A WEEK IN LONDON
APRIL 4–11, 2024
Five plays, a few museums, restaurants, a guided walk and a random subway encounter with a star.
TATE BRITAIN
https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/sargent-and-fashion
A note at the Tate Britain exhibit of John Singer Sargent’s portrait paintings said this;
“Compelling portraits, attracted large crowds, were widely discussed and frequently reproduced. This in turn accrued social status for those portrayed. Sargent’s work was much in demand from sitters seeking an authoritative image of themselves.” In other words 19th Century Tik Tok.
A LONDON WALK IN BERMANDSY
We took a London Walks Tour of Bermandsy with a knowledgeable, good humored, retired BBC journalist. Bermandsy was a dirty industrial area that has since morphed into a high priced wealthy enclave, especially where river views are involved.
The Imperial War Museum
https://www.iwm.org.uk/
At the Imperial War Museum the stories of WWI and WWII’s blood soaked flag waving insanity too often felt more like today’s news than history.
FOR BLACK BOYS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE HUE GETS TOO HEAVY
www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/27460-for-black-boys-who-have-considered-suicide-when-the-hue-gets-too-heavy
Through dialogue, music and dance the cast of 6 very appealing young guys move with dancer’s agility in sync and solo, as they unpack the many dimensions of growing up and surviving as a British black man.
Each character presents a snapshot of black manhood — a father who could not admit to prostate cancer until it was too late; sex and the terror of intimacy; hearing car doors lock as they approach; a downward spiral of aggression that ended with a stabbing; attitudes about reading and education and sounding white; all the genetic parts of being black in the British post colonial world and being gay in tortured silence.
The audience was interactively buzzing with connection to the performers including a few charming fourth wall breaks of playful flirtations. In a dramatic scene about a testosterone driven stabbing, the young woman in front of us slumped forward, in what appeared to be a moment of painful memory, with her head down over the edge of a large box of donuts she brought with her.
During intermission we chatted with a black woman next to us, a social worker. I commented on how you could feel the vibrant connection between the crowd and the performers and our obvious outsider status as two old white Yanks. She thoughtfully reminded that pain and trauma are universal. I said, “I guess that’s what art is all about”. We exchanged nods and returned to our seats for the second act.
NYE
https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/nye/
This play at the National Theatre tells the story of Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan, the Welsh Labour politician credited with the creation of Britain’s National Health Service in 1948. We left at intermission. An understudy was in for Michael Sheen. I was sick with a cold and cough but we didn’t stay mostly because we were bored.
Brits are justly proud of the NHS that I’m told is now being starved to death by a different brand of the same political forces that want to gut Obama Care, Social Security and Medicare.
We probably should not have have left and stayed to learn something but this show seemed to get lost in the weeds of biography (at least during the first half).
TWO STRANGERS (CARRY A CAKE ACROSS NY)
https://twostrangersthemusical.com
This is a charming love story about two young souls, who could not be more different, bonding across their parallel dysfunctional universes.
He flies to New York from England for the wedding of his wealthy father who he has never met, to her powerhouse sister. She is a barrista with no actual other dream except to find love and happiness. She is the family Cinderella and not invited to the wedding. He lives with his Mom and works in a London movie theatre which brings us his breathless take on The Big Apple through the lens of a dozen classic set in New York movies. His good humored people skills are rock solid and she has her sister’s credit card. What follows is Cinderella’s night at the ball until the coach turns back into a pumpkin.
The writing is tight and funny. The actors are engaging and adorable. The play works for all of those reasons but mostly because it’s a wonderful story.
GUYS AND DOLLS
The words “timeless masterpiece” come to mind. This Damon Runyon inspired musical about gangsters and love in 1930s New York City, with lyrics and music from heaven by Frank Loesser, first opened on Broadway in 1950. Now 74 years later, in London, it continues to thrill audiences, this time with a black woman, Timika Ramsay, bringing down the house as sniffling Adelaide, still tired of “gettin a name for herself and the name ain’t his”.
Ticket holders have the option of buying immersive tickets which put you close to the action. Stagehands dressed as New York cops, gently relocate the standing audience to allow sections of the performance platform to rise and descend. If you are physically ok with standing for the whole show, (2 hours 50 minutes with a 15 minute interval) it’s pure fun to be close to these wonderful performers as they play to the surrounding crowd while very much rocking the boat.
OPERATION MINCEMEAT
https://www.thefortunetheatre.com/operation-mincemeat-a-new-musical
In 1943 a successful secret operation by British Intelligence floated a cadaver onto the coast of Spain dressed as a British officer with a suitcase full of false documents and invasion plans to make the Germans think the invasion of Sicily would be in Sardinia. Unlike this musical the plan worked.
Hard to figure out why this show has been a success running for over a year and everyone around us in the theatre was constantly whooping with laughter.
Also shrouded in mystery is the portrayal of Ewen Montagu, the eccentric navel intelligence officer behind Operation Mincemeat, that seemed to be channeling Jerry Lewis in the “The Bellboy”.
A “What The Hell Do I Know” Addendum
An April 15, 2024 report in the NY Times about this year’s Oliviers, Britain’s version of the Tonys, includes this;
A host of musicals and plays shared the night’s other major prizes. “Operation Mincemeat,” a word-of-mouth hit about a bizarre World War II counterintelligence plot that is running at the Fortune Theater, won best new musical.
THE LONDON UNDERGROUND
This New York City straphanger came down with a serious case of what I believe Freud referred to as “Transit Envy”. The London Underground is vast, safe, clean, easy to use and the trains come frequently. Astoundingly people on the platform waiting to board actually step aside for exiting passengers. To make matters better the public address announcements are clear and seem to be coming from a sentient human. Also missing is the parade of tragic human shipwrecks pleading for help.
FOOD
Borough Market dates back to at least the 12th century. The present buildings were built in the 1850s.
A toastie from Kappacasein Dairy at the edge of Borough Market is a must. Check their schedules because the market and that place is not open every day. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d8262373-Reviews-Kappacasein_Dairy-London_England.html
Lots of standing only lunch options including a great plate of paella for £ 10.
DINNER
Nopi
One of the restaurants owned by famed Israeli born chef, cookbook author and restaurant owner Yotam Ottolenghi. We sat downstairs where there’s long table group dining in front of an open kitchen offering delicious choices.
Gymkhana
https://gymkhanalondon.com
A two Michelin star fancy Indian food place in a luxurious setting with generous portions.
Spring
https://springrestaurant.co.uk
Visually striking setting and decor in Somerset House, an upscale arts and cultural center. The outfits of the wait staff blend with the color scheme. (although weirdly only the females)
A farm to table menu including an order in advance limited option they call “Scratch” based on what’s fresh and available from the farm that day, aka leftovers or fruit that’s not pretty.
Toklas
Delicious mediterranean food.
A RANDOM ENCOUNTER WITH A STAR
Conversations with passing strangers are one of the joys of traveling. As we sat waiting for a train in the Underground, a woman next to us was intently focused on a script. I leaned over and asked if she got the part. She smiled, said yes and graciously told us about the play. She wanted to hear about what we have seen in London and in NYC . She is hoping to work on a project in New York but the carbon footprint of jet travel is an obstacle.
With some back at the hotel googling we learned that we were chatting with multiple award winning actor Janie Dee who is about to open as the lead in “Laughing Boy” — the script she was studying. It’s about a mother demanding answers from the authorities about the preventable death of her learning disabled son.
According to this link the show opens next week — April 25.
