Ah, theatre!

One of many, many reasons why visiting London is one of my favourite things: whenever you go, you're bound to catch some good theatre. Yesterday after arriving I started by getting myself a ticket for Elling, starring one John Simm in the title role. Life on Mars and Dr. Who fans, I revel in your envy. The play, btw, is one which theoretically shouldn't have worked, considering that it's the stage adaption of a movie which is based on the stage adaption of a Norwegian novel that the latest adapter, Simon Bent, never read, according to the interview in the programm, but work it did. It deals with two former inmates of an asylum (played by Simm and Adrian Bower) trying to make it back in the outside world. It's an odd couple play, and while every now and then one feels guilty because it's way too optimistic about the chances our duo has, it's irresistably funny and touching at the same time. The supporting cast, three actors who play all the other roles, are good, especially Keir Charles as the much put-upon social worker Frank Asli, and Adrian Dunbar, who plays the other lead, Kjell Bjarne (pronounced "Shabhan" by everyone on stage; not speaking Norwegian, I have no idea whether this is correct), is excellent, but John Simm is (again) amazing. It's the third part I've seen him in, and again he's completely different, not just the body language or the accent but the entire voice. Elling with his anxieties covered by his neat, prissy demeanour never once reminded me of either Sam Tyler or the Master, and you absolutely believed his fear to go outside, the genuine pleasure when something goes well, the pettiness when Kjell Bjarne starts to befriend the woman upstairs,and the joy when Frank Asli tells him their reaction to a certain event was normal. Again, same actor, same emotion, but joy expressed by Elling was utterly different from joy expressed by Sam or the Master.

Today, it's meeting rozk and making bookstore owners richer for me, as well as some work. See you!