Theatre

I'm not a person who generally likes to go to the theatre. Diane, however, saw that "A Man for All Seasons" was having a short run in Brighton, and we decided to get tickets. Today was the day.

We chatted over breakfast and decided to take the train rather than fight with the traffic on the way to and from Brighton, and try to find a car park once there. We set off mid-morning, parked at Bognor Regis station, bought (First Class, offpeak) return tickets and settled on the train. The journey was comfortable and trouble-free, and 54 minutes after leaving Bognor, we were in Brighton. 

It was just after midday as we strolled down from the station towards the seafront. Our plan was to find somewhere to get lunch before heading to the theatre. I remembered a restaurant I had used several years back when meeting up with old college friends, but I had no idea whether it was still there. We were lucky, it was! The restaurant was called Fogo de Chão, and is a Brazilian Steakhouse. We settled down at our table and I chose the Grill while Diane went for the Salad - both are effectively bottomless in that you can keep refilling as often as you wish. Di loaded up with various salad and pasta portions while I waited for the chap to come around with the huge meat skewers from which he dispensed grilled pork and chorizo-like sausages. I had been handed a card to keep by me... as long as it was green-side up, they would provide more grilled meat, but when I turned it red-side up, they stopped. After the pork came beef rump slices, after that came beef in garlic, then chicken (plain or spiced), by the time they brought lamb, I was done, and the red side was showing. It was a super lunch.

We walked back towards the theatre, but were still a bit early for the performance, so we took a stroll through the North Lanes. As usual, they were heaving with visitors as people marvelled at the eclectic mix of shops.

We timed it to perfection, arriving back at the theatre just as the doors opened to the auditorium. We had super seats in Row L and a perfect view of the stage. Slowly, the auditorium filled as we approached kick-off.

Thomas More was played by Martin Shaw, and Gary Wilmot played numerous roles as servant, boatman, juror, gaoler, and executioner (ooh, did I give too much away?). The play was superb and illustrated the struggles that More had with his conscience and his strength of morality. It also showed the perfidy of Cromwell and the moral turpitude of Henry VIII. I could not help but draw comparisons with President Trump and his seedy cult of sycophants. After the intermission, we were treated to some ad-libbing from Gary Wilmot as a torrential thunderstorm added to the brooding background. The whole play was superb and I am convinced it will do well when it hits the West End... even if the moral stance of Thomas More will be completely lost on many modern audiences.

As the play finished, Di took one last gulp from her water bottle, missed her mouth and managed to fill her lap. Her white and pale blue trousers were not an ideal camouflage for such an incident. Her cardigan and long shoulder bag were strategically placed as we made our way out. We headed back up to the station and were delighted to see our train was due in just a few minutes. Again, we sat in First Class, which was quiet and comfortable, though the rest of the carriage was heaving. We were back in Bognor about 50 minutes later. We certainly couldn't have done that in the car!

It had been a brilliant day.