The Tailor of Inverness

The Tailor of Inverness was just as good as I thought it would be.  So good, in fact, I'm very glad I bought  the book on sale in the foyer outside before we went in.

I like the intensity of a one person play.  There is little let up for either actor or audience.  In the The Tailor of Inverness there was occasional music, the odd poem, and sometimes a bit of well-chosen video, but mainly it was the talented Matthew Zajac on stage with a violinist.  Sometimes he jumped on a chair, once he twirled a large clothes rail around and around, and once he did around twenty press ups while shouting out his lines - really incredibly energetic.

The set was minimal - the sort I like best because it allows the imagination to work.   There was the tailor's bench, his chair, the clothes rack - and a wall that became something else with clever lighting.  

The play itself was about memory, the tales we choose to tell about ourselves, and the effect of war. There was one point when I realised it felt like the entire audience was holding its breath.  No sweet unwrapping, no fidgeting, no removal of velcro fastenings on boots (as happened immediately behind me the last time I visited the theatre) making it altogether a great theatre experience.  I'm really pleased we took the chance on Hodmandod Senior's cough not interrupting things (it didn't).

Happy St David's Day!

A perfect day.

Maybe not quite the first day of spring, but it's getting warmer..

After killing myself in Ali's spinnin' class, I indulged myself with a bunch of Tesco's daffodils

then returned home to find my friend Debra's book, 'Killing Eratosthenes'  behind the door.

I had the pleasure of reading this in its pre-published state.  It takes what remains of a murder trial recorded in Ancient Greece and converts it into a fascinating narrative.  As usual with Debra's books I learnt a lot about life in fifth century BC Athens, but the book comes with a decidedly twenty-first century innovation: via a link to Debra's Killing Eratosthenes website, it is possible to cast your vote and take a look at the virtual outcome.

To finish my perfect St David's day, I am returning to Wales to see the Tailor of Inverness in Theatr Clwyd.   Looking forward to this.  It's had great reviews and the last time monologue I saw in Thatr Clwyd, Grounded,  it turned out to be one of my all-time favourites.