‘Cumquats’: A new play by Kieron Barry at the Landor Theatre

This is an unabashed plug for an excellent play at an interesting venue over a good pub. But you’ll need to hurry to see it. The play, ‘Cumquats’, is currently running only until Saturday 27 November 2004, at 7.30pm, at the Landor Theatre, 70 Landor Road, London, SW9 9PH, three minutes’ walk from Clapham North tube station, Clapham High Street. Click on map .

Tickets cost £10.00, or £8.00 concessions. You can book either by telephoning the box office on 020 7737 7276 (there is a 24 hour answering machine service), or by filling in the form on the website (http://www.landortheatre.co.uk/ — click ‘Programme’ and ‘Book here’).

The theatre is above the Landor pub, whose burgers attract rave reviews (e.g. http://www.restaurantspy.com/uk/london/landor.htm) but where a large glass of wine costs £3.80… and there are numerous excellent restaurants near Clapham North tube and on Clapham High Street.

For more about the theatre, visit http://www.geocities.com/pubtheatre/landor.html (ignoring the grocer’s apostrophe there).

The Landor pub

Here’s what it says about ‘Cumquats’ on the theatre’s website:

>>The play follows the progress of two friends as they struggle with life after the First World War. Espionage, treason and theology combine in a brooding study of repression, illusion and the frailty of man’s estate. Two friends struggle with life after the First World War. Blackmail, espionage and theology combine in a brooding study of repression, illusion and the frailty of man’s estate.

Oscar von Rensburg, a decorated War hero, is inspired by the vision of the Angel of Mons to become a theologian. His new brand of zealous evangelism, however, is unpopular in Oxford and he plummets through the strata of academia. Meanwhile his friend Douglas Appleford is blackmailed on account of his homosexuality into using his Home Office position to give information to the Russians. To his horror Douglas is promoted and charged with finding the mole in the Home Office. He retreats into alcohol and dissolution until one evening he sees what appears to be the ghost of Oscar’s love on a Soho cinema screen. This event binds together the lives of the two men in a destructive spiral. Kieron Barry’s seventh play is directed by Adrian Fear. Their previous collaboration, last year’s Black Soap, was critically acclaimed and revived earlier this year. < < Strongly recommended for Londoners. Excellent performances by a professional and attractive cast in an intimate theatre space, easily reached by bus or tube: and highly affordable. Book now! Brian
13 November 2004
https://barder.com/brian/