

She was supposedly descended from a Spanish Princess, but this was never explained to me how and when. Probably a false legend. She was a powerful woman and Beatrice always felt she had to boast a little to her. 

I had been dressed up for her. Aunt Ol always gave me something for my birthday. Usually a penny. Which she did as if dispensing largesse and we all laughed about it after she’d gone.  

My birthday was I a few days’ time. Aunt Ol never worried about being exact with dates. Nevertheless, after the dispensation of the penny, she said “you are a pretty little girl”. 

Beatrice had to reply with, “Yes isn’’t she?” and to everyone’s astonishment , “and she already has a boyfriend, haven’t you?” She said to me 

I joined in the game and nodded. Always anxious to please. 

“Look,” said Beatrice, “She’s blushing”  

Which made me blush in reality. It was a bit embarrassing. 

Aunt Ol gave a deep sexy laugh. Beatrice continued. 

“His name is Donald Simpson and he’s very special   A genius. plays the piano like a grownup person” 

Aunt Ol was suitably impressed.  

Her goodbye included the words “Good luck with the boy genius” 

Later My grandma reminded me that as II was having a party for my birthday. I should ask my ‘boyfriend’. 

By this time, even though I’d only seen him on a couple of occasions, I blushed every time his name was mentioned, and was getting quite excited about my young imaginary lover.  

“Maybe he’ll play the piano for us,” said my Mother. 

She rang up Mrs Simpson and made the arrangements. 

It all sounded very exciting. 

He seemed a little reluctant when he arrived. He wasn’t very friendly with the other children – or to me. His mother brought him in and left immediately, saying she would pick him up later. We were playing spin the bottle in the front room, but he didn’t join in, he just sat on his own in the corner. 

He came to life when tea was announced, and he came into the living room which had a huge oval table all set with wonderful food. Sandwiches of course – which had to be eaten before sweet things. But they were nice, peanut butter, ham and cheese. The kind that children like. 

Then there were the other things, cakes and buns and little pies, jellies and trifle. And in the centre of the table was The Cake. A traditional fruit cake with almond paste, white icing and my name written on the top surrounded by four candles set in rose candle holders. All ready for me to blow out at the end of the meal and I could make a wish. This was the highlight of the day. 

Donald sat himself at the table without speaking.  He hadn’t shown any interest in me at all. “That is what boys are like” I thought to myself. – already beginning to learn the oddness of the opposite sex. 

No Donald was not looking at me. His eyes were fixed on the groaning table and all the food upon it. 

It was as if he was eating for England. The food went on to his plate for just a second before it was planted into his eager mouth, chewed up and swallowed as he was reaching out for the next item. 

My mother and the other grown-ups were stunned by this amazing performance. They just looked at him as if he was some kind of zoo creature. They had never seen anything like it. 

The awareness of my position as hostess made me enquire how he was feeling and was he having a good time. He looked at me as if that was a silly question but deigned to nod his head. 

Maybe a little too violently, as this this unusual piece of exercise had an alarming effect on his body and with an enormous blappo, the mashed up contents of his huge tea spewed out all over the table cloth, and the food, missing the cake by a half inch. 

So this was the glamorous musical genius I was in love with.   The grownups rushed around to clean up the mess. The children were dismissed to the other room and Donald started bawling. 

He did a lot of loud crying. He wanted to go home, “I want my motor” he cried. His mother was telephoned and asked to remove her son. It was then I found out that Motor cars were more interesting to young blokes than nice young ladies.  

His mother came and looked at us angrily, as if we were responsible for the state of her precious son.  

The other children went back to spinning the bottle and doing forfeits.  

Donald went home to play with his Motor Car. 

Thus ended my first romance.  

Fanny and Stella from the book  by Neil McKenna 

The Young Men who shocked Victorian England. 

A wonderful post lock down treat. Fanny and Stella is a show that was previously shown last year at Upstairs at the Stag and is now located in the garden of a pub in Vauxhall – The Eagle. The garden has been turned miraculously into an open air, socially distanced theatre, beautifully thought out, and furnished by designer David Shields. There are gorgeous red velvet curtains, many plants and trees, a small raised platform at the back of the acting area which gives the impression of a stage.  Several rocky features for actors to leap on to when needed.  

