I’m having a bit of an impromptu love affair with Oscar Wilde at the moment.
To be fair, I once had one with Henry VIII but this time it’s different (it’s actual affection rather than an obsession, though no less inappropriate).
In an attempt to convey the sense of drama and passion for excitement encapsulated in my now sadly departed squire, I draw on his own declaration that: “I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read on the train.”
What fun! What scandal! What a person to be acquainted with!
According to the man himself, my adoration is entirely justifiable – after all, those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated aren’t they? And there’s no denying that Mr Wilde’s plays are beautifully constructed with (in my opinion), an unrivalled wit and biting social criticism that borders on genius. “I have nothing to declare but my genius!”
However two recent encounters with two very different modern-day adaptations of Wilde’s work have made me realise just how important the venue choice is when attempting to leave a lasting impression on your average bystander.
In March I went to see The Importance of being Earnest – upstairs at The Gatehouse in Highgate, an old fringe musical theatre venue with a somewhat chequered past.
At the turn of the century The Gatehouse was famous all over London for its gigantic lunches which filled many a Victorian stomach and indeed, Mr Wilde would certainly have been welcome at my dinner table for a few ‘shilling ordinairies’ to say the least.
Documented as being a music hall, cinema, masonic lodge and an official meeting house for the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institution in the 19th century, The Gatehouse has played host to many a famous face – Dick Turpin, Lord Byron, Cruikshank and Dickens to name a few. It is also rumoured to be haunted – by a murdered widow traditionally known as Mother Marnes.
On paper, the auditorium that now houses the theatre sounds like an ideal place for any Wilde antics – so why did I leave the performance feeling somewhat disillusioned? What could plunge such a house of good repute into such despair?
One word.
Wetherspoon.
The pub underneath The Gatehouse is part of the JDW chain, and those three initials just set my alarm bells ringing. These pubs are fine when you’re at University aren’t they? Cheap, cheerful and all that – but having had my handbag stolen from a Wetherspoon’s back in February, countless bad pints (in fact, even on the night in question my first glass of rioja was served in a lipstick stained glass), and the fact that I always seem to get perved upon in these places (even when I took my daughter into one in a moment of desperation for babychange facilities), I‘m just not a fan.
In summary, The Gatehouse’s vibrant history lies completely hidden behind a façade of cheap drinks and the uniformity of the chain – but could have been amazing if preserved in a manner more sympathetic to it’s origin, after all it has some major strengths to play to.
I must point out that the production of The Importance of being Earnest actually was very enjoyable – and Louise Houghton in particular was fantastic as Gwendolyn, as was Gemma Harvey as Cecily, but all I could think of afterwards was that I never wanted to go to The Gatehouse again.
Neither by all accounts would my good friend on beerinthevening.com who posted this review below.
“The Gatehouse?” should be better off named the “Nuthouse”.
Let’s leave it there…..
Lynda
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