Just back from a week in Mykonos where we stayed in a very accessible villa unfortunately the rest of the island was less so. We spent most of the time digging the hired BMW out of gravel and searching, unsuccessfully, for restaurants with disabled toilets. All will be revealed in a further article. It was restful, good fun and a lovely tan was had by all!
Moving on, my first job back was to go to the Wyndham’s Theatre in Leicester Sq. to see King Charles III starring Tim Pigott-Smith. I hadn’t read any reviews but was told it was funny. It was in parts but it was more like a mixture of Hamlet (with King Charles as the troubled Prince of Denmark), Macbeth (where Kate M was akin to Lady Macbeth) and King Lear where his children turn against him. There was even a comic ghost in the form of Diana. Written in a Shakespearean style of prose, it worked but I’m not sure if the author was being egotistical or brave in doing so. Tim Pigott-Smith was excellent and gave a very believable performance of our future King.
Tim Pigott-Smith As king Charles III – An Intelligent Portrayal of a Troubled Royal
It was definitely entertaining but long at 2hours 45 minutes. I mention the length of the play as the wheelchair seats were in a box at the back of the stalls and not to be recommended if you’re claustrophobic. The box is down three steps (two ushers lifted me down), and it had its own disabled toilet but down one more step. It was the depth of the box that was troublesome as it was long and narrow and you were so close to the outside door that you could hear what was going on outside e.g. the noise of police sirens. However, the staff were excellent and offered to get us drinks even though my companion was able-bodied. All in all they tried their best with an old theatre but it’s definitely in need of some modern rennovations. I would only go again if it was an ‘unmissable’ play such as King Charles III. We award them 2 BBS Ticks.
The Wyndham’s Theatre Leicester Sq. – Tricky Access, Not For the Claustrophobic
After the theatre it was difficult to find somewhere decent to have supper at 10.30pm. A McDonald’s or a kebab doesn’t do it for me. Luckily we found Tredwell’s just round the corner on Upper St Martin’s Lane, opposite Stringfellow’s “Gentlemen’s” Club. Great location to see the comings and goings at such a famous venue!?! Nevertheless we went for the food as it’s the new restaurant in the empire of 2 Michelin Star Chef Marcus Waring (of Gilbert Scott fame). The Evening Standard gave them a pretty bad review saying,
“This food, so packed with salt, fat, sugar, peppers and smoke, is designed to make an impact on customers used to eating fast food, industrial snacks, barbecues and curries.”
Tredwell’s – Modern London Eating With an Emphasis on Sharing Plates. Accessible & Full ‘Facilities’.
However, we disagree as we enjoyed the food, especially as we had sharing plates as there was no need for a large meal late at night. We really recommend the superbly cooked ‘Lamb Chops with Minted Green Chutney’, and to follow the ‘Muscavado Sponge, with coffee & walnut’. We sat on the very accessible ground floor – no steps – and there was a highly acceptable disabled toilet at the back of the room. Sitting at the front of the restaurant the tables were at a good wheelchair height and there was plenty of room. The upstairs bar was a bit noisy so I don’t recommend it as a romantic destination but a great pre or post theatre venue and again, just like the theatre, the staff were excellent and attentive. They get a resounding 2.5 BBS Ticks despite the review from the Standard!
Finally, this week I asked Brunel University if they would be interested in designing some badly needed, well designed and stylish accessories for a wheelchair. They agreed and I presented the idea to 120 final year students. It’s going to be a short project and we’re aiming to have some progress within the next few months. The best ideas will be shown here and it’s up to our reader’s to decide which they would like to see produced as the Blue Badge Style Wheelchair Accessory Range. Watch this space, we may yet see an end to the current rubbish……….
