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No country for old women: Old Ladies - at Finborough Theatre

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The day after seeing The Old Ladies at the Finborough Theatre , I was describing the play to someone in great detail: about three old ladies who lived in a rickety house in southern England in 1935. Based on Hugh Walpole’s novel and adapted by Rodney Ackland, it is the sort of story with enough believability, humour and mild thriller to stick in your mind. Perhaps it is the lure of this dark, forboding tale of a life without money, to be alone and to be old, that makes you feel attracted to this poverty porn. But then again, given the state of the world, the cost of living, an ageing population, or just the fact that it’s a dog-eat-dog world, it might as well be an every little old lady-for-herself, too. It’s a well-acted and staged piece that moves at a brisk pace, so there isn’t much time to think about it too much. And in the intimate (or should that be claustrophobic?) space of the Finborough, there’s nowhere to avert your eyes. Even if you wanted to.  The scene is a grim Cathe...

Theatre: Four Dogs And A Bone

Thursday evening was an opportunity to catch Rock 'n' Roll Theatre's production of Four Dogs And A Bone at the Phoenix Artists Club.

The play, by John Patrick Shanley (of Moonstruck and Doubt fame), focusses on the business of Hollywood, the backstabbing and shenanigans that go on to get a film made. It is a dark world where bond completion companies, sexual favours and lecherous producers rule.

This piece which runs a little over an hour focuses on two actresses appearing in the film. One is an established theatre actress, Collette (Laura Pradelska) who does not want to become a character actress. The other is Brenda (Amy Tez), an up and coming performer so desperate to be famous she chants daily for it... Each know that slight changes to the script could improve their career prospects remarkably. They enlist the support of the writer and the producer to help secure their aims, with sometimes comic and always engaging results.

The Phoenix Arts Centre, with its low ceilings, ageing theatre paraphernalia and unique artsy smell provides and excellent location for this little show about the seedier side of movie-making. There isn't anything particularly new Shanley's play is saying about the movie business, but with this cast the piece is funny and mildly disturbing. If you are into fringe theatre, it is a funny (and short) night out at the theatre that is hard to beat...


It runs through to 20 August. Get there early at the club and try the menu (which has things such as "cow in a bun" on offer). I couldn't help notice the menu includes a message from the chef: As a young boy, I helped run Grandma Cristi’s restaurant back in Brasov, Romania. So I thought I’d bring the tradition of good value, family warmth and home-cooked, tasty food here to London... Well we can be all glad for that...

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