translate

Saturday, 19 November 2016

NIGHT MUST FALL BY FIONA CUMMINGS


Teen left early today to get a haircut with his best pal. Hair? What hair? Seriously, he only got it cut two weeks ago. I hate this so-called fashion whereby they have hardly any hair on the back. He has beautiful hair, that is if his hair remembers ever what it looked like? He has it thicker at the front and top, I wonder if he got a picture of himself from the back, what he would think? It’s like a bald man with the hair missing from the back rather than the top. People should be grateful they have hair…

 

Anyway, bless him I hope he has a nice time, I love his friend, he is a good lad, he is the pal who tragically lost his Mum to cancer earlier in the year. My heart aches for that little family, but thankfully, the lad has a good family and they are close, but still this will be his first Christmas without his Mum and his Dad without his wife. Awful.

 

Well, the temperature outside was 2 Dg so I knew I had to wrap up today to go to our town. We ate breakfast and pottered around a bit then off we went. I just prayed it wasn’t slippy and how would I know? only when it would be too late.

 

Waggs in her bed bless her and me with my faithful white cane Hub took the Little Fella. Last time we went to the theatre LF was great, he lay by Hubs feet. There was hardly any room, but he never made a sound. Dogs are so beautiful they never complain and are always happy if you treat them well and he is so loved.

 

 The air was chilling. It wasn’t slippy though. We only waited for a bus for seven minutes. The bus was quite full, but we still found a seat, together as well which is a bonus.

 

Sighted people look out of the window on a bus, we people listen. Oh, goodness, there were some characters on there today.     

 

We had no choice but to hear the life story of a very loud lady with an accent we couldn’t work out, I thought Canadian, but Hub said no. He thought Eastern European? Bit of a difference? Anyhow, she was a one. Telling her children that if her car doesn’t pass it’s test this time, there is no car until 2018… Then she was with her friend who had a child. The lady with the accent kept going on about money and having non-but then she said to the friend that she didn’t think the cinema was too expensive? She said for three of them it was only £27…. And the popcorn was for three again, £14.25 as for a can of pop? £4.75

  Oh, my goodness? Firstly, the poor children having to listen to this and secondly, how much to go to the cinema now?

Oh, but then for the cream. The other lady the friend, her child was next to her and the two ladies spoke lady with accent asked the friend if she wanted to go back to their house to see her daughters?

Child of another lady said… Wait for it? Haha.

“No mum, you hate them.””

The other lady, the child’s Mum.

“No I don’t, I never said that, don’t put words in my mouth?””

Gets better Bloggets.

Child answered. “Mum, you said they are bitches?””

Oh, my word? Get me off that bus?

Well, the lady who was telling  the bus the life story went very quiet. Hahaha. Then the ex, friend, got off the bus, leaving her mess behind…

 

Then you get the smokers getting on, oh gosh they stink if only they knew what they smell like? And then there was an old Scottish drunk. He got talking to the poor lady next to him asking where she was getting off, she told him. He said I live there too… Well the place they spoke about is a big place and there are loads of bus stops in that area. The man asked the lady if she would see him across the road when he got off? She agreed. Well, turned out that she was due to get off two stops after him so I know she didn’t know the area very well so was in for a shock when she got off too early to do her good deed of the day.

 

Good now time to get off the bus. I wouldn’t have a clue where I was but thankfully Hub is amazing. There are no obvious turns or bumps in the road. I don’t know how he does it…

 

Where the bus pulled up, I got off first I’m always afraid of using my cane in our town as it’s so busy. It’s all quite new to us still. Right where the stupid bus pulled up, where the door is, there was an enormous sign, thankfully I was walking slow enough not to whack into it. I found my way around it, telling Hub to watch out for it and weaved in and out the crowds of people.

 

We got to our theatre, first set of doors were locked. Second were open. I told Hub to turn right as that is where the desk is to pick up our tickets. Oh gosh, there were more people, sounds coming from the coffee shop in the vast open planned reception. Tables of coffee drinkers all over, trying to listen and find the desk, any clue to hear for a cash till or paper sounds? Only the coffee machines and tills selling food.

 

I knew I was heading in the right direction, but had to pause for a moment. A voice behind us said I think they are lost. A gentleman came up to me and asked if he could help? We asked him to show us where the ticket desk was? We were ten steps from it, but, thankfully he told us that he was one of the audio describers for the play. Really? I didn’t even know that was on this afternoon. Wow, I have never heard one before. Long and short, we picked up our tickets and the other reader for the audio came to talk with us and gave us some earphones. Wow, this was so good. I already was so excited to see the play; I love the theatre but to actually be able to know what was going on in the silent parts?

 

We were shown our seats. Again, I think we were the youngest in the theatre hall. Little Fella lay next to Hubs feet tucked in nicely. Gosh, the theatre was soo’oo’oo cold. Loads of leg room this time thank goodness as on the way to the bus, I came off slightly the kerb and stopped myself from tripping with my really bad leg, so I was in such pain, but as long as I could stretch my leg I would be fine.

 

Well, if we wanted and if we knew, we could have come to the touch performance… It’s where you turn up an hour before hand and get to go on the stage and meet the actors as well as feel their costumes. But what we were about to receive may the Lord know I was truly grateful. Smile.

