Pump Room Gardens, Leamington Spa

Laughing Gas machine operator.

Later, at a loss as to what to do, Cath had the presence of mind to look up what might be on at the theatre. Only a preview performance of Aphra Behn's 'The Rover' at the Swan Theatre! Tickets could be had for as little as £5.00, about a tenth of the usual price. So that's where we went. A restoration comedy premiered in 1677 and directed by Loveday Ingram, it is a giddy, wild and mischievous romp. I can't recommend it highly enough. I tell you, this production will be hayoooge!

Something else blew me away. Tonight was the second time I’d seen The Rover at the Swan. The programme notes revealed that to mark its 30th birthday, the theatre was repeating the plays it had produced in its opening season. Golly! If anyone had asked I would have wrongly guessed I had seen it 10 or so years ago. Turns out that in 1986 the lead part of Willmore was played by a young Jeremy Irons.

Extra: Folks settle down for Part Two