Windsor in the sun

That is to say, an open air performance of the 'Merry Wives of Windsor' at the open air theatre at Polesden Lacey. Gmaps 51.256733, -0.369076 marks the spot, a couple of hundred yards to the east of the building. With the only previous performance of same being that noticed a little more than two years ago at reference 1.

When we arrived at the patch of grass in question, we found that it was very hot and that the sun, behind us, was very bright. Not quite sure how the performers managed with the sun in front of them, as I was not particularly aware of them avoiding the audience.

Maybe a hundred of us for this afternoon performance, in three camps. Right in front you sat on the grass, back a bit you sat on your folding chairs and further back still you sat under some awnings, with quite a lot of green space between the folding chairs and the awnings. We were asked not to use our umbrellas.

Most of my attention during the first half was taken by the sun and by the heat, with the result that I was not able to keep a very strong grip on what was going on in front. But I think I must have acclimatised a bit by the second half and got on rather better. Or perhaps it was getting some water down the throat.

One feature of the production was a relatively sophisticated sound system, with an array of large furry microphones being deployed along the front of the stage and large loudspeakers lined up on both sides. With the result that one watched the mouths of the actors and actresses moving around in front, while the consequent sounds were coming on strongly, in my case, into my right ear. All rather disconcerting. While the twenties flavoured music - this being a modern dress affair - played in the intervals between the action was rather loud and quickly became tiresome.

My impression was that this version was as adapted as that noticed at reference 1, that is to say rather a lot. Probably just as well, as full on Shakespearean language - just about four hundred years old now - getting on for half way back to the time of the Conquest, when we spoke old middle English or some such thing and our betters spoke old middle French - might have been a bit much at 30C.

I took a wander during the interval, while BH was buying her lollipop (the advertised tea having gone AWOL), and discovered a large generator humming away in the bushes. So what with sound system, stage and props, awnings, portable toilets and one thing and another, there must have been quite a lot of production expenses.

In the margins, we learned that relations between the theatre people and the stately home people were perhaps a little strained, with the former having once been subordinated to the latter. I remember getting a very friendly reply when I inquired of reference 3, about three years ago now, giving me the impression that they were very keen to gather up as many paying members as possible. The history of all this being summarised under the 'about' tab there.

An interesting event, but one which confirmed my prejudice against outdoor theatre. Much more comfortable and much less distracting indoors. That said, and sniping aside, one has to admire the energy and pluck of the people who come together to put on shows of this sort.

Reference 1: https://psmv3.blogspot.com/2016/03/merry-wives.html. The Northern Broadsides version.

Reference 2: https://psmv3.blogspot.com/2017/11/last-broadside.html. The valedictory outing of Barry Rutter and the team from Northern Broadsides.

Reference 3: http://www.polesdenlaceyshakespeare.co.uk/.