A Busy Weekend Socialising, Hoity-Toitying At The National Theatre And Setting Up My New Flat, 25 to 27 November 1988

Celebrated clinching the deal for the flat with Bobbie on the Friday evening, starting with an early evening visit to the National Theatre to see a platform talk about Kenneth Tynan. I think those Platform things were a new idea that autumn…an idea that is now more than 30 years old. Our first one had been Tony Sher some weeks earlier.

This Kenneth Tynan one was in the Cottesloe and was a really interesting, varied panel: Adrian Mitchell, Jonathan Miller, Edward Petherbridge, Kathleen Tynan and Irving Wardle.

As the diary says (if you can read it) we went on to the Archduke afterwards for dinner.

On the Saturday I collected the keys to Clanricarde Gardens and did some shopping. I remember spending more than a few bob in Tylers (which was up on Westbourne Grove back then) – I probably still have one or two of the items I bought that day – I’m pretty sure I am still on my first clothes horse, for example.

I also bought food for the Sunday, but the crowd that visited that day – John, Mandy, Ali Dabbs, Valerie and Bobbie would all have traipsed to Woodfield Avenue for that meal – I must have shlepped the grub from Notting Hill to Streatham Hill on the Saturday evening – the new flat was not yet fit for habitation.

What did I cook that day? Can’t remember. Bound to have been Chinese and/or South-East Asian food though…just possibly Southern Asian for that crowd. It would have been good, whatever it was, though I say so myself. I must have been knackered by the Sunday, though. What a week it had been.

The Rivals by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Olivier Theatre, 13 September 1983

Tuesday 13 September 1983 …took Mum & Dad to The Rivals in the evening.

I was making reasonable money while squatting at Woodfield Avenue over the summers. After the travails with my parents – in particular Mum – earlier in the summer, I decided to try a peace-making thank you in the form of treating them both to a night out.

I was keen to see this production of the Rivals, as I had read good things about it. Mum and dad were quite easily persuaded.

I remember it as a very good production and a very successful night out.

Going to The National became a very regular thing for me as the years went on, but this was a big night out for Mum and Dad – it might be the only time they ever went to The National.

Fabulous cast – Michael Horden, Fiona Shaw, Geraldine McEwan, Edward Petherbridge and many others. Peter Wood directed it. Here is the Theatricalia entry. Tim Curry was famously in this production as Acres, but had moved on by the time we got there in September. Barrie Rutter was an excellent replacement.

Below is John Barber’s rave review in The Telegraph:

Rivals barber TelegraphRivals barber Telegraph 13 Apr 1983, Wed The Daily Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Robert Cushman also spoke highly in The Observer:

Rivals Cushman ObserverRivals Cushman Observer 17 Apr 1983, Sun The Observer (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Francis King also waxed lyrical in The Sunday Telegraph

Rivals King Sunday TelegraphRivals King Sunday Telegraph 17 Apr 1983, Sun Sunday Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

Milton Shulman in The Standard also loved it:

Rivals Shulman StandardRivals Shulman Standard 13 Apr 1983, Wed Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

I cannot find a Guardian review, but the following interview with Michael Hordern just before press night is well worth a read:

Hordern Rivals de Jongh GuardianHordern Rivals de Jongh Guardian 08 Apr 1983, Fri The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com