Pushkin: Queen of Spades - Fusebox Productions at Arcola Theatre

Previous posts have discussed the making of literature accessible to the visually impaired and the effort that makes a visit to the theatre so much more enjoyable than listening to an audio book.  The current row over the new Kindle’s lack of text to speech facility can make one go into “Sour Grapes” mode.  While I have enjoyed some of the RNIB Talking Books containing Russian literature, the drama can be very hard work so an accessible performance can be a real treat.  I have posted on Chekhov at the National Theatre where I saw The Cherry Orchard and the Arcola Theatre where I saw the Sea Gull.  On Twitter, I found out that Fusebox Productions ( http://fuseboxproductions.org/ )  were doing Pushkin’s Queen of Spades at the Arcola Theatre.  (http://www.arcolatheatre.com/)

In 1975 I visited the Pushkin Estate which is to the south of Pskov.  Pskov had been a restricted city of the Soviet Union and I was part of a joint British Council and National Union of Students group to visit Moscow, Leningrad (St Petersburg) and Pskov.  At that time tourists were a novelty in Pskov and we were very well treated.  My visit to the Pushkin Estate gave me an interest in some Russian literature and the other works which they inspired.  (http://pskovgo.narod.ru/city_tours.htm ,  http://www.russia-ic.com/regions/1764/sights/17/ )

Pushkin’s story about the Queen of Spades was transformed into an opera of the same name by Tchaikovsky.  This opera was recently reviewed on BBC Radio3 in the CD Review in Building a Library.  Interestingly the opera performance rated most highly was an old 1950s recording on reissue with all of Tchaikovsky (60 CDs) by Brilliant Classics.

Fusebox Theatre has worked the story into a drama with 3 actors in 80 minutes using rhyming couplets, a lot of movement and a lot of “visual”.  This latter point did not put me off as the words express the whole story and there is enough commentary to keep the story going. 

The theme of the story is betting, putting everything on the turn of a card and a coin.  Avarice and greed just about sum it up and this production is as relevant to today’s financial woes and the bankers using funds as casino chips and so called financial instruments being no better than the old “Three card trick”. Games of cards are often covered in novels and other fiction.  E. F. Benson has Miss Mapp losing at bridge, Fleming has James Bond playing Baccarat in Casino Royale, Agatha Christie has Poirot working a murder mystery after a game of bridge and Aunt Dahlia was always losing her shirt in the Wodehouse stories. 

Benjamin Way carries most of the back story, giving an energetic performance and letting the script tease out what humour there is naturally.  This is no hammy performance.  The roles of Countess and skivvy were also well played and all three have to handle the props.  I probably missed a few of the visual gags, though I think the lady to my left found the performance more hilarious than many of the audience.  My peripheral vision picked quite a lot of the stage action and I found my White Stick useful in “examining” the discarded cards at the very end.  Herman had the 3, the 7 but did he get the Ace? Go “see” it!

Note: For more information on Pushkin, contact Pushkin House in London at http://www.pushkinhouse.org/en

Arcola Theatre: A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

When I did my review of The Seagull at the Arcola Theatre I said I would go back there on my own.  So I did: I got on the London Overground and got off at Dalston Kingsland.  On leaving the station, turn right and you can tap towards a tactile crossing, cross the road, turn right and continue until there is a large construction site.  Turn left here and follow the construction wall (it’s a blue hoarding) and you will arrive at the entrance to the Arcola.  There is a Shiloh Pentecostal church opposite the theatre.   This might be a better known landmark in the area.  After checking in I was given a re-useable plastic ticket and you can ask the staff to reserve a space for you in either of the studios, as there is free seating. 

Ibsen’s A Doll’s House was in Studio 2 and the audience sat on opposite sides of a square forming the scene for the drama.  The play is easy to follow as there are usually only two, sometimes three, actors with speaking roles on the stage at the same time.  I also find Ibsen’s plays easier to follow than Chekhov on a talking book reading of the play. 

In this production of A Doll’s House the audio line is about a 130 degrees and as the back story unfolds, there really isn’t much need for an audio description of the play without some knowledge of the story which concerns betrayal, deception, blackmail and money.  To that extent this production is very accessible in following the play and is a thoroughly enjoyable performance. I remember having to study Hedda Gabbler at school and going to a local performance at the theatre. The Scottish Education Department thought that Ibsen would be edifying.   

In a previous post, I made a rather rash statement in saying that dance was the least accessible of the performing arts to those with sight loss.  I may have been wrong as the actor playing Nora has to do a Tarantella and you can definitely hear the dance steps and even experience the swirl of the dancer since you’re only a few feet away.  In fact, you have to walk through the set to get to your seat.  I was near a couple of props and tried to stay at least a foot away! 

The sound effects are really good and add to the drama.  In one of the early scenes something was dropped and as I had no warning I jumped when I heard it fall to the ground. 

This production had opened the day before and there is a 15 minute break.  The start time is 8 pm and it finishes around 10:30. There is a train from Dalston Kingsland to Richmond about 10:55, though you ought to check out times from Dalston Junction, as it is possible to connect to the underground at Highbury and Islington. 

