Vera Farrants kindly organised a splendid outing to see the National Theatre production of  King Lear starring Simon Russell Beale.

In spite of the near instant sell out of the tickets for the matinee performance Vera was able to obtain 16 for our members.

Unfortunately a gentleman called Bob Crow got to hear of our plans and called a strike of tube workers for that very day. Undeterred by this and the rain whipped up by near gale force winds all of our party managed to take their seats on time.

We were then treated to a powerfully searching account of the tragedy that fuses the familial and the cosmic, the epic and the intimate. We all agreed that Sam Mendes’ production pondered every detail of the play with a fresh and imaginative rigour.

This was followed by a most convivial early dinner in the theatre’s Terrace Restaurant.

Hopefully Vera, who was ably assisted by Ron, can be persuaded to repeat the exercise in the not too distant future.

Peter Silverman
6th February 2014