17 2014

bins were briefly exposed. By the actors’ entrance stood several men smoking in the darkness, bellowing in drunken voices at passers-by, who, unused to being confronted in such a way, would quickly scuttle down the side of the theatre whispering between themselves about the low-life they had just encountered and casting back anxious glances. I can recall quite vividly the entrance hall of the theatre, the damp walls, the cobwebs in the corners of the atrium, the ruined banisters, and the electric chandelier hanging a little too low, missing five or six bulbs, the effect of this being that it cast a murky light about the place, and gave the furniture and people in the hall long shadows and vague faces. Behind the bar hung two or three posters of plays that had previously been produced there, and to my surprise each one had suspiciously good ratings. The play seemed to have attracted a varied crowd, larger than I would have imagined.Thin, affluent women in fashionable clothes stood in small packs and conspired against their husbands whilst the suited men in question sneered down their aquiline noses at the crowd.They discussed whatever was topical and were the type of people who would believe themselves experts in a particular subject after reading a newspaper article on it, and who expected those listening to utter no rebuttal to their arguments but instead to take their prophetic advice. No doubt they thought they had the answers to the geo-political issues or economic crises of the day. They struck me as very ignorant individuals. Aside from this group, there were a number of less well-heeled individuals standing in shadowy alcoves, or chatting discreetly. It seemed one or two appeared drunk, or on the verge of drunkenness, and were being hushed up or escorted out of the theatre by their wives or friends, and to the disgust of the chic women, who turned away to babble amongst themselves. I believe it was about ten minutes before the curtain rose that I left the theatre, the pompous men and their nervous wives. I

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