by David Hare
Theatre by the Lake, Keswick

Life’s pretty great when you go out for a walk, well a couple of walks in the Lake District and find they have a theatre in town, and not just any theatre, it’s two theatres in one spot – with the smaller, the Studio, staging a David Hare play, and there are hardly any tickets left, but you and your best mate (read Husband), get two…yes, I said it…Life is pretty great.

So great in fact, we spent the rest of mini break spotting the actors (OK one), around town, driving his car, smoking a pipe and knowing, knowing what he really does and feeling pretty blessed that we’d seen it.

In case you haven’t just rushed off and read up about The Vertical Hour or you saw it in your distant past and it’s now a little less vivid in detail, this play looks at some fundamental issues which though first performed in 2006 are super current today.  In particular – opposing views.  When is it or isn’t it right to invade foreign countries and kill in an attempt to bring about regime change?

Additionally, it examines tension in relationships, either that being with your dad, child, lover or confidant. It explores how one deals with a public persona and their private feelings.  But that’s not all it does, it gets you thinking about the big issues, discussing them and exploring your own thoughts and opinions.

And…it throws a great conversation starter for the next day’s walk – ‘If Oliver and Nadia had stayed talking for five minutes more, do you think something would have happened?’

Oh and the cast – though only five in size – have just been added to my list of need to see more of. And that’s not just around town, driving, smoking pipes, but on stage – which brings me to my one regret…I didn’t get to see them treading the boards in their other plays run during the Summer Season 2016, however maybe you will.

Also, dare I forget, the theatre itself was ideal for the production. Doing my mental maths, it only sits eighty, evenly distributed on either side of the stage, so yes intimate…though good intimate, not creepy intimate…and thankfully no need for those teeny microphones that manage not to be sufficiently discreet and you spend considerable amounts of time being distracted by the funny growth on the actors’ foreheads and not entirely focused on the play.

Season ends super shortly, so hurry.