Landsecurities is one of the sponsors of the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park and every now and again they’ll give away tickets for an upcoming production. Keryn entered such a giveaway and we found out yesterday afternoon that we had tickets for the evening showing of ‘A Midsummer’s Night Dream’.
So we went and saw a play. The weather for the last few days has been superb, mid to high 20’s and not too humid. There was a breeze about and it was perhaps a tad cool for Keryn but we still thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Split into two by an intermission the first half was good and the second half was excellent. The use of the minimal stage styling was fantastic and the actors really took on the roles, Bottom being played especially well. The aforementioned breeze did conspire against some stage effects, the smoke used sparingly most often was blown away from the stage, but at the most optimum moments the elements relented to provide for an atmospheric environment with swirling mists highlighting the required scenes.
The time passed quickly and we joined in with the enthusiastic applause at the end of the play. We then merged with the throng exiting from the theatre and making our way back to Baker Street to catch the tube for the journey home. The train ride was eventful with a vomiting young woman with her g-string halfway up her back providing comedy relief for the three drunk lads at the front of the train. There was the pretty Essex girl with her long blond hair and bright red summer dress providing further amusement as she argued by mobile phone with her unreasonable sounding boyfriend. The lads kept up a chorus of “dump him”, their call being echoed by the plump middle aged couple sitting in the same set of five seats as Ms Essex. Shyly smiling Ms Essex avoided looking at those providing advice and was quiet for a while before calling a friend to complain about her boyfriend some more. Lastly we had the two woman trying to find out what station the now sleeping and no longer vomiting girl needed to get off at. Waking up she was sufficiently coherent to smile a bit and gradually the ladies found out she needed Harold Wood Station so they got off with her saying they’d get her home. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood, the drunk lads not being pushy or too loud, just having a bit of a laugh.
Amusing us as we waited for the play to begin
A play within a play
So long and thanks
