1030 On the Town Eyeball Theatre

Friday September 1st was intended as the day when I returned to writing Fragments of Time, after losing two months, enjoying the sunshine and free entertainment, losing weight and getting fit, creating inventories and new records for a new Will, creating something for my mothers 100th birthday and then 24 hour 7 day weeks, on two draft reports for the Health Ombudsman. (Now almost six months later I am still struggling to catch up with the rest of my life as it could be and has been)

I have become excited about the prospect of visiting the Playhouse again for a performance, any performance, (now excitement is a word I cannot say to have used much over recent times), since attending a test drive of the fire alarm and emergency exit system via the Journal Culture Club, and immediately sent off for a package of tickets with reductions for five shows and further reductions through the age factor plus free advance but unreserved tickets for the five other shows, plus two others one night performances, but then became anxious and frustrated when the tickets did not arrive, despite a couple of phone calls and reassurances, especially when on Weds learning that the computer recorded three printings, but no confirmed postings. Although it was admitted that they were finding that some printings had not materialised with is even more curious given the new box office and internet booking system.( I have overcome tiredness by eating chocolate which is regretted because it has left me awake but dissatisfied).

Despite not getting the tickets in advance, I abandoned the idea of going into Newcastle first thing and decided on taking the Metro in time for a lunch treat at the theatre as it is rare to eat out because of the cost factor and weight watching. I did find a copy of the Metro free paper even though it was twelve thirty and I usually miss out if I take a late morning walk. Relaxed, laid back, tranquil, I have never been, although generally at peace with myself and with the world in general, avoiding stressful situations and in harmony with the recreation of past life and in tune with the world at large mainly through 24 hours media. God is good and the redemption quest in this life is continuous. (Oh what excitement there has from live theatre and much more)

Having attended the theatre fire alarm emergency exit exercise, I had already discovered the developed main auditorium which is now accessed from the University Union level, so you go down to your seat rather than the previous stair climb and then down. (I remain to be convinced that new arrangement of the auditorium is an improvement. Lost are side areas where for coppers you could look down from uncomfortable seats and walk about. Or you could sit with similar difficulty around the stage).

On the first visit, the bar was incomplete and the new glass fronted reception area, built out and through the previous wall of the building facing the university union and which facing wall only had some benches to enable 150 people and staff to assemble for the free orange/water reception and glass of wine at the conclusion of the modest entertainment and mock fire. Now there are some twenty plain tables at this level with an organising Italian and several busy staff taking orders from an appetising mixture of sandwiches, (I had warm chicken in a two piece baguette with lots of green stuff and dressing for £3.25 and £1.50 for a medium size bottle of still water with lemon and ice, having resisted the mixed olives at £2) and main course dishes for around a fiver. From this level I could see a further eating area above and found half a dozen tables and leather seating which is the new bistro. (Oh no it isn't but an area for sponsors and friends).

Down stairs in the old eating area there will be a bar, open when there is something on in the new third performance area. The toilets are still there with most people using the stairs and not having discovered the large bright new lifts in each corner. I have not worked out the second performance area which I think is the old Gulbenkian. Unfortunately because of the need to do the draft Ombudsman reports I missed out attending the grand opening of the new building with 2000 torch bearers representing most of the artistic performers and students converging first on the Monument from the Baltic and the various performance locations before a roof top performance of On Top of the Town and I had also decided against what was essentially a family orientated open day on the Bank Holiday Monday as a means of getting a conducted tour of the new set up. I regret this missed opportunity to get to know the place again, but I did not regret attending to what needed attending. Oh we are growing up.

Anyway I am getting ahead of myself because first stop was to find the box office which no longer exists. (Oh it is difficult to cope with so much change in old age). Instead there are two computer screens and keyboards on small desks with the printing machine and desktop in an adjacent corner, next to the bar and main entrance which can be removed out of everyone's attention. (This works they the theatre management/administration are part of you but are you part of them?)

