A Trip to Scarborough

Aside

Last Saturday we had another trip to Bath to see Alan Ayckbourn’s play, ‘A Trip to Scarborough’ which is based on R.B, Sheridan’s original play. We were told not to worry too much about the plot but just sit back and enjoy. This was good advice as there were three different time periods; the 18th century, WW2 and the present day – sometimes seeming to be happening at the same time. The 15 actors had three roles each and we understood why there was no information about scenes in the programme, as all the time scales merged seamlessly into each other.

It was all fairly chaotic and we felt bewildered by the interval but there was much to be enjoyed. The setting is the Royal Hotel, Scarborough and the two constants are the hall porters. The actors work extremely hard with all the costume and character changes and make the usual excellent Ayckbourn cast working as a first rate team. There’s a lovely bit where three chaps – in their cups become The Andrew Sisters.

There was a three piece band and I was thrilled to see Dennis King strumming. Anyone remember the King Brothers from the fifties? Dennis was the youngest and looked great. There was some singing and dancing and even a very moving moment when a young wife was told her fighter pilot husband was missing presumed…

You could tell when it was the present day with the constant use of ipods and mobile phones.

We had lunch at The Garrick’s Head – Bath Restaurant of the year 2007. I loved the mussels but I always prefer something sweet with pork although there was nothing wrong with the dish and the puds were great. A crisp sunny day and all in all, good fun.

Uncle Vanya

Aside

After well over 50 years of theatre going I tend to muddle my Ibsens and Chekhovs There are similar themes; deep boredom and depression, the need to go to Moscow or a similar place, and dramatic gunshots which are farcical rather than tragic. I think it was Michael Redgrave who I saw originally - so it was along time ago. We took the – what MTL calls ‘the granny bus ‘ - to Bath and for once I took the time to suss out three restaurants near the theatre, with their telephone numbers. We have a couple more trips quite soon and it will be nice to have a change from the theatre restaurant.

I was really looking forward to the play as the cast looked interesting and it was a new translation by Stephen Mulrine. It has been called ‘theatre of nastroenie’ – full of mood and atmosphere. It is set on a crumbling Russian Estate which is run by Vanya and his niece Sonya for the benefit of Vanya’s brother in law – Serebryakov an ailing academic, also known as the Professor. He had been married to Vanya’s sister who died and in fact the property is now owned by Sonya but as she is a mere young woman, this tends to get over looked. When the professor – with his beautiful new wife - announces he may sell up all hell breaks loose.

Vanya is a typical Chekhovian hero – unhappy, drinks too much, a comic, tragic figure bewailing lost time, wasted lives and impossible loves. He develops a loathing for the Professor and calls him ‘a sort of scholarly kipper’. Vanya is in love with the professor’s wife Yelena who has an alabaster beauty and sizzles with latent sexuality. The doctor- Astrov - a frequent visitor, also develops a passion for Yelena and he in turn is adored by the plain little mouse that is Sonya. Vanya is devastated when he comes upon the doctor and Yelena in a passionate embrace - just when he is about to give her a bouquet.

It doesn’t sound like a barrel of laughs but it is played in such a comic way that I feared the sadness of the ending would be diluted. I need not have worried.

Vanya is so self obsessed with his own misery he blithely ignores Sonya’s despair and the last scene, when the visitors depart, is deeply moving as Sonya tells him they will survive, they will rest and they will finish their lives. I always relish the swirling movement of the actors on stage in a Russian play and the whole play is a resounding success and finally moved me to tears.

Principal Characters

Sonya Lou Brealey

Yelena Michelle Dockery

Vanya Nicholas Le Provost

Astrov Neil Pearson

Serebryakov Ronald Pickup

Director

Peter Hall