Morticia

Today’s been about nothing but theatre and started, after lunch, with the matinee of The Adams Family on Broadway. We weren’t expecting to enjoy the show hugely. Word on the town was that it was pretty rubbish, but, and perhaps because our expectations were so low, it ended up being great fun. It was a proper Broadway show with wall of sound vocals, great visual effects and stunning performances from all the lead actors. Bebe Neuwirth absolutely stole the show as Morticia. I literally couldn’t take my eyes off her every time she appeared on the stage. Her movements are so subtle, yet so perfect, that the merest flick of her wrist, or a twist of a finger pulls the entire audience in.

We met up with Nathan’s friend, Daryl, after the show and sat eating apple pie in his wonderful Hell’s Kitchen flat.

This evening found us at the Walter Kerr Theatre watching A Little Night Music, which featured proper Broadway royalty in the forms of Elaine Strich and Bernadette Peters. Our great friend Adam had managed to get us a pair of comps, and they were literally on the front row of the stalls, so at times it felt like the actors were performing to us and us alone. Desiree is a role they’d probably say Bernadette Peters was born to play. It’s a cliché but she was heartbreaking. I’m sure I’ll remember her interpretation of Send In The Clowns for years and years to come.

Rather strangely, my brother Edward is also in town. He flew in today, but jet-lag got the better of him before we’d emerged from the theatre. The plan is to meet up with him for breakfast in the village tomorrow, before we make a dash for the airport. I’d love to have spent longer with him and shown him our New York, but it will be a thrill just to touch base with him and I’m very excited.

The prospect of leaving the bubble of New York is not hugely thrilling, however, because it means one thing; hard work. The moment I touch down, the Pepys circus rolls into town and I won’t be coming up for air until the end of November. Deep breath. Eyes down. Here we go...

Farewell to Times Square...

The 7th October 1660 was a Sunday and Pepys went to Whitehall by foot, calling in at his father’s en route to change his long cloak for a short one, stating that “long cloaks being now quite out.” Remarkable to think fashions changed so quickly all those years ago. After church he met up with his old friend, Jack Cole and the two of them discussed scandalous royal gossip in French for the rest of the afternoon!