sashinka | observation orientated, with a twist of lime | a blog

Went to the theatre tonight, with my Mum and Dad.

My Mum called during the week and said would I like to see the Vagina Monologues? Now I would, but not with my parents, ferchrissakes. I countered with Gwynnie in Proof at the Donmar. My Mum said (after I'd read her a synopsis) "it's not clever, seeing something about mental illness when there's so much of it in the family." (I've actually rewritten that line, for comedy value). We finally settled on Lady Windemere's Fan.

Joely Richardson was truly mediocre, even though her fictional mother was played by her real mother, Vanessa Redgrave. The star of the show was undoubtedly Googie Withers, who I googled on when I got home to discover that she is 85, and still evidently has both all her marbles and more dramatic presence than the whole cast put together. My Mother reminded me that her Mother was a big fan, and if my grandma Hilda was here she'd be 99.

C-list celebrity trivia: The second male lead is played by Jack Davenport, who was (better as) Miles in This Life. Oh, and my Mum used to go out with someone who was best friends with Peter Hall thirty years ago.