There is an office somewhere, upstairs I think, with the terminal for the internet connection and which also handled the internet printed order sheets for ticket packages. My tickets were quickly produced from this office and I was able to check dates hoping that there were no clashes between Saturday evening performance at 7.30 to 8 with rearranged 5.15 kick offs at the Toon. My next venture is next Friday for a Potter play with the next Toon game on the 9th v Fulham at 3pm. The first free show with unreserved seating on stage 2 and make a donation in on 27th a Weds, but I cannot find out when the second home leg of the Euro cup game is to be played with another visit on 29th Sept for the World in Pictures. The October dates are fast and furious with Ms Kipling on the 6th stage two and free, and Cymbeline main stage 2pm matinee on 7th, the only Saturday afternoon performance when there is no football. Like Water for Chocolate is on the 10th October Tuesday and Dylan Thomas top price seat with concession at £15 on 12th a Thurs which could be a euro date. The Free night shift is on Weds 18th and the free Home on Tues 24th then there is a break to Sue Perkins 15 Nov main stage and Broken Chords Friday 19th January after the children's season. There are performances this year of the RSC but none appeal. 12 shows for £88 is brilliant because of the season ticket reduction and age concession. (However this was the core price so that we contributing for the free shows and missing a show the per visit cost changes, but this is nonsense who cares , what price magic, inspiration, participation in the brilliance of others? The football went from disaster to mediocrity anyway)

Although the seats were hard the first row at the Gulbenkian provided an Eyeball theatre experience, you could not only look into the mind and soul of the actor but he or she could look back into you (but of course no one did because of the distraction) and thus the scene is set for my first performance experience at the new Playhouse.
Having had the lunch and paid a visit to the loo there was some twenty minutes of wait before we were let in just before two, sufficient time to work out the rest of the audience, perhaps fifty so we would be scattered around the large auditorium ha ha. I was feeling like a theatre virgin again which was just as well because it was to be an experience like no other.

There was one family of a couple and two sons but did they attend the performance? There was one mother and a son, an elderly woman on her own, typical matinee person,(oh what prejudice send for the theatre racism police) and an older couple who spotted that I had dropped by Metro/bus pass combination who also were in the matinee category; (now that marks you from the rest of humanity, a bus pass, although having paid for the metro pass gives a little edge) apart from me were middle aged to younger which was not surprising given that the actors were 8 young people from Newcastle and eight from Groningen between 15 and 19; 11 girls and 7 boys.

On our way in to the auditorium we were asked to pick up a small cardboard box and descend onto the vast stage and I have never seen such a vast stage at the back of which were four tiers of wood benches which is where we sat exposed under spotlights while during the performance some of the young actors watched us from seats in the auditorium, from gantry and balcony. It was immediately evident we were to be an essential part of the performance and that this was eyeball theatre with a vengeance. Whoopee. (How the rest of youth would like to put their parents and teachers on such a stage?)

I made by way to the second of four/ five rows of benches against the back wall of the theatre and was able to have a new perspective. First the old side balcony, refreshment areas have been removed thus providing greater width to the auditorium. The entrance to the auditorium is now at the opposite Union Building level by the ticket area and lifts and there is a passage way along to the second stairs down the auditorium. The stage is also full width with those side seats and comes within touching distance of the front seats without an orchestra pit on other divide. What has been done is to remove the wall between the old main stage and the area which house the Gulbenkian so you can create a performance using the old stage or create an epic stage by using the space behind or just use the space behind as a second more intimate space area. From out vantage point at the back one could see the side stage areas. One leads to the main stage entrance doors where the scenery can be loaded from any transporter parked outside. For our performance there was a car used and for the fire drill there was a motorbike. Looking up there is an upper gallery across and to one side for lighting, special scenery and effects. (Just as well as I had this experience because it was never to be same again, well I have heard that used before about first experiences)

