A big surprise for Liberation Day
Greatly cheering text this morning from Jane, saying: "Just turned on radio. Reading one of your poems in the town church for liberation service..." Guernsey was liberated on 9th May 1945, and to hear the liberation day service click through. It starts around 1:31 and my poem Root and Branch is read at 1.52 rather beautifully by Dr Jonathan Frost, Bishop of Southampton. Obviously actually being part of the sermon made me feel incredibly proud and slightly amazed as I had heard nothing about it beforehand.
Lengthy chat with Sonia about knee cartilage before heading up to London. Beautiful day in Brighton, so I stupidly set off in shirtsleeves. Pouring with rain when I arrived in London, so Pooterishly purchased a umbrella which I then did not need to use. Had a dental appointment at 2:30 (or tooth-hurty as I couldn't help but think of it) in my old Strand on the Green stomping ground. Had a walk across Kew Bridge and wandered about there for a bit past my old house and into Kew Village. It is a lovely area. Glanced in estate agent windows, most of the venerable old properties were on at well over a million.
From there (after tea and a bun in a cafe) back to the present, with a short hop to Kingston to meet Betty and have a chat with her in The Ram between shows. They were putting on a performance of three Pinter pieces Party Time, Mountain People and The New World Order. I like Pinter a good deal, and had actually seen Beth in these three pieces before when she was at BHASVIC college. Anyway the matinee had gone well, and she was cheery. Talking by a pub window and I kept seeing Policemen walk past, but there was no imminent trouble, simply that the worked there.
I did more work on my laptop in the pub, then went to the college theatre, had a beer and eventually Lorraine turned up straight from work. To the show. Pinter is a challenge for young actors but they gave it a really good shot, but I came away thinking that the pieces could have been better directed. Of course I am biased, but Beth shone as usual and brought a very Pinterish comedy and irony to her part, which she achieved despite having the full on role as stage manager too.
After a quick post show chat with Betty and her pals back in the Ram, L and I drove home in the rain and, not having eaten, I disgracefully ate half an Ace Pizza on return.
Lengthy chat with Sonia about knee cartilage before heading up to London. Beautiful day in Brighton, so I stupidly set off in shirtsleeves. Pouring with rain when I arrived in London, so Pooterishly purchased a umbrella which I then did not need to use. Had a dental appointment at 2:30 (or tooth-hurty as I couldn't help but think of it) in my old Strand on the Green stomping ground. Had a walk across Kew Bridge and wandered about there for a bit past my old house and into Kew Village. It is a lovely area. Glanced in estate agent windows, most of the venerable old properties were on at well over a million.
From there (after tea and a bun in a cafe) back to the present, with a short hop to Kingston to meet Betty and have a chat with her in The Ram between shows. They were putting on a performance of three Pinter pieces Party Time, Mountain People and The New World Order. I like Pinter a good deal, and had actually seen Beth in these three pieces before when she was at BHASVIC college. Anyway the matinee had gone well, and she was cheery. Talking by a pub window and I kept seeing Policemen walk past, but there was no imminent trouble, simply that the worked there.
I did more work on my laptop in the pub, then went to the college theatre, had a beer and eventually Lorraine turned up straight from work. To the show. Pinter is a challenge for young actors but they gave it a really good shot, but I came away thinking that the pieces could have been better directed. Of course I am biased, but Beth shone as usual and brought a very Pinterish comedy and irony to her part, which she achieved despite having the full on role as stage manager too.
After a quick post show chat with Betty and her pals back in the Ram, L and I drove home in the rain and, not having eaten, I disgracefully ate half an Ace Pizza on return.
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