We had a great time.
If this is all you want to know, you may stop right here, but you also might miss some interesting details.
Reason for this trip was the opportunity to see Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick Stewart live on stage staring in the play ‘No Man’s Land’, an absurdist play by Harold Pinter written in 1974 and first produced and published in 1975. Its original production was at the Old Vic Theatre in London by the National Theatre on 23 April 1975, and it later transferred to Wyndhams Theatre, July 1975 – January 1976. And now after all that time back on stage at Wyndhams Theatre.
The Theatre, the ambience, the play, and most of all the actors of course, made this evening an outstanding experience.
Plot synopsis:
Act 1 A man in his sixties named Hirst begins a night of heavy drinking (mainly Scotch) in his drawing room with an anonymous peer whom he only just met at a pub. Hirst’s overly talkative guest, calling himself a poet, long-windedly explains how he is penetratingly perceptive, until he finally introduces himself as “Spooner”. As the men are becoming more intoxicated, Hirst suddenly rises and throws his glass, while Spooner abruptly taunts Hirst about his masculinity and wife. Hirst merely comments “No man’s land … does not move … or change … or grow old … remains … forever … icy … silent”, before collapsing twice and finally crawling out of the room.
A young man enters and suspiciously questions Spooner, who now becomes relatively silent, about his identity. The younger man introduces himself as John “Jack” Foster before the entrance of a fourth man, Briggs, who is in his forties and who also unsuccessfully questions Spooner and then bickers with Foster.
At last, Hirst reenters, having slept, and struggles to remember a recent dream. Foster and Briggs have also started drinking, and they refill the older men’s glasses. Hirst mentions an album of photographs he keeps, commenting on the appearances of the people in the album. He does not appear to fully remember Spooner’s identity, insisting that his true friends are kept safely in the album. He begins drinking straight from the bottle, mutters incoherent statements, and continues to ponder his dream—involving someone drowning—when Spooner abruptly says that he was the one drowning in Hirst’s dream. Hirst drunkenly collapses and Spooner now rushes in to Hirst’s aid, brushing away the two younger men and claiming to be Hirst’s true friend. The younger pair becomes defensive and accusatory, asserting their obligation to protect Hirst against “men of evil”. Foster openly criticises his own past, as well as Hirst’s impulsiveness and alcoholism. It gradually becomes apparent that Foster is Hirst’s apprentice and housekeeper, and Briggs is Hirst’s personal servant. All exit except for Spooner and Foster, the latter of who says, “Listen. You know what it’s like when you’re in a room with the light on and then suddenly the light goes out? I’ll show you. It’s like this”. He flicks off the lights, causing a blackout.
Act 2 The next morning, Spooner, alone, stands from his chair and attempts to leave, but the door is locked. Briggs soon enters to deliver Spooner food and champagne, rambling on about how he met Foster and ignoring Spooner’s desire to know why the door was locked. Spooner thinks of a quick excuse to leave; however, when Briggs mentions that both Foster and Hirst are poets, Spooner show vague recognition of this fact.
Hirst himself bursts in and is delighted to see Spooner, whom he oddly mistakes for (or pretends) is an old friend. He speaks as though the two were Oxbridge classmates in the 1930s, which Spooner finally plays along with. Hirst and Spooner then bizarrely discuss scandalous romantic encounters they both had with the same women, leading to a series of increasingly questionable reminiscences, until finally Hirst is accused of having had an affair with Spooner’s own wife. All the while, Hirst refers to Briggs by a variety of inconsistent names and then launches into a rant about once-known faces in his photo album.
Spooner says that Foster, who now reappears, should have pursued his dream of being a poet, instead of working for Hirst. Spooner shows great interest in seeing Hirst’s photo album, but both Briggs and Foster discourage this. All four are now drinking champagne, and Foster, for his own pride and dignity’s sake, abruptly asserts that he desired to work in this house of his own choice, where he feels privileged to serve as famous a writer as Hirst. Suddenly, Spooner asks desperately that Hirst consider hiring him as well, verbosely praising his own work ethic and other virtues. After all this, Hirst merely replies “Let’s change the subject for the last time”. and after a pause worriedly asks “What have I said?” Foster explains definitively that Hirst’s statement means that he (Hirst) will never be able to change the subject ever again. Hirst thinks back to his youth, when he mistakenly thought he saw a drowned body in a lake. Spooner now comments, “No. You are in no man’s land. Which never moves, which never changes, which never grows older, but which remains forever, icy and silent.” Hirst responds “I’ll drink to that!” and the lights fade slowly to black.
After the show, we walked around the theatre on our way to the next pub to celebrate this experience with one or another pint of Ale. As we passed the backstage door we saw a dozen people waiting for the actors. We had to admit that was a nice idea, so we joined them. I was standing right opposite the stage door and when Sir Ian McKellen left the building he saw me first, winked with a smile and a ‘hello’, took the programm out of my hands, opened it, flipped pages till he found his photograph and put his autograph there, while we had a chat.
Sir Patrick Steward had a sore throat that evening and had already left the building, but we met the rest of the cast: Owen Teale and Damien Molony. Now that on top of the play called even more for a pint!
The Shakespear Globe
Yes, I know one should experience a play standing in the yard right in front of the stage to get an authentic feel of it. But as you are at mercy of the elements in this open air theatre, frontrow seats in the upper gallery, right in front of the stage, were the better choice. Plus: You are not allowed to use your umbrella in the yard, which makes perfect sense as you block the other peoples view.
We arrived there in time, rented a cushion to spoil our silken back, had a mulled wine and enjoyed the eve. What an excellent production, interpretation and performance of the cast. We loved it. This was the last show of this production, though – with a lot of happiness, tears and roses at the end.