The actors were nowhere in sight until their presence was indicated in eight large boxes which together with the smaller ones formed the two cities. I/we knew that this was a project play about people with different languages creating a theatrical experience and that the performance would be in both languages, but not that we would be expected to learn the Dutch for 'I do not understand' as well as for yes and no. There were other interactive moments, when early on the actors mingled and asked our names and then called out to us individually from within the distant auditorium such as where you live Fred, I live in a box, which was even more of a challenge when it was in Dutch. There was also one glorious encounter between a young woman and an embarrassed male who eventually got into the exchange as she was first slow speaking and then shouted with grotesque gesturing in trying to communicate about where they both lived, this later was developed in an exchange with a front row man who with a mixture of voice and clapping was brilliant although he admitted it was one of the most challenging moment of his life. One neighbouring sitter brought applause when in answer to the question what would make Newcastle more perfect, said a new defence. Interestingly it was also evident that those who sat on the first two rows had not only sussed the participation but did not mind whereas those who rushed to back had also sussed or as one man said after he had been challenged twice, why pick on me. I was not one of the twenty or so, given tickets to join one young person on her dream island, which was just as well as those with tickets were told to stand up and dance with her.

The free programme states "in a world made smaller by new media and online communication", now who was it who prefaced their project we live in a world where what we do can be viewed, recorded and changed by anyone anywhere with the technology. So as I expected no one has an original idea of their or on their own

This is a performance about 'the process of how complicated it is to show others our cities and through this reveal our individual identities. We are completely normal we think (well most people do I add) until we are taken out of context. When we have to explain ourselves we do so in a way which never seems to quite tell the whole story. Sometimes it tells a new story entirely.' I would add that for some such a journey, such an experience is the best way to escape from the past and reinvent a future.

Of course this was no more than a platform for the young actors to begin to find their own identity as actors and as individuals and the opportunity was taken to explore the divide between actor and audience, between youth and adulthood and the barrier of language which developed into a mini riot between the two towns and a mini war between the actors and audience where were pelted with screwed up paper boats which some in the audience threw back and with an orgy of verbal anger and abuse which was both cathartic for them an enlightening for one or two in the audience. I thought it was fun but I guess several were glad to escape into the sun. I learnt nothing about myself or them that I did not know before except that my hunch that this might prove to be money better spent than at the Toon was well founded and the Toon is on notice to perform or I will make a full switch next May. I was impressed by the majority of the actors including one who stood out. They had that mixture of self aware uncertainty about themselves as actors but also that fearlessness of the young.

(well that sounds about right for what I now remember six months late, so my memory is not as bad a I think, or perhaps I am concentrating more, or the work is more important, or I am getting less upset and stressed by experience).

1008 Thatcher The Musical

Because of a frustrating day of more downs than ups I was not in the mood for any form of a theatre in the evening. An account of what happened during the day is covered my AOl Blog ( to be added when the item is located).

I had become anxious about several matters, and was tired having no nap earlier (26.02.2007). I has also undertaken no preparations regarding the company or type the production, except that it was a musical about the life of Lady Thatcher, called Thatcher. I was going to the first performance at the refurbished Newcastle Playhouse.

The Newcastle Playhouse had been transformed after a long closure, reopening the previous year and one change is that the entrance was now opposite the Student Union Building of Newcastle University, involving a climb of several flights of stairs, either from the Metro station or the car park. There are two car park level entrances but one is for performers and theatre staff and the other had only been used as a safety door. On my visit on Saturday for Lypsynch, using the Metro, I noticed a sign which said that the car park level door could be used as an entrance, so on the evening taking the car, I used this entrance and the lift.

Although it was the first evening the foyer and theatre restaurant and bars were quiet and there were only a handful of others in auditorium. I struck up conversation with an attendant who said that some 200 were anticipated about half full. It was quickly evident that 95% of these were students in groups who knew each other. I appeared to be about thirty years older than everyone else, something I had in common with the actors. For many in the audience Thatcher was already history.

I met a Member of the Theatre Management in the lift during the interval and commented that perhaps the political fans of Lady Thatcher were staying away because they anticipated a negative portrait, while those hostile were not likely to want to be reminded of all the things which made them so angry during her 10 years of Premiership. She said that there would be a more mixed audience over the week so it appeared their had been some kind of special offer issued to the two Universities in the city.

The style of the production was revealed in the free programme notes which listed all the characters in the production, (with one exception) as Margaret Thatcher in her various phases as young woman through to the present day.