 

Before the performance the earphones were put on turned up and the man spoke. He told us what the set was like.

A 1930’s setting. It was a bungalow in the woods. The curtains at the huge bay window and the lavish sofas with chintz material and old mahogany furniture with a tall set of drawers in the living room with lockable drawers. A table with breakfast food on and another table with some ornaments on it.

 

There was a large brick fire place with a tarnished silver mirror hanging above it and at the side of it was a barometer hanging. Then the words took us into a kitchen and then into a large conservatory and so on. Even trees coming through the open windows and the ceiling had thick wooden beams. Gosh, he went on and on. I was shocked and amazed just how big the stage was? Wow. Oh I could have cried. I really could. If only the describers knew just how emotional I was. I knew for the first time in my life what was on the stage in front of me. Previously when I had sight, I could see the people crystal clear. Even what they were wearing, but never I had enough sight to see such vast items. My sight used to be so good, but only a pin prick of vision allowed itself to my brain. To see such huge productions, settings, would mean I had to work my eyes so very hard and that would be so painful.

 

He went on to saying what the actors would be wearing. One of the men even went to change his socks half way through? I turned to Hub and asked why it was necessary to do that? Who would notice socks? Haha.

 

The play is called “Night must fall”” written in 1935 by Emlyn Williams. A psychological thriller Mrs Bramson an elderly lady in a wheel chair most of the play, is a bitter nasty straight talking self pitying person, resides in remote part of Essex, with her book reading word talented Niece, who is very ordinary looking with red hair tied in a tortoise shell clip in a bun and wears glasses as for her clothes? Very conservatively dressed. The elderly Mrs B, treats her Niece like a servant as well as the maid and cook, all three ladies paid by Mrs B who though in a wheel chair, has no disability at all, as it’s revealed later on in the play.

 

Now if we hadn’t have had audio description, we would have heard voices, not sure until the play was well on it’s way, who was who and as for the costumes and setting, like the mirror fire place and so on?

 

One day Mrs B discovers that her maid is pregnant but the Father of the child doesn’t want to know about the baby. Mrs B asks to meet with the father of the girl. Mrs B is so angry with the young father Dan, but once he charms her, she forgets everything bad about him. Olivier the Niece knows that Dan is putting on a façade and isn’t fooled like her Aunt.

 

The play is very sinister, though there are a lot of laughs too. But we were left chilled not only because the theatre was cold, but the description told of dark ideas. Facial expressions, how Dan got inches off people when he spoke to them. So, close to their faces. Suspicions grow, when a local beauty is found murdered.

 

One night a hand is found in the rubbish outside the bungalow. Then the body in the woods but eh head is missing.

 

This play is farcical comical typically English humour of darkness, whilst ratcheting up of tension. But Dan who is a charming psychopath shows just how brilliant his acting really is, in real life and in the play, itself.

 

The transformation from goolish behaviour to girly giggles, was gripping and dragged me into their dangerous life. The hat box was featured a lot and it’s suspected that was where the missing head was kept…

 

Oh I don’t do the play justice as for the acting?  Gosh, it was so good. When I go to the theatre I am at my happiest.

 

I’m home safe, we got to town and back. I’m so pleased we found the courage to do so. On our return was a bit of a nightmair. We stood for ages for our bus. We managed to find where we needed to be. Passing  lines of people waiting for their bus number as of course a long flat path has high signs with numbers on and you stand where your bus number is? Well, we know roughly where ours is, after fifteen minutes of standing in the bitter cold. Hub kept trying to get me to ask the people if we were in the right queue? I won’t ask. I’m bad at it. So thankfully Hub asked. Heck, they have only gone and changed the bus stops? We had to learn from a member of the public that now where we stood was for bus number one. Kindly the man took us to where we needed to be. A bus pulled in, was it ours? There are so many that pull in and not exactly where we stand as there are lines of people. We queue hop, so un English of us, but if we follow a queue, what if it is the wrong one and how do you follow a queue without putting your hand on their back and that is too familiar…

 

Got to the bus door and we or Hub asked the driver if it was our bus telling him our number and it was. On the bus right at the back as no seats available. LF was wonderful as ever. It was so dark and cold outside now. Half an hour later we got off the bus and began the ten minute walk home. The house was warm and Waggs was pleased to see us. We let them, LF, and Wagga out in the garden to play but I think it was even too cold for them. Fed them and then had dinner.

 

Teen went out for the night, not sure when he is due in. Tomorrow he is going out to have a fun day. More on that tomorrow, but it’s a place he has never been before. Then Monday back to work. Hub playing piano tomorrow, but I have to stay in. Hmm. Two reasons. Again, more tomorrow. I will miss not seeing my friend at church though and of course will miss not seeing Hub playing but, I have heard him rehearse tonight. He is amazing.

 

Wherever you are now, be safe and happy and never think anything is impossible. From something so small that you have been putting off for ages to something mega, I hope you try to achieve a goal. I always find it incredible that we as blind people manage to do certain things, something I would have never thought possible some years ago. With love. X

No comments: