Across to Stratford to see Shakespeare's least-performed play - King John:
A straightforward run, checked into the Premier Inn and then into town, to Edward Moon:
"Smile", the boss said, so I did:
"Salmon in Filo Pastry" for Amanda:
and for me, "Warm Mousseline of Chicken stuffed with Cave Matured Roquefort and Fresh Harvested Walnuts with a Sauce of Sorrel Hollandaise and Julienne of Russet Apples". Not really - I had the House Burger:
Followed by "Strawberries & Cream Cheesecake" for me and "Profiteroles" for Amanda:
(On the day of our wedding I was asked if I was nervous about Amanda not showing up. "Not really", I replied, "we're having profiteroles at the reception".)
Grateful thanks to nephew T, whose Christmas present of an Edward Moon voucher subsidised much of the evening's repast.
Out into the drizzle and a quick walk to the RSC Swan Theatre. The auditorium was not yet open, so we waited on the landing, where the streetlight filtering through the stained glass windows caught my eye:
We were amongst the first in:
Obligatory selfie:
So, what of the play? Not for the first time I found myself torn between admiration for a thoroughly professional and engaging production, with some genuinely innovative moments, and a dawning realisation that I'm even more of a traditionalist than I thought I was when it comes to Shakespeare. Having seen this 1960s-set production, with food-fights and boxing-matches standing in for battles, a female King John (male pronouns retained in the text but dresses in the costume changes) and a (male) Cardinal played by a female with the brassy confidence of Coronation Street's Elsie Tanner at her most formidable, I confess that I later longed to see a 'traditional' version to compare it with.
Most of the good, and not so good, points about this production are covered in the following reviews:
For anyone wishing to make their own mind up, the play is being live streamed to cinemas around the country on 29th March 2020.
Feeling like a change, in the morning we had breakfast at The Vintner:
Feeling like a change, in the morning we had breakfast at The Vintner:
The view across the street to the Oxfam bookshop, which Amanda rarely fails to check out:
Your correspondent in pensive mood:
A "Full English" for me, and "Scambled Eggs on Toast" for Amanda:
Well satisfied, and with expectations of returning in future, we wandered out and around town. To Waterstones, where a couple more books made their way onto my "Want " list, and then down to the river, where the recent rainfall had resulted in one of the highest levels we had seen there:
Though these chaps just take it in their stride (or paddle):
A quick drink in Costa, and then an uneventful run home, with no sign of the gale-force winds that had been forecast the day before.
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