A Week of Elegance
Theatre with Ian McKellen and Dining with Purpose
JUN 03, 2024
I can't recall having the opportunity to witness any of William Shakespeare's plays, except for Caracalla's Oriental Midsummer Night's Dream, a colourful production in costumes and music that drew inspiration from Shakespeare's original work. This limited exposure has made me curious about his plays' depth and richness. I never had a chance to see one until this week.
I am a francophile, so at school, we worked more with Moliere Le Malade Immaginaire, Racine Le Cid, and Les Fables de La Fontaine.
One of the things I miss the most when away from London is going to the theatre regularly. This season, there were many great productions. I missed most of them for forces beyond my control, but I couldn't miss Player Kings with Ian McKellen. All it took me to book was reading the name Ian McKellen. I knew vaguely that the play was a take on Shakespeare's Henry IV Part One and Two, adapted by Robert Icek, but nothing more.
Then I sat in my theatre seat, and the curtains were raised on the crowning of a king whose reign was on shaky grounds in a modern setting. Supertitles announced what was going on, and the actors uttered Shakespearean English. I was baffled, and it took me a few minutes to wrap my head around what was happening.
As the curtain moved, we were transported to the Boar's Head, a bawdy tavern with people enjoying themselves. The party ends, and Toheeb Jimoh as Prince Hal (Henry V to be) stumbles before falling drunk at the feet of Sir John Falstaff, played by a rather hairier-than-usual-looking Sir Ian.
Who am I to comment on Sir Ian's performance? He was just amazing. He was funny, not in a foolish way, as expected from Sir John Falstaff, but with dry humour. The complete surprise of the play was Toheeb Jimoh! He beautifully played the role of the crown prince, treading between the jolly and playful debauched prince and the seriousness of his title. He is torn between a severe patriarch in King Henry and a wayward proxy father in Falstaff.
There was a lot to grasp and process in this play (please keep in mind this is my relatively first Shakespearian play), and at times, my attention drifted, although there was nothing in the scenography to drift towards. The stage was bare but from a brick wall backdrop.
So many characters brilliantly played. King Henry, played brilliantly by Richard Coyle, grapples with sickness, his disappointment with his son Prince Hal, and fears a rebellion to take the throne he took by force. Well, he was not disappointed, and he had a rebellion on his hands. Hotspur, played by Samuel Edward-Cook, knew how to deliver a rebellion. His character resonates perfectly with contemporary rebellious leaders. He knows perfectly how to switch from army fatigues to dark suits, playing both the soldier and the politician without veering away from the hotheadedness and passion of young activists.
Clare Perkins, as Mistress Quickly, the East Cheap landlady, was hilarious in her good-natured and angry moments. Her character was so much fun and perfectly reflected the need for those in her position to keep the peace and make a living.
The stunning surprise was the actor's voice. He didn't talk much, but he sang beautifully! In the beginning, he gives out the vibe of the angel of death; he shows up when some disaster happens, but in the second part of the play, he sings. And what a magical voice! It was just superb! I am still looking for his name.
I went to the theatre to feed my cultural hunger, but I went to Fortnum and Mason to feed my stomach.
Fortnum & Mason runs the food studio on the third floor of their iconic building. It is my heaven! The kitchen is a dream. I drool every time I pass it, and the items displayed on the floor, well, I want them ALL!
This week, The Social Pantry, a sustainable food company committing to circular economies, zero waste initiatives and menus focused around nose-to-tail and root-to-flower dishes catering business in London, held a supper club. What's new about that? Well, nothing. At this event, Alex, the founder, wanted to highlight her company's noble endeavour: Social Pantry's central focus is working within the prison system alongside charities, PELs, and prison leavers. Since they announced their collaboration with different charities and Alex's involvement at the Employment Board at HMP Wandsworth, Social Pantry has reached its target of having 10% of its staff as prison leavers.
This is not a PR announcement; Alex is genuinely passionate about this, and one could see during the dinner that her two chefs, who were prison leavers, were very fulfilled and passionate about what they did.
Now can we talk about the food?!
As one can expect, the menu was seasonal. For starters, we had whipped cod roe with pickles, lavash crackers, and seasonal crudity. The cod was just sensational, not fishy, because cod roe can be tricky sometimes, and it had an oomph. There was a spice or an herb that I forgot to ask about that took that simple spread to a whole new level. As a surprise starter and to the diners' good luck, we also sampled the homemade whipped ricotta with prison honey, as in honey produced in prison, which was divine.
The starters were followed by a slowed roasted shoulder of lamb that melted in the mouth. It was served with fennel and carrot remoulade, homemade Jersey Royal potato flatbreads, a heritage tomato, fermented tomatoes, and basil labneh. The fermented tomatoes are uplifted and are rather simple and a spartan dish. It took it to a whole new level. For a salad, we had asparagus, fresh peas, radish and butterhead lettuce, which, for me, is the sweetest lettuce, all dressed in a shiso and parsley dressing.
We had a long table of 16 people. All were food enthusiasts, and the conversations flowed about food and other topics. I had some fascinating discussions with women in the financial sector who have been working to empower other women in the field. This young chef is finding her way around the industry and Gina, who doesn't shy from going alone to discover new food experiences around town. One thing we had in common was that we all loved the food, the atmosphere and the cause that Social Pantry brought to the room.
For our final plate, we had a mille-feuille made with elderflower mascarpone, prison honey cremieux, pear, and salted hazelnut brittle. Cutting the mille-feuille into four portions was daunting, but it was done without a huge mess. One can't say the same about eating it. I had to do the mess of mixing all the different layers. Because of the different taste pallets, the pears' sweetness, the mascarpone's creaminess and the saltiness of the brittle, they all had to go in one bite to get some Oumaminess in there.
The evening ended, and so did this issue of The Ghannouj Gazette.
- Fornum & Mason run a beautifully varied food program in their studio. If anyone is interested, check out their website.