Seeing Betty on the boards

Fresh as a daisy this morning, as Anton and I were restrained last night. Lorraine and I off to the tip this morning seeing as it was a beautiful day, taking sacks of garden rubbish and then pootled about in the garden centre. Also a bit of writing and business admin thrown into the mix. Jade home too. She has been on strike lately along with other university lecturers, whose payment and terms and conditions are being steadily whittled away.

 Out this evening to Busby and Wilds where we met up with Adele and Patrick, Deana and Steve, Jane and Ian, and Kate G and Delores, a writing pal of Adele's. We had opted to get a cab, but as the city was weirdly gridlocked we were late. A quick bite and a mug of beer in the restaurant, then to the Spire theatre, to see Beth in Bull, a play by Mike Bartlett. It was a double bill and before Bull there was a play about Ulcerative Colitis called Kat's Bag of Crap by Katryna Thomas-Shell. Beautifully acted, but I felt the script needed to be cut down. At one point in the play, someone was taken ill in the audience, but we were asked to leave till it was all sorted. Luckily the man had just fainted. It occurred to me this was not the worst escape gambit. I took the opportunity to buy another beer. An interval then, and the set and seating was changed for Bull. I took yet another opportunity to buy a beer. Bloody freezing when we re-entered, luckily everyone had layers on, and Lorraine had brought blankets too, thank Goodness. Lorraine and I could see the cast's breath.

Beth excellent in Bull. It was set in a boxing ring, and was a four hander about bullying at work.  Made me feel happy and a bit proud to see her back in the ring again as it were. Playing a very nasty part with gusto.  

Fond farewells with everyone, and Lorraine and I grabbed a cab off the street and were soon home and in the warm again.

Beth in Bull. (nicked from Apollo Theatre Arts page on Facebook).