Page 7 - HGS Suburb News 140 - Autumn 2019

Garden Suburb Theatre excels The Lady in the Van

Garden Suburb Theatre will be Camden home for three months…
performing The Lady in the she stays there for 15 years!
Van by Alan Bennett at Upstairs During her 15-year stay in his
in the Gatehouse in November. drive, Bennett balances his writing
The talented cast and crew career with watching over Miss
are currently working hard on Shepherd and providing for his
this wonderful piece of theatre. increasingly invalid mother.
The play is a must see for all Though he denies “caring” for
who enjoyed the film of the anyone, he slowly becomes
same name, which starred the aware of his growing friendship
venerable Dame Maggie Smith with Miss Shepherd.
in the title role. The production comes to
The Lady in the Van tells Upstairs at the Gatehouse
the true story of playwright (Highgate, London N6 4BD)
Alan Bennett’s friendship with from 21-24 November. Evening
Miss Mary Shepherd. Despite shows on Thursday to Saturday www.upstairsatthegatehouse.com
her being a crabby, eccentric will start at 7.30pm and there or by calling 8340 3488. For
and unsanitary homeless woman, will be a 4pm start on Sunday further information, please visit
Bennett “allows” her to park 24 November. Tickets are £14/£12 www.gardensuburbtheatre.org.uk.
her van in the driveway of his concession and can be booked at FIONA WHITE

