Up and away

When I was travelling earlier this year I had the opportunity to get a shot a little like this but couldn't since the area under the helicopter was being roped off around me for safety reasons and I was evicted. This evening I heard this one, realised I was in the right place on the bridge and, as the sky blinded me, hoped for the best. Not exactly what I wanted but close.

As coincidences happen, I was on my way to meet my niece. At the same time as I was on my travels she was too -teaching English without any training in Bolivia. We haven't managed to meet since but it was great swapping notes, both about being solo travellers and about teaching from scratch.

We went with my mum to see the first preview at the National Theatre of Marlowe's Edward II (Perhaps the first drama ever written with a homosexual hero. Ian McKellen). Before it started the director came on stage to say that the technical rehearsal had ended only two hours previously and they hadn't had time for a dress rehearsal so he, like us, was about to see it for the first time. It was technically interesting, with some scenes taking place out of our sight (behind scenery at the back of the stage) and relayed to us by video. Some of the action we could see was videoed too. But more interesting was the portrayal of a gay king, the hostility among the nobles that his relationship with Gaveston generated (to do with sexuality, class or just plain greed for power?), and Edward’s outrage at his wife’s infidelity, as if his relationships didn’t count as the same.

I’m sure it will be tightened before press night – it could do with being 20 minutes shorter and I'm not sure the huge scenery rebuild in the long interval is worth it – but I shall be intrigued to read the reviews next week.