A double bill sort of day

We decided to make the most of the day with a trip to the Lightroom before heading on to the theatre

David Hockney Bigger & Closer (not smaller and further away) 

This needed to live up to its ticket price and I am pleased to report I didn’t feel robbed by the end.  We struggled a bit to find the entrance that was open, so did that comedy thing of trying every single door before  finding the one that actually worked.  

Once inside though, the show is a huge 360 degree tour through Hockney’s work, with the artist as our guide, and complete with a musical interlude.  I enjoy these ‘experience’ type events which present the work to you in a different way, meaning you see things you may not have caught before.  And for me that included a better understanding of Hockney's photo collage work as well as seeing some of the newer work for the first time.  

Colourful and engaging,  I loved the accessibility of it all too, with kids lying on the floor and gazing at the changing images for a while but running around in between.  No hallowed silence here, and all the better for it.   Expensive but fun. 

The Unfriend

A bit lighter than our last theatrical outing, this Steven Moffat play, directed by Mark Gatiss and with Reece Shearsmith, Amanda Abbington and Francis Barber at full pelt, this was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.   The play is a comedy of manners, juxtaposing the uptight British couple with the brash American house guest who may or may not be a serial killer but has a nice way with the teenage kids and the neighbours.  What is the polite way to ask this person to leave?  Subtle this is not, but Shearsmiths actual physical contortions to match his emotional ones was a joy to watch,  particularly when he was trying to keep two conflicting lies going, and again in the scene with the policeman and the downstairs loo.   Abbington was too often the straight woman, although she did have her moments but Barber just went all out to be as amusingly annoying as possible at every opportunity.   The knowing teasing of the audience sensibilities were spot on, or at least they were for this Guardian reader.   We correctly guessed what would be the dénouement although not quite how it would come about.  So, no real surprises, just a comedy done really really well.