The Literary London podcast. (general)
Shots. Not big or clever. Although one per production should be okay! The TWO gang… Greg, Nick and Claire.

It’s not big, and it’s not clever, but it’s a tradition we have at the Maverick Theatre Company that dates back to the 1990’s. The first night shot! Of course, it’s not compulsory for Maverick people to have a shot after our first production, or indeed drink any alcohol, but it goes back to the early days of Maverick at the Billesley Pub in Birmingham.

Our first production was very difficult financially. (There’s a surprise! They still are!)

On one of our early first nights, Glenn Bayes, a local actor who I thought would make a good director (I was correct!) and I were standing at the bar, trying to work out if we had enough cash to buy a pint which we could split – a half pint each. It was cheaper that way.

Then, a very sartorial member of the audience came to the bar and saw us. He knew who we were because in the early days at the Billesley we always did a raffle before the production and explained to our first-time theatre attenders how it all worked.

This man was obviously impressed with us.

“What a marvellous show,” he gushed. “The acting, the intimacy of it all… what an experience. I’m a regular theatre-goer but I LOVE this concept. It’s proper art.”

We mumbled some thanks and shuffled on the spot. But then…

“I MUST buy you a drink. What do you want?”

Glenn and I looked at each other and shoved our small change back in our pockets.

“That’s very kind of you,” I said. “A pint of lager would be lovely.”

“Yes”, said Glen. “Lager for me too. Thank you very much.”

Sartorial-man looked at us.

“What! Lager? Certainly not. A quality experience needs a quality drink. Whisky. A good one. Or a Brandy? I won’t buy you anything less!”

Now me and Glen were both born and raised on a council estate – in fact the Billesley estate, where this pub was and the show had just happened. I’d had some radio experience and record industry launch parties, but we both REALLY just wanted a pint. It became an early lesson in established theatre culture!

So lovely Posh man bought us a short each. I think I had an Irish whisky and Glen had a Bourbon. And Glen, being a younger man, shotted his drink. Down in one. So I followed his example. Posh man looked on, at first puzzled, but then quickly followed our example.

“Wow! You guys! What a blast!”

We never got the pint. Financially things eventually got a bit better. But Glenn and I always joked about that night. And got each other – and our actors and crew – a shot for years afterwards on our first nights.

And there are hundreds of Maverick actors, artists, techies and friends who have suffered/enjoyed our first nights ever since. Including the lovely current TWO actors, Claire and Greg.

So if you ever want to buy me a drink, a pint will be great. Unless, of course, it’s the first night of a Maverick Theatre production…

Come and see Two At The Tabard Theatre…

Our acclaimed production runs until 29th April. It’d be great to see you. And not just in the bar afterwards. Although it’s a bit ‘dangerous’ booze-wise, as the show starts at 7.30pm, has a 15 minute interval and we’re still back in the ‘proper’ bar downstairs at The Tabard before 9pm! Cheers! Hic!

FURTHER INFORMATION HERE.

 

Category:general -- posted at: 11:59am UTC

🍷🍷🍷🍷 🍷 - 5 stars out of 5. Plus a packet of crisps!

Two by Jim Cartwright - till 29th April, 2023.

Nicholas Hennegan and The Maverick Theatre Company at the Theatre At The Tabard, 2 Bath Road, London, W4 1LW.

Jim Cartwright's TWO is the story of one night in a Working Class Pub. Presumably somewhere 'Oop North'. But the location doesn't matter. It could easily be in Chiswick, West London. Cartwright is a Northern Playwright, but the assorted characters we meet as they pass through the unnamed pub are universal. We meet an older woman, looking after a frail, bedridden husband, lusting after the local butcher and taking her reward for the day in a glass of Guinness. There's an old man, now a widower, but philosophically and without bitterness still spending time with the presence of his dead wife and recalling her "soft cotton hair". There's Moth, boyfriend of Maudie and a not-so-young man who can't help but attempt to seduce, epically unsuccessfully, every woman he comes across. A lost little boy who's been left in the pub by his forgetful Father. A lustful woman who likes "big men" but who's own husband is a loved, but "compact chap" and finally has enough. There's Roy, posh abuser of his wife, Lesley and the overweight, loveable and loved Elvis and Western fans Fred and Alice (Elvis Presley died from a choked bum, by the way!) and The Other Woman who has had enough of furtive affair meetings in hotels and car parks and decided to confront her lover... and his wife... in the pub. And against all this are the bickering Landlord and Landlady who hold the pub together in spite of their obvious dislike for each other. Or is it an obvious dislike? We find out that this normal night is not perhaps, so normal.

