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Still here: While They Were Waiting - Upstairs At The Gatehouse

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As the song goes, time heals everything. Or as another song says, it's time after time. Yet waiting—for a moment, a minute, or even a while—can feel like a chore. In Gary Wilmot’s slightly absurd and silly While They Were Waiting, the focus is on waiting and wordplay. No opportunity is missed to find more than one meaning in what is said. A debate arises about the difference between a smidge and a whisker. There's a playful riff on how you can be here and over there at the same time, depending on your standpoint. If this piece has a point at all, it depends on what you find funny. The concept of waiting-related language is, in itself, amusing, and there is plenty to laugh about in this show. It’s currently playing at Upstairs at the Gatehouse . The premise is simple: Mulbery (Steve Furst) arrives for an appointment and is kept waiting. What the appointment is for, we are not clear about but he is waiting for a yellow door to open. Nobody answers when he rings. He’s joined by th...

Theatre: La Clique



Saturday night I found myself at La Clique at the Hippodrome. It is a bit burlesque, a bit of acrobatics and a bit of theatre. While there is no thematic link and it isn't some creepy French-Canadian famtainment, this dirty and rough show is intriguing enough to not want to miss.

Alas the German acrobat in the bathtub is not with the show at present, but the other acts had equal novelty value. Although there was a bit of an edge to Saturday night's performance after the hula hoops woman managed to hit some girl in the front row in the mouth with a stray hoop. Tissues were passed along the row and it was obvious she had a cut lip. For the rest of the act everyone in the front row sat slightly terrified (and covering parts of their face). Hoops split and other hoops went flying so the fear was real... In the second half the front row were warned not to lean forward with the skating act... And they took note. They were very, very obedient. And again very terrified.

The second act also had a woman who managed to play a kazoo in a very unusual way as well. It was a marvellous exercise in breath control, albeit not exactly the most sophisticated act to have graced the West End. Still the audience enjoyed all this filth...

The show has had its run extended to June. There are various discounts to have and I would suggest standing (or at least avoiding the front row) would be most advisable...

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