Wilde one

As just advertised, last week to the Vaudeville Theatre in the Strand to see a revival of 'A woman of no importance', first performed there some hundred years before.

Not quite as lush as some west end theatres.

Much talk of proscenium arches in the interesting programme, seemingly an invention of the Victorians. Must read it again.

Four scenes interspersed with three songs, these last being led by the spirited and not so young Anne Reid (Lady Hunstanton). It all seemed rather too long to me, with far too many gaps between the gags, to the point where I nodded a bit during the second scene. Good effort from Eve Best (Mrs. Arbuthnot) in the second half. While Dominic Rowan (Lord Illingworth) did not quite pull it off. Crystal Clarke (Miss. Hester Worsley) rather weak. A play which apart from showcasing Wilde's brand of humour - rather too much of it for my taste. Its not that funny - did address some of the serious issues of the day; he did fancy himself as a serious writer. But it all seemed a bit tired to me. Maybe a slicker, quicker production would have been better.

Quite a large cast, with sixteen turning out for the curtain call at the end.

Tea and cake at Delaunay's on the Aldwych, with it being mild enough to sit outside and watch all the goings on - including plenty of very high heels, some clearly causing the wearers some discomfort. My second visit to the establishment, my first being noticed at reference 1.

Over Waterloo Bridge, where I managed to slip going down some steps, managing to bash my right arm and shoulder on the way down, and on to the Green Room where the very pretty and luvvy looking waitress guarding the floor of the restaurant denied us access - and we did not care to wait until tables would be freed up by people going off to the National next door. Nor did I pat her knee or anything else. I must have noticed our successful first visit to the place, some time ago now, but so far I have failed to find it. I shall carry on looking and may report further in due course.

The first of two outings to this Wilde season.

PS: later: our last visit turns out to the Green Room restaurant turns out to have been around two years ago, with the key to finding it being 'Rambert' of the ballet.

Reference 1: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/cello.html.

Reference 2: http://psmv2.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/big-charles-1.html.

Reference 3: http://www.greenroom.london/.

Reference 4: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proscenium. It is now clear that the things were around a long time before the Victorians had a go, whatever the programme might say.