The Wipers Times

I had a sore throat overnight and didn't feel too great this morning, making me wonder if we should go to the theatre in Newcastle this evening. We did make the trip and it was worth it. Julie was with us and we sat very near to  Alistair and Sue (also walkers).

The Wipers Times is Ian Hislop and Nick Newman's play about the newspaper printed in the trenches during the First World War. The plot may seem far fetched but is based in reality. The jokes in the show are pulled directly from the paper too.

You can see from my blip that the cast all stayed for a post show discussion. It was a shame that there was no use of amplified sound. The audience questions were heard by the cast, but not easily by the rest of us and they were not repeated, although I asked for them to be. Given that the loop system was also not working, so Mum could not hear a lot of the play, our experience was less than perfect. I feel a letter to the management coming on. The play was signed - in fact the eagle eyed amongst you will see that it is the same excellent signer from the Live Theatre on Thursday.

I felt that the production or the play was just a bit lacking. It was OK, but it did not grab me and hold me like Rattle Snake did. Still worth seeing.

The first question tonight was asked by a voice I recognised immediately, the son of one of my former GP partners. I've known him since he was a toddler. I did not manage to catch him afterwards to say hello, which was a shame.