The Play
Imogen is the only remaining child of Cymbeline, leader of the Britons and servant to the Roman emperor. Her two brothers, Guideriusa nd Arviragus, were kidnapped as children and have not been seen since. She has secretly married Posthumus, a member of her father’s gang. Cymbeline, believing Posthumus to be unworthy of marrying the princess, dismisses the marriage and banishes Posthumus. As Imogen is the last surviving heir, Cymbeline is intent that she marries someone of a similar social level. Posthumus leaves with a ring to remember Imogen by, and Imogen wears a bracelet he gives her in return. Not able to follow Posthumus, Imogen stays in her bedroom. The Queen, Imogen’s stepmother, wishes to marry her son, Cloten, to Imogen to secure her family’s position in society. She asks Cornelius to prepare poison for her so that she can, in time, murder Imogen and Cymbeline and be left to rule. Cornelius is suspicious of the queen’s intentions. He has instead furnished her with a sleeping potion, which will give the appearance of death to anyone who takes it. The queen gives the potion to Pisania, Posthumus’s servant, telling her it is medicine.Posthumus, having taken himself to Italy, encounters Giacomo. Posthumus boasts about Imogen and her chastity, which leads to Giacomo making a wager: he will seduce Imogen and, if he can prove it, win Posthumus’s ring from him. If Imogen remains faithful and Posthumus wins, Giacomo must pay money and agree to a duel. Imogen greets Giacomo when he arrives, but spurns his advances. He hides in a chest he has asked her to store in her bedroom. When Imogen is asleep, Giacomo comes out from the chest, takes note of the interior of the bed chamber and, looking at Imogen asleep, notes a mole on her breast. He intends to use his knowledge of the mole as proof of Imogen’s infidelity. Finally, he takes the bracelet from Imogen’s wrist, as a physical token of proof.
Back in Italy, Giacomo convinces Posthumus with his evidence. Posthumus is outraged and sends two letters back. Imogen receives the first letter, telling her to meet Posthumus in Milford Haven. The second letter goes to Pisania, commanding her to murder Imogen. Pisania, however, refuses to kill Imogen, and has brought a disguise for Imogen. The clothes are those of a boy, so when Imogen puts them on she takes on a new identity, that of Fidele. Believing it to be medicine, Pisania gifts the Queen’s poison to Imogen in case she ever needs it.
Meanwhile, Cymbeline has decided to refuse the Roman ambassador, Caius, the money owed to the Romans. Caius assures Cymbeline that the emperor will send his army, and that the refusal can only lead to a conflict that the Britons would lose. Lucius, the leader of the Romans, will come quickly and cross Wales to enter Britain. Cloten, the queen’s son, learns that Imogen was due to meet the banished Posthumus in Milford Haven. He decides to dress as Posthumus, pursue Imogen, abduct her and force her into marriage. However, Imogen (now Fidele) is ill having travelled far. She comes to a greenhouse where she eats and rests. The greenhouse belongs to Morgan, and the two boys he has raised as his own sons, Polydore and Cadwal. The three men discover Fidele (who has tidied for them) and instantly feel a bond towards the boy. Imogen, however, becomes increasingly unwell, and therefore takes the medicine which Pisania gave her. Outside, Polydore encounters Cloten, who abuses him. Polydore, insulted, fights Cloten and kills him. Imogen succumbs to the medicine and, now in a deathlike state, is mourned by the men. Her body is laid out next to the headless body of Cloten whilst the men leave to prepare proper burials. Imogen awakes and, seeing the corpse beside her, first presumes it to be Posthumus because of the clothes it is wearing. Lucius and his men, whilst marching across Wales, encounter Fidele. Thinking quickly, Imogen explains that her grief is caused by the death of her master, and that she was the former loyal servant boy to Posthumus. Lucius, convinced by Fidele’s loyalty, hires him as a page. Unknown to Imogen, Posthumus is still alive and, having previously railed against her, is so crushed by his guilt over having Imogen murdered, enlists in the Roman force heading for Britain. The Queen is ill. She sickens daily due to Cloten’s disappearance. The Romans attack Cymbeline’s gang. Morgan, Polydore and Cadwal rescue Cymbeline from the Roman attack and then capture Lucius. Posthumus allows himself to be captured, and is imprisoned with the other Romans, including Fidele. The doctor announces that the Queen has died from her grief and that, as she died, she confessed her plot to kill Imogen and Cymbeline. Fidele is brought before Cymbeline for execution, but the king recognises something in the boy. Imogen sees the ring she gave Posthumus on Giacomo’s finger and asks how it came to be in his possession. Giacomo tells the court about his wager, how he failed to seduce Imogen and how he tricked her husband. Posthumus comes forward, and confirms the story, explaining that it was due to this that he commanded Pisania to kill Imogen. Imogen forgives Posthumus because of his penitent nature, moves to embrace him, but he pushes her away (presuming she is a boy). Pisania explains that Fidele is Imogen in disguise, though she doesn’t trust the servant, still thinking that she gave her the Queen’s poison on purpose. Cornelius, the doctor, explains to all that the poison was just a sleeping drug. Morgan, about to be awarded by a jubilant Cymbeline, explains that he is Belarius and that he did not intend to betray the king all those years before. During his confession, he explains how he kidnapped the king’s sons, Arviragus and Guiderius, and that the men who fought alongside him were they. Imogen, now the youngest sibling in the royal family, is now free to remain with Posthumus and marry him once more. Cymbeline pardons Belarius and the Roman soldiers, explaining that the refusal to pay money to the Romans was his queen’s idea, and he now agrees to pay.The Museum of London a brief excursion led us to the Museum of London, where Sparky the cat welcomed us in front of the entrance on a long wall – and yes, I could spot her all 6 times …