Theatre Royal Brighton

Well I have run the risk of turning into a bit of a luvvie this week , as I have been to the Theatre Royal Brighton twice.

On Tuesday night we were there to see Single Spies by Alan Bennett and starring the lovely Nigel Havers and Diana Quick, a winning combination! Single Spies is actually two plays for the price of one - An Englishman Abroad and A Question of Attribution, both set in the 50s and both about espionage. While my companions were a little more mature and therefore knew more of the history of the period in question, I still thoroughly enjoyed it, the script was witty and the acting spot on. A great night out, the play will be on in Brighton until Saturday so if you are visiting this weekend then pop into our Visitor Information Centre in the Royal Pavilion Shop and get yourself a ticket

Then last night I was back at the theatre for a behind the scenes tour. I kept my eyes peeled for a glimpse of Nigel Havers but sadly I had no such luck. However Lorraine gave us a fascinating tour of this Grade II listed building. The Theatre celebrated it's 200th anniversary last year, so there is a lot to talk about, whether it's the inside story on what Marlene Dietrich and Sir Laurence Olivier were like off the stage or a spooky ghost story. You will also get the chance to tread the boards and go down into the Orchestra box as well as take a sneaky peek inside the Queen's box, where there is the only seat where you can have a perfect view of the stage but no other audience member can see you, well apart from the other people in the box with you :) You also get to hear the meaning behind phrases such as to be in the limelight and break a leg, as well as the reasoning behind the old superstition that it is bad luck to whistle in the theatre. A fascinating insight into the workings of this delightful old theatre.

Charlotte