On the Town...West End Brilliance Aug 31

Met my friend Gilly in the West End to see "All My Sons." The sublime David Suchet and the amazing Zoe Wanamaker lead a brilliant and beautiful cast in a top notch production. I'd had some good film news earlier in the day and felt that a night away from the computer might e earned this time. I'm so glad I took Gilly up on the invite. She is David's agent. We had amazing seats and sat with David Thompson, a producer who used to run BBC Films. All in all we were in tears at the end, had a great evening and went backstage to meet the stunning Mr. Suchet. And what a treat. Not only was he gracious and kind, but we had a lovely talk. Gilly, thank you for a very inspiring night. I want to keep trying to write better and better material and would love to create something fabulous for Mr. Suchet. A girl can dream.

Locked out a london tale

Just so you know, in the movies when the person in their nightclothes goes out to the porch and the door slams and they are suddenly on the street and locked out of the house in their night clothes and you say, "Oh that is so silly it would never happen..." Well, yesterday I opened the door to put out the recycling on the porch of the townhouse. I had Dexter in my arms for some reason, and stepped onto the porch to put the recycle bin on the stoop. A gust of wind came up and slammed the door shut. I felt a bit like the bloke in "Notting Hill" who was in his underwear in front of the press corps. Fortunately we weren't hiding Julia Roberts in the house, so no paparazzi.

Well, you can imagine my thoughts. Most of them expletives deleted...

I did get back in, after much ringing of bells and tossing small stones, yes, people really do resort to pebble throwing as well, to the window of my friend's guest room where her sister was still sleeping. (The jolly Bradford family is still on the Isle of Wight. ) She eventually woke up and came down to let me in. But standing on a stoop with a little white poodle while in my pajamas on a London street, I felt rather like a chicken waiting for plucking.

But I wasn't plucked, we did get back in and I thought, next time, someone else can put the recycle bin on the porch.

Paris in the Springtime

While it is spring, in Paris, it is raining. Last week I had drinks at The Grand Hotel with my producing partner, Julia Taylor Stanley to celebrate beginning the work on "The Ambassadors." Dexter joined us for champagne in the stunning lobby. It has been an amazing time in Paris. Friday night, through the courtesy of Lorna, the incredible company manager of "Les Miserable" the cameron Macintosh company, invited me to the opening press night of the show. It is the first time Les Mis has made it to Paris in its English version. Dexter tagged along, as Dexter does, and my friends Lisa Nesselson and Vanessa Jerrom, came as well. We had a great night. The show was awesome and I loved it...can you believe this NY theatre mad girl somehow missed this shoe for the past 25 years??? A good time had by all. Another week in Paris...coming up!

Un Cafe

My downstairs neighbors are a middle eastern schwarma shop. Marcel, the manager helped me my first day when I found I didn't have the porte code to enter the stairway to my friend, Charles Henri's apartment. I had a huge Swiss Army suitcase, a duffle, a knapsack and a dog. Marcel came to my rescue by finding the Guardian (manager) of the huge and very Victor Hugoesque 18th century apartment complex. The code was procured, I punched it in a voila -- cube sweet cube -- the typical Paris apartment -- mignon, but what an address. As the guy said "Location, location, location." Heart of the 2nd, 10 minutes from everywhere I love -- Le Marais, L' Opera, rue Algiers...perfect.

So today the rain in pouring and Dexter is shoved in the shopping cart to keep his curly locks fluffy and dry. Marcel sees us coming in through the back -- their shop back lets onto the landing where I enter the porte. And today, Marcel made me un cafe -- and I don't drink coffee as a rule -- but it was lovely. I sat in this little shop and watched the swarthy neighborhood roughs come in for gyros, schwarma, un cafe and gossip.

