Snow! Which meant that Saturday night's excursion to Deptford to see Stonecrabs Theatre's Playthings at the Albany ended in a 115am arrival back at the Batt(ersea) cave. Julia Maxfield's play was on the Thursday eve (which I wasn't able to see) but managed to get to Depters for Friday and Saturday eve.
Really loved the shows: Orton plus Dario Fo were the only playwrights featured that I'd heard of out of the 6 plays I saw, but a lot of the writing was excellent. Good acting too. Is that very over-simplistic? They were all drama school graduates - wasn't sure what to expect in that department but my memories of the Drama Barn at York University had not steeled me to expect excellence. It's a real skill; you get used to the high quality on film and T.V. (well, most film and some T.V.) and then there's the sort of standard you often get from less professional environments, so when you see high quality actors up-close it's very affecting. How do they make themselves cry??? That's always puzzled me...
Anyhow, the DLR came to our rescue on our way home, for Lauren, Julia and I, and, apart from the 15 mins walk from Slosqua to Chelsea Bridge before the Batt bus kicked in, our little adventure remained amusing and light-hearted (given the temperature and conditions under foot).
The other snowed effect ricocheting around the weekend for the Harper was that I ended up volunteering to play the organ at Mass at St Mary's Clapham Common on Sunday at the 12pm. MUCH fun! (Mass at Norbers had been scaled back).
I love these little opportunities for adventure that the good Lord sends one's way. Been practising the organ at Holy Trinity Clappers quite a bit of late - so gratifying to literally sense oneself getting better at something every half hour. This whole organ lark is hugely rewarding - I'm only 25 years behind with my practice... still I've picked up a few other skills along the way so I should be able to catch up in 20 years time maybe!
Respect to Ian Curror - retiring in April as Organist of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, after 37 plus years.
And still a lovely chap!
Grazie.
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