Well I think Bath has stormed in as one of our best weeks yet. We have been at the Theatre Royal - a stunning theatre and with nearly full houses every show, it has certainly been a week to remember.
Monday was a lovely audience to start the week with as it was an evening for the 'friends of the theatre.' Drinks in the bar afterwards presented a rare opportunity to receive some feedback. Later on in the week there was a post-show discussion (also a rare occasion) where the audience were able to ask us questions. One point raised was that cast-audience contact is actually very limited. Particularly with a play like this, there is a poignant journey that the two share, then the curtain comes down and the audience goes home. Whilst there are social media sites where people can express their opinions, it is not like talking face to face. So both occasions made for interesting discussions and reinstated for us the impact the play is having.
Bath happens to be the home town of our leading man, Mr Jonathan Smith, so with him as our social secretary for the week, we were rarely short of activity!
Tuesday started with a bus tour. I have been to Bath a couple of times, neither of which presenting enough time to explore, so this was a good introduction. (If perhaps not quite worth £13...) Having taken in The Royal Crescent, The Circus and the rather impressive Abbey...
...it was onwards for lunch...and the Apple shop. My phone had a rather tragic accident last week so I gave in and got it fixed...not for free. Charlie had broken his I Phone 5...and because of a small and rather insignificant minor little detail like a warranty, got a brand new one...for free. Unfair. Having spent a good chunk of the afternoon at the Genius bar of the Apple shop with Liam and Charlie, (and Dave...who wouldn't give me a free phone) it was time for some food before heading over to the theatre. We dined at the Market pub (opposite the theatre) where we bumped into a lovely young couple who had seen the show the previous night. This week fast becoming that of cast-audience interaction, they too gave us their thoughts and we soon found ourselves in deep discussion about how to encourage young people to attend the theatre. World suitably put to rights, it was time for show 2.
Along came Wednesday...and with that matinee day. And with that, our lovely Tom Hackney! On discovering the oldest pub in Bath (built 1611 not 1677 Liam) we paused for between show nibbles. I was torn between the Pig Board and the mini jacket potatoes. On reflection, I should have gone for the former.
The evening show went well so we were all raring to go for our night out at Moles! It was student night (appropriately named 'Bump and Grind') - of which there is certainly nothing wrong...even if your mind is telling you nooooooooooooo
Friday proved to be a lovely day and having risen early to have our hair done...
...we had the whole day head of us. When it comes to eateries in Bath, you are spoilt for choice and when you find a good one, it is only a matter of time before another presents itself around the corner. Having had a coffee with Sinead in Jika Jika (recommended by my lovely hairdresser) Emily alerted me to Coral Quay - a fair trade cafe hidden down a gorgeous pebbled street - around the corner. So having spent many an hour in the trendy coffee shops of Bath, it was time for some culture...
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| The Roman Baths |
Sinead and I spent the rest of the afternoon at the Roman Baths - learning all about its sacred waters and the temple of Sulis Minerva. It is astonishing when you realise how big the site actually is and even more so when you realise it was not discovered until the late 19th century. Aside from what you see on the surface, 75% of it extends underneath many of the neighbouring streets and squares.
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| Sinead listening very hard to the audio guide whilst overlooking the Great Bath from the Terrace |
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| The Sacred Spring - where water of 46 degrees rises at a rate of 240,000 gallons per day. For many years, humans were in disbelief at this natural phenomenon and thought it to be the work of the Roman Gods - so next to this, was built the temple of Sulis Minerva - a goddess with healing powers... |
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| ...whose statue at the baths remains one of the most unique discoveries of Roman Britain |
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| Us being healed by the sacred waters |
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| When in Rome (I thought I was rather convincing. Sinead disagreed) |
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| ...so to the drain it was |
Having completed our tour and drunk a glass of the healing (and rather metallic tasting) water, it was time to head back to the theatre. A thoroughly enjoyable day with the ladies and one that inspired me to try out the Thermae Spa the next morning!
As if that wasn't enough excitement, next week we go the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin for the Irish premiere! As we prepare for our journey across rough waters, I leave you with some of this week's reviews. X
