Water Babies at the Seaside
Sunshine glinting on the sea is one of my Very Favourite Things.
Here's a deserted Yorkshire beach, where I was fortunate enough to be today:
Looking the other way, you will see it is, in fact, the East Coast seaside resort of Scarborough:
Now Scarborough is not, I think, as picturesque (I don't like that word but can't find a better one) as, say, Whitby. The cliffs are good: the castle is atmospheric: the beach, as above, can look great and I always love harbours with seagulls and a good tangle of fishingboatery.
But this is out of season, with very few tourists about.
Scarborough's a stately Victorian town, and along the front there are some interesting old buildings. But, unfortunately for the look of it, these are interspersed with a nasty-looking blend of trashy gift shops and such which should rightly be in Blackpool on the west coast, which is the natural home of such things. Oh - that sounds pompous! But unlike Scarborough, Blackpool has a flat, very unscenic beach - so the scenery's hard to ruin: there never was any.
I think we had the best of Scarborough today - an uncrowded seaside resort is not good for the local economy, perhaps, but great for the crowd-hating Daphne.
We'd gone to see the theatre company Northern Broadsides' production of The Water Babies.
I haven't seen much theatre this summer or autumn because of the Communist's illness, and have missed many productions featuring actors represented by the company that I work for. This is a shame and I feel really bad about it.
But, if I had to just see one play, I'm glad it was this one. Five superb actor/musicians, wonderful music and an excellent script. It's had great reviews. Superb storytelling, brilliantly inventive, great fun. I've seen a lot of theatre and I get very fed up when it's dull. This was fantastic. So if you happen to be near Scarborough during the next four weeks, do go and see it. If you get the sunshine shining on the sea too, that'll be a bonus.
Here's a deserted Yorkshire beach, where I was fortunate enough to be today:
Looking the other way, you will see it is, in fact, the East Coast seaside resort of Scarborough:
Now Scarborough is not, I think, as picturesque (I don't like that word but can't find a better one) as, say, Whitby. The cliffs are good: the castle is atmospheric: the beach, as above, can look great and I always love harbours with seagulls and a good tangle of fishingboatery.
But this is out of season, with very few tourists about.Scarborough's a stately Victorian town, and along the front there are some interesting old buildings. But, unfortunately for the look of it, these are interspersed with a nasty-looking blend of trashy gift shops and such which should rightly be in Blackpool on the west coast, which is the natural home of such things. Oh - that sounds pompous! But unlike Scarborough, Blackpool has a flat, very unscenic beach - so the scenery's hard to ruin: there never was any.
I think we had the best of Scarborough today - an uncrowded seaside resort is not good for the local economy, perhaps, but great for the crowd-hating Daphne.
We'd gone to see the theatre company Northern Broadsides' production of The Water Babies.
I haven't seen much theatre this summer or autumn because of the Communist's illness, and have missed many productions featuring actors represented by the company that I work for. This is a shame and I feel really bad about it.
But, if I had to just see one play, I'm glad it was this one. Five superb actor/musicians, wonderful music and an excellent script. It's had great reviews. Superb storytelling, brilliantly inventive, great fun. I've seen a lot of theatre and I get very fed up when it's dull. This was fantastic. So if you happen to be near Scarborough during the next four weeks, do go and see it. If you get the sunshine shining on the sea too, that'll be a bonus.
posted by Daphne at 8:52 pm
3 Comments:
Oh I'm envious that you had a day by the seaside. Seems a long time since I was by the sea, but it's so invigorating, whatever the weather. It's the opposite of being stuck in a big, noisy and polluted city. Sounds like you had a pleasant day.
Glad to hear Water Babies is good.
Picturesque is a much nicer word if you (mis)pronounce it like we do in my family - picture-skew!
When I lived in Leeds in the seventies (and met Daphne and her communist dad), it was the first and only time, I had ever lived away from the sea. I grew up in Australia and New Zealand, always near the coast, and still do, in the beautiful town of Coromandel.I can see the harbour in the distance as I write, and the sun is shining!
On my days off I would take the train to Scarborough for a dose of sea air and a visit to see one of Alan Ayckbourne's plays at the theatre. After fish and chips for tea of course. I remember the ladies of the town wore cardigans and often plastic macs to the theatre. You brought it all back Daphne! Thank you
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