Month: January 1986

Torch Song Trilogy by Harvey Fierstein, Albery Theatre, 2 January 1986

This image from newspapers.com on licence, click here or Observer embed below.

I went to see this one with Marianne Gilmour. Unfortunately I didn’t get/keep a programme, but I do remember it being a long, but very entertaining, evening of theatre.

My first sighting of Antony Sher live, no doubt. I vaguely recall that the idea of going to see this show was entirely predicated on the notion that both Marianne and I wanted to see Anthony Sher on stage.

Here’s my diary entry for that day:

Thursday 2 January 1986 – Went to Finsbury Park to do stocktake at Sam Phillips – ok – spent most of day there + then went back to office. Met Marianne – went round shops -> Chinese food meal -> Torch Song Trilogy (Antony Sher) – V. good indeed. Went back to Stanmore with Marianne & stayed there.

There was more to it than Anthony Sher. My sense is that the whole cast and production was very good, although I found the musical element of it a bit camp and shmaltzy. But you can hardly complain about that if you go to see a show named Torch Song Trilogy, can you?

Here is a link to the Theatricalia entry for this production.

Here’s what the experts said. Step forth, Michael Radcliffe in the Observer:

Torch Radcliffe Observer Torch Radcliffe Observer 6 Oct 1985 The Observer (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

My friend Michael Billington was not convinced by the play but was convinced by Anthony Sher:

Torch Billington Guardian Torch Billington Guardian 3 Oct 1985 The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Milton Shulman in the Standard hated the play and also derides Sher’s performance as being:

…like a harassed Jewish accountant in need of large doses of chicken soup.

Torch Shulman Standard Torch Shulman Standard 2 Oct 1985 Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

That’s horribly near the bone, Shulman.

Seeing In 1986 From A Traditional Thames Vantage Point – Waterloo Bridge I Think

Nano Banana 2.1 has reimagined the scene for me based on my instruction, although I placed us, from memory, on Waterloo Bridge, but Nano Banana wanted us on Westminster Bridge

Tuesday 31 December 1985 – Had lazy day taping and lounging around – met Petra in afternoon – > John’s -> Poons -> bridge

“John’s” in those days was the flat in Bow that he shared with Mandy, Rachel and I think one or two others.

I don’t list the people who joined us for that meal in Poons and for the celebrations on the bridge afterwards, but it is just possible that either John or Petra will remember.

I’m pretty sure that John’s number one choice of Chinese in those days would have been Joy King Lau. I am guessing that Joy King Lau was full and/or had a longer waiting time than Poons, which I remembered (correctly) was immediately next door in Leicester Street.

Here is a link to my Joy King Lau/Poons proximity question.

My profound love of The Original Poons restaurant in Lisle Street came a little later – other Ogblog pieces might oblige with details of that ultra low key but very high grade Cantonese food place.

As for the bridge in question, my vague memory suggests it was Waterloo Bridge, not Westminster Bridge. I took up this matter with Nano Banana, which responded with the following image, which strikes me as a scene with a view of the Palace Of Westminster that suggests it is roughly where Waterloo Bridge might be:

I’m sure we were all better looking than the youngsters depicted, but maybe we weren’t.

Anyway, here is what I said about the hours following the tolling of the bell:

Wednesday 1 January 1986 – Wandered round the south bankside – took cab – Petra + I hitched back to Bow – bedded down at John’s – hung around at John’s a while in afternoon. Went & had something to eat in Covent Garden – saw Petra off – went home & had lazy evening + early night.

I can’t quite reconcile “took cab” and “Petra & I hitched back to Bow”. Something’s missing in that statement. Perhaps we took a cab to one place, where we dropped some people off, then we hitched the rest of the way.

JOHN! Can you disambiguate this memory?