The audience are well spaced out and have to wear masks, Drinks can be served during the performance and there is free ice-cream – Marine ices, no less.! 

There is a small cast of seven actors including the amazing musical director Aaron Clingham at the piano. An old friend of mine. Totally unrecognisable under his mask. The other performers are mask less but have been well trained by director Steven Dexter to keep their distance from each other. 

The story is a true one, recorded in a book by Neil McKenna, where the two upper middle class young men want to live their lives as respectable Victorian ladies, but in this musical by Glen Chandler who did book and lyrics with songs by Charles Miller, they are a couple of drag artists dressed as showgirls which allows for a certain amount of send up of the original. There is one typically panto song sung by Fanny “Has anybody seen my Fanny” with a chorus which I think calls out for audience participation. This didn’t happen on the press night, but critics are never all that good at singalong. 

We first see the two young men Ernest Boulton and Frederick William Park dressed up in their stage attire as two showgirls Stella (Jed Bery) and Fanny (Kane Verrall). They wear Corsets and full skirts hoiked up to show their shapely legs in fish net tights. 

They are joined by the rest of the company to sing and dance the opening number “Sodomy in the Strand” so the audience is left in no doubt about the content of this musical. All the singing and dancing in this musical is first class.  Song harmonies are great arranged by the masked music director Aaron Clingham and the simple, excellent Choreography by Nick Winston is perfectly performed and seemingly enjoyed by the whole cast. 

 The two young men carry their drag impersonations into their real life, which is where the story gets tricky. Stella is married to a Liberal MP Lord Arthur Clinton, played by Kurt Kansley but is in love with a younger, handsome man (Louis Charles Hurt)who wants her to be a real chap, give up the make-up  and grow a moustache. She loves her purple eyeshadow and wants to stay in her women’s clothes. 

It is inevitable that at some point Victorian morality will insist on the two boys and their lovers being arrested for unnatural behaviour. The Court case is fascinating, involving the entire cast as different characters including Fany’s performance as the mother of Stella. I do not want to give away the ending, but it is a lesson in how influence and money can pervert the law. 

 The story is a fascinating one though ultimately sad – well a little sad.  It is of course a true story and we do not know how the boys turned out after the trial end, but one hopes they  lived happy uncensured lives. 

One of the most interesting things about this production is the huge cast of people who have contributed in so many ways. There is so much unemployment in the business, so all the front of house staff members who would normally be on stage themselves, play their parts with a real joy at just being back in the theatre.   

The show runs until the end of August, but it is so successful that I see no reason why it should not run through September. 

It is a load of fun – played for laughs, but the serious edge to the story adds a little extra something to think about. 

Last Sunday M daughter visited me in her new car and took me to Kenwood. It was a beautifully sunny day and she invented a wonderful picnic involving Emental , salmon, avocado in a sweet and sweet potato wrap. She was surprised because she got the car in March, but we had all been on lock down and I had never seen it. Fo me it was mnagic being in a car. I had been in solitary confinement for three months.

So it was sucha big adventure to get outside, to walk on the grass to see other people. There were many benches scattered around the house and we kept moving from bench to bench. She also provided tonic water.It was so lovely.

We had just moved to a large expanse of “Rolling Ground”

The steep rolling ground was in front of the house, Beside the house was a huge well kept lawn with gentle sweeps of ground, very convenient for tiny ones, and this is where we sat, watching people exercising and children rolling. Happiness was secure. We sat on the edge of the lawn near a small dirt lane which was a convenient access for visitors with their dogs and some of them on bicycles.

Then, suddenly there was a srange sight. What we thought was a sqjirrel doing a dance on the lane.e. It was not a place for motor cars, but there were people and dogs there quite a lot.

Why was the squirrel playing there, where it was bound to get run over – was it teasing a dog or something, but it was alone.

We went up to it and found it lying there in a kind of coma. It semed dead, but it was breathing. The biggest surprise of all is that it was not a squirrel. It was a tiny rabbit. Its lunch of baby carrots was scattered on the road. It was horrid to think that someone may have deliberately poisoned it.

It was in a dangerous position but it would be foolish to touch it, so I watched over it and got people to go the other way, while Aya my daughter went for a steward.

