RANDOM JOTTINGS

Was in London yesterday looking after the Divine Florence who is now standing up clutching onto things, at 7.5 months!  She shows no interest in crawling so looks as if she will just go straight to walking.  Her mother was the same, my other daughter not walking for some time as she could crawl at such a speed she saw no need to walk but did finally much to my relief.

But today back up to see the second part of Henry IV at the Globe following on from Part I in August and really looking forward to it.  I find the whole Globe experience quite wonderful and we have good weather and the sun is shining so should be a good day.

10 pm – well about to hie me off to bed as really tired but oh it has been a lovely day.  Arrived in London and it was raining in stair rods but had brought a brolly so set off to walk to the Globe from Liverpool Street station.  Took me about 25 minutes and I was pretty sodden by the time I arrived. Had arranged to meet my friend in a coffee shop opposite and we had lunch there before entering the Globe.  The reception area was simply HEAVING with packs of students and school children all coming for talks and being taken round the permanent Shakespeare exhibition. I had forgotten just how noisy teenagers could be and the sound was deafening and I found myself being jostled about by children who seemed to have no care or manners at all and was getting really annoyed with one gang of Italian students when their teacher spotted I was being pinned to the wall and let rip with a stream of what sounded like vituperative Italain upon which they parted like the Red Sea let me through.

Henry IV Part 11 is a more sombre play than Part 1 and there is less of the high jinks between falstaff and Hal as they are apart for most of the play. It was quite brilliantly done, as are all productions at this wonderful theatre, a closeness of communication between the actors and the audience, and the feeling that we are all sharing in this wonderful experience together.  The scene between the dying Henry IV and 
Hal was marvellous and moving and of course the final rejection of Falstaff heartbreaking. When I saw it at the National a few years ago, the new Henry V dismissed Falstaff without a qualm and was icy cold which made it quite gut wrenching for Sir John, but in this production you could see that though Henry knew he had to do it, it hurt him to abandon his faithful friend.  Even if Falstaff was ont he make, was a drunken, lying womaniser, there is no doubt in my mind anyway, that he loved Hal as a son. 

The Falstaff I saw at the National was Sir Michael Gambon and he was, needless to say, sublime but Roger Allam, who has twice won the Olivier award for actor of the year, was just as stunning as Falstaff. Plenty of reviews if you want to give them a Google and all agree that this is the performance of the year.

A marvellous afternoon. The evening play was The Merry Wives of Windsor and for a moment I thought of staying on but realised I was too tired and as I fell asleep on the train home, so it proved.   The journey home with the commuters was awful – I had a seat and was perfectly comfortable, but just being back on the train at this time brought home to me just how much I loathed it and how grateful and thankful I am that I can sink into my bed tonight knowing I don't have to do this any more. 

So a restful weekend and then I am off on my adventure on Monday….