This performance is well worth a visit and the Arcola Theatre has pay-what-you-can days (Tuesday).  There is a bar and snacks area.  There were quite a crowd of theatre goers using the London Overground and it is encouraging to see this part of London being made more accessible for everyone’s benefit.   

Arcola Theatre: http://www.arcolatheatre.com/
Box Office Telephone No: 020 7503 1646

Arcola Theatre
24 Ashwin Street
Dalston
London
E8 3DL

Arcola Theatre: Hertford Castle – trips by train.

On a visit to the British Library I joined a discussion at a Growing Knowledge presentation.  The theme of the series is serendipity and the British Library has a visionary look at the future (excuse the tautology) and a historian’s view of previous serendipity.  I heard about ‘crowd sourcing’ and ‘crowd verification’.  I think as a blind person we might have a different aspect on crowd verification.  One train conductor told me to triple check platform announcements and timings and if you’re not sighted you may find yourself being triangulated away from the truth by what is technically known as a ‘duff’ piece if information. 

Serendipity # 1

Arcola theatre – The Seagull by Chekhov 18^th June

The Arcola Theatre is located very near two London Overground stations: Dalston Kingsland and Dalston Junction.  There are pedestrian crossings near each station and the accessibility at Dalston Junction is excellent.  Accessibility on the Overground has been improved. 

I went to a matinee of The Seagull by Chekhov.  There are concessions and this applies to someone going with you as well.  The performance cost £11 per seat (reduced from £17).

I mentioned Chekhov in a previous post in connection with The Cherry Orchard, which I am going to see at the National Theatre next month (with touch tour and audio description).  I had a seat right at the front of the Arcola Theatre and there is virtually 180 degree audio sound from left ear to right ear, and a ‘balcony’ vignette, so there is above the sound line ‘noises’ and a dramatic finale which I will not spoil. 

This is a superb production and you almost feel as if you’re included in the drama.  The plot is complex with a play within a play and some ‘lampooning’ of actors and the performance is really slick.  There is a lot of material about the production on the Arcola Theatre website and reviews of this production are also available. http://www.arcolatheatre.com/?action=showtemplate&sid=470

I would certainly recommend that anyone within striking distance of the London Overground, i.e. from Clapham Junction, Richmond, Watford, Barking and West Croydon (sorry if I’ve left someone out) could feel safe in attending this excellent production.  Yes – I forgot Stratford! 

The theatre crew are very welcoming and though I went with a friend I would feel safe going back there on my own. 

Serendipity # 2

Hertford – afternoon trip by train

A trip I can remember taking when I was sighted was to Hertford East from Liverpool St returning from Hertford North to Kings Cross.  The geographers among you will note that this is anti-clockwise and there is probably a good reason for doing it this way.  I hadn’t been to Liverpool St since I lost my sight and I went there on my own, having intended to go to Whitechapel but changed my mind. 

The station concourse at Liverpool St is a bit of an obstacle course with many international passengers heading to Stansted Airport.  There is quite a large ticket office with a ‘maze’ entry system, which you might have to navigate your way round.  The staff were friendly and I got a ticket from Boundary Zone 6 to Hertford stations - £3.30 with a Freedom Pass plus a Disability Railcard.  This means you can go into one station and visit most of the town centre and leave from another station. 

Hertford East has a helpful ticket office and a helpful member of staff, so I got directions to the town centre.  I found the museum, though it was closed.  I had a coffee and got directions to Hertford Castle, which was having an Open Day.  This was a real treat and I was taken round the castle, which has a long history.  There is a video with an excellent soundtrack outlining the story of the castle through the ages until it was presented by the Cecil family to the town in 1912.  (I think) 

The Friends of Hertford Castle were very enthusiastic and they were all informative and there is quite a lot of interest to those with limited sight.  Ask to experience the herring bone brickwork in the Council Chamber and a five-pointed star (you have to negotiate a spiral staircase, which is fun) and there are also other rooms on show and a trip to the cellars.  During the Open Day I met some of the staff from the Tourist Office and they have a nice selection of souvenirs, and I bought a couple of books – though I’m not sure when I’ll get them read. 

The castle is in a beautiful park and the town itself is fairly compact with good pedestrian access and tactile crossings.  Directions to ask are the following landmarks which might be useful in planning your visit and finding your way round: museum, castle, Hertford Theatre, Hertford North and Hertford Hospital.  Everyone I asked was happy to help, including the lady in a clothes shop when I got lost.  People are really helpful in shops if you head for the till. 

One of the friends of Hertford Castle is a fellow ‘railway enthusiast’ and I managed to share tales of the London Overground with Alan - a big thank you for taking me and telling me about the way to Hertford North.

Tip: There are stairs at Hertford North and the service is run by First Capital Connect (minimal announcements).  If you exit at Kings Cross, I would follow the flow to the ticket barrier and turn right heading for St Pancras.  There is too much construction at Kings Cross and if you’re concerned about the stairs, it is flat from Hertford East – though you might have to negotiate Liverpool St. 

For railway enthusiasts this is a tale of three termini and two Hertford stations.  Hertford is one of those towns near London which is relatively easy to get to in the same way that St Albans and Tonbridge are.  You can go one route and come back another, and Hertford is also accessible from Seven Sisters and Finsbury Park with other connections to London Underground.