Tanna, left, and Jones
Laura Tanna, Contributor
Some people are fortunate in having brother-in-laws with good taste. I am one of the lucky ones. When my husband's brother heard we would be in London, he insisted we see Wole Soyinka's play, Death and the King's Horseman, receiving rave reviews at the National Theatre. Africa's first Nobel Prize winner for literature did not disappoint. Although the world premiere took place December 1976 at the University of Ife, directed by Soyinka himself, and though the plot deals with what might be the worn theme of culture clash between 'well-meaning' British colonialists and traditional African customs - in this case Yoruba - Soyinka's writing is so fresh that 33 years later, the audience still spontaneously erupted into applause twice during the middle of a scene.
Credit must be given to the superb acting of the entire cast, especially Nonso Anozie who plays the crucial role of the King's horseman, who is to commit ritual suicide to accompany the King when he dies, and to Clare Benedict, mother of the market, but the stupendous staging under director Rufus Norris is incomparable. If you're going to London, do not miss this production.
Sold-out performances
Almost as electrifying was WarHorse, which moved to the West End from sold-out performances at the National Theatre. Based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo about the horrendous toll World War I took upon tens of thousands of horses, who were maimed, mutilated or died in that war and one man's search for his animal taken from him into battle, the startling thing about this play is that life-size, cloth-covered wooden frame "horses", (fitted over two men and led by a third who manipulates the head) become so authentic, so real, that the audience emotionally feels their fear, pain, and that of the various humans who use, abuse or love them. It's absolutely astonishing, particularly the powerful ending. If you love theatre, get to London soon.
What's a night at the theatre without dinner afterwards? A short walk from the National Theatre along the south embankment took us to the Oxo Tower restaurant where the view across the Thames to St Paul's Cathedral is spectacular, while in the West End we hiked over to the Ivy, popular with celebs - Tom Hanks was sighted that week, in town for the movie premiere of the Da Vinci Affair sequel, Angels and Demons. The Ivy's starter of Crispy Duck & Cress Salad is still my favourite, but we also managed to try out and thoroughly enjoy the Crispy Duck aka Peking Duck at Top of the Town Chinese Restaurant on Gerrard Street in China Town.
The most unusual meal I had was in London's oldest vegetarian restaurant, Manna, in Primrose Hill, where I ate sweet potato galette, a creation of jack cheese, black bean, corn and red pepper stew, salsa, guacamole, plantain and okra, and it was delicious. But then a restaurant doesn't stay in business for 40 years if it isn't good!
Speaking of staying on top, Jamaica's very own Evan Jones has something to write home about, but since he's probably celebrating in the south of France right now, I'll do it for him. Evan wrote the screenplay for Out Back, a film directed by Ted Kotcheff, originally entered into competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 1971. Now, 38 years later, the film has been restored by the Australia National Film and Sound Archive and is being shown in this year's Festival as part of Cannes Classics, "a sidebar event that celebrates rediscovered gems".
In Jamaica, Evan is best known for his 'Banana Man' poem, 'The Fight Against Slavery' television programme and the novel Stone Haven, but overseas he is known as an accomplished screenwriter. Based on a book by Kenneth Cook, this particular film is described as the story of "a young school teacher stranded in a brutal and menacing town in the Australian outback." Re-named, Wake In Fright, it goes into general release in June.
But Evan isn't the only writer in the family. Both daughters are novelists. Sadie Jones first novel, The Outcast, is an international bestseller. Now that's something Calabash will surely be thinking of when planning next year's programme. We celebrated with Evan and his beautiful wife, Joanna, at the refurbished Bombay Brasserie, which was better than ever.
Within walking distance of the Brasserie, at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the exhibition '1620-1800 Baroque, Style in the Age of Magnificence' displays sumptuous, sometimes fantastic, art objects, everything from vases, clocks, altars, furniture and paintings to costumes and jewellery. It continues until 19th July 2009. Be sure to watch the short video of Holy Week in Seville 2008. Laura Tanna Contacts: (nationaltheatre.org.uk or 020 7452 3000) (warhorselondon.com) (oxo.reservations@harveynichols.com/020 7803 3888) (www.the-ivy.co.uk/ 020 7836 4751) (www.topofthetownrestaurant.co.uk/ 020 7734 6910) (www.mannaV.com/ 020 7722 8028) (www.bombaybrasserielondon.com/ 020 7370 4040). (www.vam.ac.uk/ 020 7942 2000)