The impressive thing with this production is that all the characters coming and going through the busy pub are all the same people! Or at least, two people. Claire Louise Amias and Greg Snowden give magnificent performances that are lithe and completely believable. Assured direction from Richard Woolnough ensures the action never lags. It's also incredible that so much is squeezed into such a short time. We started at 7.30pm and even with Two Acts and an Interval, we were back in the 'real' pub downstairs before 9pm.

Maverick Theatre are known for creating great nights out. And this is another one of those night. Go see Two. You may become a regular.

 

REVIEWER: Billie Andrews.

TICKETS: £18 full price/£15 concessions. Limited number of premium on stage seats available for £20.

https://tabard.org.uk/whats-on/two/
Category:general -- posted at: 11:19am UTC

Nick Hennegan celebrates the birth on 21st April 1816 of Charlotte Bronte. We all know she was the author of Jane Eyre, but she also wrote poetry. Nick looks at her life and poetry. 

Direct download: Literary_London_-_15_April_2023_Charlotte_Bronte.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:26pm UTC

Nick Hennegan talks to actors Claire Louise Amias, Greg Snowden and director Richard Woolnough live from Gerry's Club in Soho, about their forthcoming production, TWO by Jim Cartwright at the Tabard Pub Theatre in Chiswick, London, W4. Cheers!

For details, see https://tabard.org.uk/whats-on/two/

 

Direct download: Literary_London_8th_April_TWO_Cast_audio.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30pm UTC

This week on 'Literary London', Nick Hennegan (who, as you will hear, has had his new phone stolen!) plays your requests, with music and poetry from The Pogues, WB Yeats and The Dubliners.

Direct download: Literary_London_-_1st_April_2023_Irish_Requests.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:02pm UTC

The second part of the 2015 interview when Nick Hennegan talks again to the late Sally Fiber about her time growing up in one of the most famous literary pubs in London in the company of Walter Sickert, Augustus John, Jacob Epstein, Nina Hamnett, Dylan Thomas, George Orwell and Tommy Cooper to name but a few! And her memories of Britain's last Official Hangman, Albert Pierrepoint!

www.BohemianBritain.com 

 
Direct download: Literary_London_-_25_March_2023_Sally_Fibre_Part_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:51pm UTC

Nick Hennegan talks to the late Sally Fiber about her time growing up in one of the most famous literary pubs in London in the company of Walter Sickert, Augustus John, Jacob Epstein, Nina Hamnett, Dylan Thomas, George Orwell and Tommy Cooper to name but a few!

Direct download: Literary_London_-_18th_March_2023_Sally_Fiber_pt1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00pm UTC

Nick Hennegan celebrates the genius of Jules Verne... "the father of Science fiction" with a reading of the first chapter of 'A Journey To The Centre of the Earth - and music from the film of another Verne classic, 'Around The World In 80 Days'.

Direct download: Literary_London_-_11_March_2023_Jules_Verne.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00pm UTC

Nick Hennegan celebrates songs inspired by literary classics, from Victor Hugo, Kate Bush, David Bowie and The Beatles!

Direct download: Literary_London_-_04_March_2023_Book_Day.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm UTC

Nick Hennegan talks to theatre worker and writer Nick Bromley about his life, books, work... and Theatre Ghosts!  Nick has been a West End Company Manager since 1971, with shows such as The Sound of Music, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Love Never Dies to his name.
He is the sixteenth Master of the Drury Lane Theatrical Fund, founded by David Garrick in 1766, and a member of both the Ghost Club and the Society for Psychical Research.
 
SEE THE VIDEO at Bohemian Britain.com
More information on Nick at https://lnpbooks.co.uk
Direct download: audio1823954451.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 2:30pm UTC