The first reactions were not positive because the portrait appeared more of a populist caricature than the clever woman who captured a political party from backward looking men and who had earned the respect of political opponents even though they hated her policies. This had been said to me by leading members of the national Labour Party Parliamentary team prior to the 1990’s

The “hit” list against her was comprehensive beginning with her call for unity and healing divides made on winning the first General Election and then alienating almost everyone, including Members of her own cabinet and Party.

I met Thatcher only once in passing when she the guest of honour at the annual dinner of the Association of Director of Social Services when I think she was the Minister of Education although she may have become the Tory Party Leader in opposition. I have the information somewhere. I was advised afterward that she was unenthusiastic about the role of social workers and the new service, wanting to expand the role of the private and voluntary sectors. Just how far she was determined to make these pubic policy, I, and my colleagues, were not to find out until 1979.

In the play her passion against all aspects of communism and socialism was covered. In 1970 the man who was to become her chief advisor, Sir Keith Joseph, had been my dinner guest at the first conference of the Family and Child Care Section of the British Association of Social Workers, and on learning of my background and political learning advised that I should have taken my protests to Russia to which I had responded that when the revolution came I suspected we would both be among those asked to stand against the wall to be shot. Three years after this discussion, in the Autumn of 1973, Sir Keith was the Minister of Social Services in the Heath Government and was required to approve my appointment as the First Director of Social Services at South Tyneside. I took up the appointment officially in April 2004, although I had been full time with the authority since January as the designate chief officer. In February The Labour Party formed the National government after the General Election with a narrow majority. The political administration I was to serve comprised sixty Labour Councillors out of sixty six and the future looked good as the council effectively doubled the budget previously drafted for the new authority. In October the Labour Party won the second General Election held in that year. The rates were doubled in May 1975 with some lost of seats although this was mainly because people from South Shields had been rehoused in Jarrow and Hebburn.

Originally Sir Keith Joseph who represented the right wing of the Tory Party, supported by Margaret, was to stand against the centre left candidate, Sir William Whitelaw. When Sir Keith dropped out, Margaret replaced him and successfully became the Leader on the first ballot. She made a point of emphasising her determination to abolish the rating system when her party formed the government.

The play discussed her approach to monetarism, towards the trade unions and the Miners, the Falklands and the sinking of the Belgrano, the demolition of state controls and the ending of the independence of Local Government, the development of the private ownership of housing, her stubbornness in relation to Northern Ireland issues, her attitude to Europe and her bonding with President Ronald Regan. The disaster of the Poll Tax was highlighted and the venom towards her by sacked members of her Cabinet. Most of her famous sayings were mentioned although I could not remember afterwards if what for me was the most significant, in that she was ask of anyone not previously met, ‘Are they one of us, and you knew you had problems if the answer came back, No,

The musical brought out the reality that there was not much difference between the public persona and the private lady. As the show progressed I became more and more impressed with the style, with several individual performances, and its overall impact. The contrast with Lypsynch was striking where nothing was as good as the opening aria and first act, but with Thatcher there was a gradual winding up with a memorable song marking an aging self assessment of Lady Thatcher before a splendid finale. The audience response at curtain call was boisterous which appeared to be genuinely enjoyed by the cast. Gone are the days of decorative safety or other curtains thought!

The authors did not miss the opportunity to contrast her reign with that of Tony Blair and contemporary politicians and politics. The most effective point was that she had responded to an attack in the Falklands rather than initiating one. However where the work had its greatest impact on the audience was to remind them of how effective her fundamental political positions have been, with the defeat of communism and socialism, the defeat and role change of the trade unions and the promotion of corporate capitalism as the savour of states developed, and underdeveloped.

At one point in the performance Lady Thatcher also moved into the audience to challenge the young people with her views. I wondered what the composition of the audience would be like during the rest of the week and how they would react to the show overall as well as responded when she came into the audience. I was tempted to go again but did not do so

It could be argued that it was her policies which led directly to the near collapse of the banking system and capitalism.