We weren’t expecting to see a show that day. Michael and Elisabeth invited us over “for the day” being a bit unspecific about the meal time, but suggesting that we might all take a swim in the pool of their newcapartment block. But, unbeknown to us, their plan was to serve an early meal and then pop out to see Fiona Shaw perform The Waste Land under Deborah Warner’s direction in Wilton’s Music Hall – within spitting distance of Michael and Elisabeth’s new place.
Good plan.
I recorded in my log that the piece was short and OK. I’ve never been over keen on The Waste Land as a piece of poetry. Fiona Shaw is of course marvellous and would probably hold one’s attention if reciting from the telephone directory.
Janie was intrigued by the T S Eliot aspect, as she had treated and continued to treat Valerie Eliot for many years.
Most interesting about the evening was seeing Wilton’s Music Hall, which had not been used for a performance for over 100 years and looked suitably distressed. I’m not sure that the health and safety brigade would today allow a performance in a place quite so distressed, but it was great to see it at that time. It has since been somewhat more revived.
Lyn Gardner warmed to the whole idea in The Guardian:
Waste Land Guardian Gardner 16 Dec 1997, Tue The Guardian (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
In the Standard, Robin Stringer reviewed the place with Nicholas de Jongh reviewed the show:
Wilton’s Waste Land Standard Stringer de Jongh 15 Dec 1997, Mon Evening Standard (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
Charles Spencer in the Telegraph predictably preferred the poem to the place and grudgingly paid homage to Fiona Shaw:
Waste Land Telegraph Spencer 16 Dec 1997, Tue The Daily Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
David Benedict waxed lyrical about the whole thing in The Independent:
Waste Land Indy Benedict 13 Dec 1997, Sat The Independent (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com
A very memorable day and evening from our point of view.