Regular readers of Caught in the Act will no doubt know of my guilty pleasure of musicals. I love a good song and dance, I do. However, the story of young Pippin and his quest to find meaning and purpose to life must have passed me by. It may not rank amongst the classics in my songbook, but a bit of digging and I’m astonished to learn that it has more than a bit of theatrical stature.
There has been an increase in the number of suicides over the past twelve months. I know this because my local Samaritans group had a stall at my local train station, trying to make people aware of how many deaths occur through people taking their own lives. By some strange quirk of fate that very evening, I ‘appen to watch Vinay Patel’s Free Fall at the offbeat 53Two theatre, which focuses much of it’s story on the plight of a troubled woman who sees no way out other than jumping off the nearest bridge.
Taking your seat to the latest offering from Sh!t Theatre, Letters from Windsor House, you are immediately hurled into the show. Main players, Louise Mothersole and Rebecca Biscuit, are already on stage, adorned with requisite trademark greasepaint, sat on a sofa, drink in hand, listening to 80s synth rock cheese classic ‘Alone’ by Heart.
I remember saying “I don’t do classics”. It was somewhat indignant of me. In a room full of strangers, I laid out my stall. No ordinary strangers it has to be said. Assembled for their prowess of all things theatrical, including classics no doubt. Yet, here I was, with the same set of strangers only a few days later, watching a bona fide classic of the greek variety no less. How did I end up like this?