Saturday 20th April 2024

Woke around 0900...back giving me gip, so had to roll out of bed. Cooked brunch. Quick catch-up with Kath, who reckons we'll need to get some carers in for mum, as she has work to do next week. See what happens...dad not much help at the moment, as he has been rendered 100% deaf by a visit to the swimming baths yesterday, so can't respond to any calls for assistance rom mum, or anyone else, for that matter! Set off on foot for Stoke Newington...had hoped to find time to stop for lunch on the way, but it took a little longer than anticipated, so picked up a burrito in one of the expensive food markets on Church Street, and shared it in the theatre bar. Sarah and Stephen Ley were in the bar, and Sarah mentioned I might be right for something in the autumn season's Christmas production, an adaptation of Dickens' "The Chimes". Mounted the stairs to the theatre to see the matinee performance of Goldoni's "The Fan"...the opening tableux was very good, the company one-by-one becoming animated, a rhythm tapped out on various props...but it was pretty much all downhill from there...it lacked comic verve, and the pacing was too slow...dropped cues and muffed lines didn't help. We repaired to the Smith studio afterward for the official announcement of the up-coming Autumn Season, introduced by Amanda Waggot, the new AD. Surprised to see Feiyang directing something in the repertoire...she's coming on leaps and bounds since assisting on Twelfth Night...great stuff! We snuck out afterward and walked through Abney Park Cemetery, which has undergone some extensive restoration works...they've done a nice job. Found ourselves back on Church Street, and dived into Rasa for our dinner, then took a No.106 bus to Finsbury Park, and walked home from there...