Five Southampton Dickens Champions had Great Expectations of having a wonderful evening at the Mayflower Theatre on Wednesday October 25th. They tell us all about their evening of entertainment.
The adventurers
Immaculate Conception’s Miss Maggie Havisham, Estella Pierce, Abel Magwitch-Bell, Shelagh (aka Mrs. Joe) and R. Jaggers fought their way past what seemed to be an entire school’s trip of girls and settled into their correct seats, having shoved a number of lolly pop sucking, sweet wrapper rustling 13 year olds away into different seats.
The experience
Three rows from the front and we settled in to watch and enjoy a startling set, crazy costumes and lively acting. R. Jaggers had unfortunately forgotten that she was no longer a teacher of adolescents and spent a good deal of the first act turning around in her seat and staring for long periods of time at youngsters who were whispering and giggling. Shooting venomous glances eventually worked and we all settled down again. In fact she felt a bit guilty by the interval and engaged these terrified young teenagers in conversation about the production.
Ice creams over, legs stretched and we were off for the second act. Chatting about it on the way back to the car, we agreed that it was an interesting production – one which we were pleased to have seen, particularly as it was touring the country prior to going to the West End.
A pleasant surprise
The next day the forthright R. Jaggers had the good fortune to have a very interesting telephone conversation with the show’s producer Mr. Graham McLaren who asked her opinions about a range of things including the set and the various newspaper reviews, (no! He really did!) resulting in said lady dancing around her kitchen ‘gang nam style’ singing, “I’ve got a famous new friend and he wanted to know my opinion, oh I’m so clever, I’m so clever”.
Anyway – my ‘FNF’ (Famous New Friend) gave me 5 free copies (Penguin Classics) of Great Expectations to give to my fellow theatre going pals.
Result!
Get involved
Read about the Immaculate Conception Dickens Champions visiting Oxford. Or read other Dickens Champion blogs about Great Expectations here and here.
Watch out for our Dickens Champions’ blog posts as they read and review their way through Dickens during 2012.
Reading Dickens in your reading group or book club? Get in touch or post a comment to let us know how you’re getting on.