Now I'm ready for the rest of the day. Merci Marcel

And to be fair to the SohoHouse Shoreditch

I must, now that I have dug up the reading list from Sunday of the Word Theatre production organized to raise money for Fairbridge, I want to share the titles and authors as well as the readers...really fine work on all sides...but Hornsby's "Nipple, Jesus" was incredible due to Molina's fabulous reading, but the short story "Joyas Voladoras" a father's pained musings about the heart the night before his young child is to have open heart surgery was incredibly powerful -- the handsome Alastair Mackenzie performed -- he of "Monarch of the Glen" fame -- be still my heart. Ian Hart made us laugh and cry with "Man in the Water" by Rose Tremain while John Schwab had everyone weeping with "Stories" by John Edgar Wideman..."A Man Walking in the Rain,eating a Banana." The title belies the punch of the story. The newcomer, Alexis Zegerman, from "Happy, Go Lucky" was astonishing as the grieving mother in "The Wave." And Lucky Brown did a joyous and poignant reading of Helen Simpson's "Up at the Villa." Cedering Fox, as always, directed cleanly, no muss, no fuss, just great words from fantastic performers.

Brownings Prospice and PIppa read by Jeremy Irons and Rupert Evans - British Library

I am having a literary week. Sunday, the splendid Alfred Molina gave an inspired and gorgeous reading of "Nipple Jesus" by Nick Hornsby (You can read the story in his newest book of short stories). What an actor. We even had a nice chat at the intermission. And,he's a lovely person to boot! The reading was at the Shoreditch Soho House to raise money for a fantastic group that helps at risk youth in England's most violent neighborhoods. Tuesday at the British Museum, Jeremy Irons, Charles Dance and the lovely Rupert Evans read the poems of Robert Browning to raise money for the literacy group Poetry Hour. Jeremy Irons is in the words of Dickens in "Pickwick Papers" "Charming, Charming, charming." Included in Irons readings the stunning poem about death, "Prospice." Rupert read my favorite, the song from "Pippa Passes."

Prospice- browning
Fear death?--to feel the fog in my throat,
The mist in my face,
When the snows begin, and the blasts denote
I am nearing the place,
The power of the night, the press of the storm,
The post of the foe;
Where he stands, the Arch Fear in a visible form;
Yet the strong man must go:
For the journey is done and the summit attained,
And the barriers fall,
Though a battle's to fight ere the guerdon be gained,
The reward of it all.
I was ever a fighter, so--one fight more,
The best and the last!
I would hate that Death bandaged my eyes, and forbore,
And made me creep past.
No! let me taste the whole of it, fare like my peers,
The heroes of old,
Bear the brunt, in a minute pay glad life's arrears
Of pain, darkness and cold.
For sudden the worst turns the best to the brave.
The black minute's at end,
And the elements' rage, the fiend voices that rave,
Shall dwindle, shall blend,
Shall change, shall become first a peace out of pain.
Then a light, then thy breat,
O thou soul of my soul! I shall clasp thee again,
And with God be the rest!

Song from PIPPA PASSES (set by Ned Rorem)
Robert Browning

The year's at the spring
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearled;

The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in his heaven--
All's right with the world!

Christ Church Concert

Some of the great poems, songs and essays on the holidays read at Christ Church Oxford last night. A lovely kick off to the holiday season in England. The lovely Diana Quick too me along to ride shotgun on the drive from London. It has been 20 years since I've been at Oxford to visit. This time we had tea with the Head of Trinity College, Diana's old school friend. How magical it was to enter Trinity behind the gate and see the young, hip crazy mid-twenties scholars dash about on Friday night -- lots of elves costumes, santa hats and other Yuletide finery.

We walked through the University town to the church, a glorious gothic structure that leapt from the stills of "Inspetor Morse," my favorite Sunday night guilty pleasure.

Below some of the highlights we heard:

This Secret Garden - Justin Cartwright

The Fayrfax Carol Early tudor - thomas aides music

Moosburg Gradual 1355

AJ Wentworth BA father christmas

Music - Tomorrow shal be my dancing day - English traditional carol, John Gardner arrangement 1917

Music - O and A , and A and O..Piae Cantiones 1582 - arrangement David Willcocks

Poem w music - shalespeare and George Wither 1600 music Einojuhani reutavaara 20th cent.

Talking Turkeys Benjamin Sephaniah - london 20th cent.

Nesciens mater virgo virum peperit - John Jouton 15th Century

Shriley valentine - Brians plays Joseph in the nativity

A quick nibble at the home of Emma Bridgewater, the fanciful potter who is changing the world with her beautiful polka dots and dove teapots, biscuit tins and mugs.

Will post photos etc from France soon.

In the Bleak Mid-Winter - Christina Rossetti 19th century