Walking into Little Oak Wood Meg Long) has the audience material methods, and the Life at the Fringe
Open Air Theatre is like entering captivated as soon as she speaks, costumes are impressive.
into a secret enchanted garden her stage presence and character Director, Kayne McCutcheon, I’ve lived on the Suburb for 38
that nobody knows exists. acting is outstanding, she has and assistant director, Michael years, longer than my career,
Garden Suburb Theatre’s the right balance of humour Reffold, created a really interesting first as a practising barrister and
production of Our Country’s and grit that her character play to watch. Open-air staging, then in the Ministry of Justice,
Good, by Timberlake Wertenbaker portrays. Emily Hill (Lieutenant whilst beautiful, brings obvious doing things like advising the
is the true story of the first Will Dawes RM, Liz Morden) is restrictions, but the whole Lord Chancellor or working on
penal colony in Australia. The so believable as her character Liz production was put together so judicial appointments. When I
play introduces us to the hard Morden and clearly understands well and a complex script was retired joyfully from all this, I
times and conflicts of both the how complex the character is made clear, understandable and decided to concentrate on acting
convicts and guards. A Lieutenant meant to be: angry and violent extremely enjoyable. and performing. I do now have
decides he wants to impress his yet so vulnerable. Superb acting. SAMANTHA CARTWRIGHT an agent and I am a member of
superiors by directing a play, he The set is very simple but Equity. My special love is cabaret.
uses the convicts as actors. Not because the acting is of such a This review appeared in Sardines I have performed at London
everyone is impressed with this high standard, I felt l was in a magazine, and is reproduced with venues like the Crazy Coqs, the
idea of course. We follow both different scene regardless of the author’s permission. Jermyn Street Theatre and the
sides, the convicts and the guards, Pheasantry, doing a mixture of
and realise how easily life can original and existing material.
change direction without us Looming over me was the prospect
being able to control it. of the Edinburgh Fringe, which
This theatre group is blessed I hoped might raise my profile.
with extremely talented actors. For that I felt I had to produce
All twenty-two parts are shared entirely original material. In
by only ten actors, sometimes 2016 I finally made it there.
having to change roles right My show was called ‘Angel to
before our very eyes; they swap vampire!’ It was based on my life’s people. As it happens, I never which has the right demographic.
a jacket or a wig and seamlessly yearnings, illustrated by various once saw any of them at my Frankly, I’m not sure these
continue into the next character. quirky characters, including, no show! I did get others to flyer advertisements helped that much.
This lightening speed change surprise, an angel and a vampire. for me and they were much I got better at flyering. I offered
demonstrates just how good What many people don’t realise better at it. In short, though the deals and cheerfully approached
these actors are. is the huge amount of effort you show was well reviewed, I Iost people who looked like my
Anna Rolfe (Second Lieutenant have to put into getting your money, but gained experience audience. I worked out a good
William Faddy RM, Dabby Bryant, The Merchant of Venice, Garden Suburb Theatre’s other open air theatre play this summer show noticed. In 2016 there and valuable contacts. pitch. After a slow start, this time
were 3,500 shows in the Fringe. After that I tried other Fringes the numbers really improved. I
That is a lot of competition. I and received a nomination for recognised people I had spoken
Tapestries of Difference had two huge and striking excellence in new writing. I then to. People came because others
posters (which showed me – as devised my present show called had recommended the show. My
“Is it chance or the hand of God looking for a soul mate (Emma, corner of northwest London an angel and a vampire!) One ‘Too young to stay in, too old to audience was bigger than in 2016.
which makes the world go round?” in fact, thought she already had will, through these pages, find poster was impressively visible go out!’ about the challenges and So was the Festival. This year
one). Yet, they soon discover themselves in locations they – in a side street which not opportunities of getting older. there were about 4,000 shows!
Volunteer staff at the HGS library that they both were born in instantly recognise. In yet another many people used. The other This seems to resonate with The Edinburgh Fringe can
are sometimes asked to review Zimbabwe, and that they both coincidence, while I was reading was on the railings in a very many people. It got in audiences be frustrating, disappointing,
new books if they, or their authors, came with their families to the book, a friend suggested we busy square. Unfortunately, it at Brighton and I even made a rewarding and energising all at
have some connection to the England as children in order to meet for a walk at a specific was usually hidden behind a profit at the Camden Fringe in once. I must have walked miles
Suburb; so, when I received an escape their native country’s point in Hampstead Heath. It parked car. Apart from that, 2018. Not having to pay for every day. It’s a specially huge
email with news of a book that ruinous descent under Mugabe. was only while ambling along there are an awful lot of posters accommodation helped. The task for a solo performer. The
“starts and ends in North London, Of course, the coincidence that it struck me that I was in around Edinburgh during the show had good or very good Fringe can bring you down or
with a middle in Africa,” I doesn’t end there; it turns out the precise spot I’d read about Fringe. So you have to push your reviews, so I took it to the you can choose to get on top of
quickly responded that I’d be that their families share not earlier that day. Similarly, in his show by handing out flyers. I Edinburgh Fringe this year. This it. You have to be on your game
keen to read and review it. only similarities but also secrets. evocation of the sights, sounds really didn’t like doing this, as I time I did not bother with huge the whole time. I found the
Mainly, what had attracted me Neither Simon nor Emma is the and smells of Africa, I felt as if had to get used to stopping posters. Instead I spent money whole experience life affirming.
was a coincidence: in common first of their line to encounter Riddell had transported me on advertising. I was particularly I’m going back next year.
with the main characters in the the other – their histories have back to a place in which every knots. The one notable exception pleased with the ad in the Oldie, NIGEL OSNER
book, I have spent many years long been linked. This time, the detail was familiar.
in both places. fact, when it is revealed, is more This is Riddell’s first novel, is Sarah (in my view the most well
By another quirk of synch- than just another coincidence; though not his first book (he drawn character in the book). Welcome to St Jude’s
She’s a quiet, modest soul – a
ronicity, the book was delivered it’s far more serious. has published non-fiction and hospice nurse who lovingly
into my hands in the same Riddell takes us on a journey academic works). Clearly, his time Sunday December 22:
week that the world learned of from London, to Harare and in pre-independence Rhodesia, ministers to her terminally ill 6pm Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, followed
Robert Mugabe’s death and, as beyond, and then back again. followed by his years later as Chair patients and those around by mince pies and mulled wine
them. It is not coincidental that
Zimbabwe is the region in Africa Readers from our particular of the first Presidential Commission it falls to her, with the wisdom
in which some Tapestries of (tasked with recommending how and empathy her vocation has Christmas Eve:
Difference by Roger Riddell is set, to restore the Zimbabwean 4pm Children’s Nativity Play
the added layers of coincidence economy damaged by economic infused into her, to take charge 11.30pm Midnight Mass
at a moment when only these
became increasingly intriguing. sanctions and war) not only qualities can solve an impending Christmas Day:
But more was to follow. From created a huge reservoir of 8am Mass of the Dawn
the synopsis on the back cover of insight but also instilled within crisis. “We are a family deeply
the book a phrase jumped out at him a deep fondness for the troubled by war,” she says, before 10.30am Christmas Celebration
explaining in a haunting cri de
me: “succession of coincidences”! country and its people. coeur that it is the strength of followed by seasonal
By now I was irreversibly hooked: In Tapestries of Difference refreshments
even the plot itself, I thought, owes Riddell presents a vast canvas hope for the future, and not the All Welcome
its existence to events in which on which questions around weakness of despair about the
past, that provides the only
chance and coincidence coalesce love, loyalty, morality, faith, viable solution. It is a lesson not
to drive the action forward. race, politics, compassion, and
And what a plot it is. Emma forgiveness are set out to be only for the characters, or the
meets Simon; they’re both busy considered. But the human people of Zimbabwe, but for all
the world.
young Londoners embarking condition is complicated and
on their lives and careers and not all of his characters possess The reviewer is a volunteer librarian SAINT JUDE-ON-THE-HILL • THE PARISH CHURCH OF HAMPSTEAD GARDEN SUBURB
neither was aware at the time of the maturity and understanding at the Hampstead Garden Suburb www.stjudeonthehill.com
their meeting that they were required to help us untangle the Community Library.
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