We LOVE the theatre. So much. Comedies, musicals, AmDram, murder mystery, we don’t care we just love going to the theatre. So, what better thing to do in isolation than go to the theatre at home.
What is it about the theatre that helps you lose inhibitions and real world thoughts and just, well, BE? It could just be me, I’m aware of that but there must be more than that. We’re always on the lookout for a deal, whether that’s on TodayTix or a seat filling experience, going to the box office for returns or just booking well in advance. It’s an expensive hobby to have. And to enjoy so much that that’s where you’d rather be each night, and as we don’t have much in terms of cash flow, especially now and well, this year we were supposed to be saving for a wedding!
In case you’ve missed it, we’ve written a lot about the theatre at home that’s available to you, like this isolation ideas post here. So, to say thanks for being a great sport during lockdown for 6 weeks and not killing me yet or calling off the wedding, I took Tim to the theatre. Yes, you read that right, we went OUT OUT.
I presented him with two tickets to the National Theatre live production of Frankenstein on a Monday; because well, why not. In fact, it was now that Tim said “you know the expression a month of Sundays, this is what they were talking about”. Not going to the theatre at home, the groundhog day-esque lockdown.
So, what did I do I hear you ask, well I loaded up the NT Live show for the week. It was Frankenstein this week, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller. Two Sherlocks! But let’s start at the beginning. After the tickets, and the invites to dress up a bit after I finished work, the fun began. We went out for dinner (more of that coming later this week), and went out to the theatre at home!
As well as tickets, we had theatre signage because you always need to know what you’re going to see. Even if you’re the ones pressing play, honest. So, with a few pieces of paper and some white tack, I “transformed” the living room.
When Tim entered the room, we were in a “bit of a rush”. Not for anything in particular, but to make sure that nothing I planned failed – I had an orchestra warming up on the TV playing to make it feel a bit more…realistic. Very aware that there was no orchestra in this version but it didn’t stop me anyway. I owned a window pen, a brilliant gift I once got for a birthday in fact. Anyway, that lovely window pen helped transform the window to a bar and bar sign. With instructions to pre-order his interval drinks, and a bar and snack list, the bar opened miraculously as he walked in. If only the real world was as timely.
The bar at the theatre at home opened, but we seemed to have some very odd customers this evening. Not what you’d expect for the theatre to be honest, the world is sinking slowly.
We were ready to go, dressed up, fed, watered and ready with binoculars. I decided against restricting his leg room. I’d paid for the good seats darling. The scene was set, the lights were dimmed and we were ready for our theatre at home.
Stay tuned for more silliness in lockdown. Stay safe, stay at home, wash your hands and get creative.