During the time she was away the rabbit had another big fit, jumping jup and shaking all over – which is what had attracted our attention previously.

Ays arrived with the steward, wearing gloves and carrying a box with a sliding cage like door. He picked up the creature carefully, shielding his hands and put the rabbit in the box.

He explained that there was a current plague of miximatosis and rabbits were dying all over Kenwood. It is a disease peculiar to rabbits and invented by mankind as rabbits tend to breed so fast and overtake all other population. It has not bWe had saved him from being worried by other animals. We were grateful to the kind man but were not able to give the creature a funeral. I just wrote about it on facebook so that the creature could be remembered and thought of.

I was reminded when I was very young – not sure of the age, probably just past todder time. I trod on a caterpillar – cabbage white genus. It was vey green, but I scraped it up and put it in a machbox. We help the funeral. Me and some kids that came around for it.

We needed a sad song to sing but couldn’t think of any funeral songs- none of ujs knew anything much about funerals, except that we had to sing and then we would have some orange juice and a bun provided by parent (We didn’t publicise it to grown ups – wasnt sure they would understand. Think it was a bit of getting dirty. But one of the girls would provide the orange juice and the buns.

Eventually I decided on a song “Red Sails in the Sunset” I didn’t know the words but I realised it was a sad song and therefor eappropriate.

When we came home ferom Kenwood. Aya and I opened a bottle of wine and had a couple of glasses and thought about the little creature.

I sang some songs for it when Aya had left.

Drusilla took off Mrs Grampion still clutching her can of lager. The was the sound of an aria from Aida and Mrs Pat joins the party in the waiting room
“Was that the doorbell?” she asks, Charles assures her that it probably is.
“I’d no idea it was still working, ” said Mrs Pat.and shouts, “Come in come in the door’s open”
Another knock on the door
“What’s the matter are you deaf?” cried Mrs P.
There is another burst of Aida and more knocking.
Pat went to the door and opened it.
Charles and Garth listened to the dialogue. Federick mumbled to himself some words of hate.
They heard Mrs Pat say
“Hello, my dear. How nice to see you, There is no need to knock you know. This is Liberty Hall. Come along in.
Mrs Pat joined the others accompanied by the unwilling Mrs Prudhomme. Pat pushed a cat off one of the chairs
“cup of tea?.”
Mrs Prudhomme seemed shocked.
“Not at this time in the afternoon,” she said and she shook her head, not accepting the seat she was being offered..
So Charles stood up and indicated his own chair, giving her a polite little bow.
Mrs Prudhomme was still not satisfied. She looked quickly at the chair and gave the impression that it could be infected. She turned her attention to Charles and his raggedy jumper which she regarded with great disdain.
“Thank you,” she said, “i prefer to stand”
Fredrick shouted Bastards.
Mrs Pat quickly put a different…. to her speech
“Oh yes, of course, your poor shoulder. Why not sit on one of the kitchen chairs. So much better for the back”
Mrs Prudhomme was not pleased about this either.
“I did not come here to talk about my shoulder” as she mentioned, she got a bad twinge. Mrs Pat looked sympathetic.
Mrs Prudhomme continued “Is there anywhere we can talk – in private?”
Mrs Pat laughed “Why in private? We are all friends here. We have nothing to hide”
Mrs Prudhomme’s shoulder gave another twinge
“I would prefer it,” she said
Okay dokay.” said Mrs Pat, follow me and t=she led the way into the Den.
As they went off, Feredick had covered his face with the New Statesman and shouted after Mrs Prudhomme.
“Bloody Tories”
“Wouldnt be at all surprised ” retorted Charles.

MUSIC BY Mary Rodgers, Lyrics by Marshall Rarer, Book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller and Marshall Barer.

Upstairs at the Gatehouse

This is a sort of pantomime developed from the Hans Anderson Story The Princess and the. This is definitely a play for laughter and music. Impossible to find a political message within, which is quite a delight. It is pure entertainment. Whether it is any good is the way it is presented and performed. I have seen it done without a laugh and yet I believe, although it did not have a long run, it was amusing at the Aldwych in 1960. I actually saw it then but the funniest scene in it at that time as not able to be presented on the small stage of the Gatehouse. It was a pile of thick mattresses – twenty I think, and she had to use a ladder to climb on top of them. To say more would give away secrets.
The songs are delightful, bt Mary Rodgers, daughter of the Richard Rodgers of history. The Prince is dying to get married, but his selfish mother doesn’t want to give him up to any other hussy.
The show is directed and produced by Mark Giesser, who seems to specialise in vintage musicals and who directed and produced “Strike Up the Band” at this theatre last year.

The plot involves a dysfunctional Royal Family in a mythical kingdom in 1428. The Prince dauntless is dying to get married, but his selfish mother doesn’t want to give him to any other hussy. She loves her son and her libidinous husband Sextimus is under a curse that causes him to be mute, and all he does is chase the maidens in the palace.
Sir Harry, one of the Queen’s Knights, is having a baby with Lady Larken, but the rule is that no one can marry until Dauntless has found his Princess.

Sadly it is Queen Aggravain who rules the Roost in the Palace and she devises impossible tests the young Princesses have to pass befor e they can be considered a suitable match for her beloved son.

When it first hit the Broadway Stage in 1958 it won a couple of Tonys, one for the play and one for Carol Burnett who played Winnifred. It has since been played often in New York – it is a wonderfuol vehicle for a funny lady.

In the Gatehouse production it is Beth Burrows who wears the comedy hat as Princess Winnifred – also known as Fred. and Theo Toksvig-Stewart is also funny who plays Prince Dauntless. Their relationship is passionate and amusing. But the juveniles who do most of the serious singing, including the very beautiful “In a Little While” is sung by Sir Harry who has an unusually good vocal talent and Rachchel Louise MIller as his lady Larken who has a high soprano – unusual these days.

Julia Falkner plays The Wicked Queen Aggravain, and Sextimus, the libidinous but dumb King is mimed excellently by Steven Watts. The Minstrel who tells the story is Matthew James Willi, the Jester (who has the sweetest number “Very Soft Shoes” is Rachel Lea-Gray and John Sears performs some amazing magic tricks as The Wizard. (Every Palace should have one. ) Courtney Hammond is one of the failed Princesses and the Nightingale of ~Samarkand!!.

There is some jolly choreography by Chris Whittaker and Jessica Douglas is Musical Director and Orchestrator.

It is important to see this with an open mind and go with the intention of having a good time. 

By Paul Kember
At the Finborough

By Paul Kember At the Finborough This award-winning play was initially produced in 1980 the year the Finborough Theatre opened. Four young English people in their twenties arrive in an Israeli Kibbutz in the hope of having a holiday, to enjoy the sunshine and escape their monotonous life in Seventies England. They imagine a land filled with milk and honey and c Dave played by Joe McArdle, is from Yorkshire and he expects a world of sunbathing, cheap booze, and most of all, sex. He is not prepared to enjoy the company of the “Jew boys = they all look alike” and has contempt for anyone who isn’t English. His friend Pete (Ronnie Yorke) who is a minor pilferer, feels the same. The only other girl is Carrie, (Miranda Braun) a small English girl who lives in a fantasy world. She has to learn how to leave her phoney past life behind.. The person most responsible for the welfare of the workers is Ami played by Russell Bentley who expertly delivers several long speeches describing the British character to the British boys who had never heard it before..The play shows up the English character to its worst advantage- how they can misunderstand so much about the country that has allowed them to become a part of it? Much of the play is obviously autobiographical, the author did indeed spend time with similar people in his time in a kibbutz, It is splendidly directed by Peter Kavanagh who has come up with an excellent cast of actors whose work cannot be faulted

onstant sunshine.But they arrive soaking wet in the middle of a rainstorm.
They are expecting good food and service from the Israelis food but nothing is what they expect and they grouse continually and loudly about their bad luck. The Kibbutz is not what they expected. It meant early rising and hard physical labour and indifferent cuisine. The first act of this play is a long stream of misfortune with tiresome young people who complain all the time and clash with the Israelis.
At the interval I seriously thought of leaving but decided to hang on.
It was certainly worthwhile as the play begins to reveal the souls of the various characters . The appalling young people have to learn a lot about themselves. Mike, a university drop out is played by Ryan Whittle. He has a relationship with a stunning but aggressive Israeli girl, Gila who is taking a break from her army duties to lead the workforce. She hates all Englishmen and resents the fact that her English languages is always being correy gives a delightful comedy and moving performance.

onstant sunshine.But they arrive soaking wet in the middle of a rainstorm. They are expecting good food and service from the Israelis food but nothing is what they expect and they grouse continually and loudly about their bad luck. The Kibbutz is not what they expected. It meant early rising and hard physical labour and indifferent cuisine. The first act of this play is a long stream of misfortune with tiresome young people who complain all the time and clash with the Israelis. At the interval I seriously thought of leaving but decided to hang on. It was certainly worthwhile as the play begins to reveal the souls of the various characters . The appalling young people have to learn a lot about themselves. Mike, a university drop out is played by Ryan Whittle. He has a relationship with a stunning but aggressive Israeli girl, Gila who is taking a break from her army duties to lead the workforce. She hates all Englishmen and resents the fact that her English languages is always being corrected. Ailsa Joy gives a delightful comedy and moving performance.. By Paul Kember At the Finborough This award-winning play was initially produced in 1980 the year the Finborough Theatre opened. Four young English people in their twenties arrive in an Israeli Kibbutz in the hope of having a holiday, to enjoy the sunshine and escape their monotonous life in Seventies England. They imagine a land filled with milk and honey and c

onstant sunshine.But they arrive soaking wet in the middle of a rainstorm.
They are expecting good food and service from the Israelis food but nothing is what they expect and they grouse continually and loudly about their bad luck. The Kibbutz is not what they expected. It meant early rising and hard physical labour and indifferent cuisine. The first act of this play is a long stream of misfortune with tiresome young people who complain all the time and clash with the Israelis.
At the interval I seriously thought of leaving but decided to hang on.
It was certainly worthwhile as the play begins to reveal the souls of the various characters . The appalling young people have to learn a lot about themselves. Mike, a university drop out is played by Ryan Whittle. He has a relationship with a stunning but aggressive Israeli girl, Gila who is taking a break from her army duties to lead the workforce. She hates all Englishmen and resents the fact that her English languages is always being correy gives a delightful comedy and moving performance.

Dave played by Joe McArdle, is from Yorkshire and he expects a world of sunbathing, cheap booze, and most of all, sex. He is not prepared to enjoy the company of the “Jew boys = they all look alike” and has contempt for anyone who isn’t English. His friend Pete (Ronnie Yorke) who is a minor pilferer, feels the same. The only other girl is Carrie, (Miranda Braun) a small English girl who lives in a fantasy world. She has to learn how to leave her phoney past life behind.. The person most responsible for the welfare of the workers is Ami played by Russell Bentley who expertly delivers several long speeches describing the British character to the British boys who had never heard it before..The play shows up the English character to its worst advantage- how they can misunderstand so much about the country that has allowed them to become a part of it? Much of the play is obviously autobiographical, the author did indeed spend time with similar people in his time in a kibbutz, It is splendidly directed by Peter Kavanagh who has come up with an excellent cast of actors whose work cannot be faulted

b

WHEN TO THE SESSIONS OF SWEET SILENT THOUGHT

I SUMMON UP REMEMBRANCE OF THINGS PAST

I SIGH THE LACK OF MANY A THIHG I SOUGHT

AND WITH OLD WOES NEW WAIL MY DEAR TIMES WASTE

THEN CAN I DROWN AN EYE UNUSED TO FLOW

FOR PRECIOUS FRIENDS HID IN DEATH’S DATELESS NIGHT

AND WEEP AFRESH LOVE’S LONG SINCE CANCELLED WOE

AND MOURN THE EXPENSE OF MANY A VANISHED SIGHT

THEN CAN I GRIEVE AT GRIEVANCES FOREGONE

AND HEAVILY FROM TIME TO TIME TELL O’ER

THE SAN ACCOUNT OF FOR BEMAOANED MOAN

WHICH I NEW PAY AS IF NOT PAID BEFORE

BUT IF THE WHILE I THINK OF THEE DEAR FRIEND

ALL LOSSES ARE RESTORED AND SORROWS END