By Christine Swan
Last weekend was the beginning of a spell of good weather, which thankfully, continued into this week. Before I left for London, a bee swarm settled in my neighbour’s garden which was quite a distraction. However, I contacted my beekeeping friends and jumped on the train to London having made plans for the bees, unless they decided to buzz off. (Spoiler alert: they did.)
Bees!
My usual routine for a relaxing weekend in London is to have a leisurely solo lunch, before getting ready for an evening of theatre. I think that my ancestral French genes serve me well for leisurely dining and I really enjoy the street cafe protocols of people watching, taking your time, and savouring your food. I checked into my hotel and intended to read my book before I needed to get ready. I say “intended” because that wasn’t what happened. Whilst most people have a daily rhythm, I think that teachers have a weekly one. By Friday, I am floored. I no longer work full time and I find it difficult to remember how I coped when I did. I can remember on one occasion getting in from school on a Friday evening, laying down on my lounge carpet to relax and watch TV, and waking up several hours later. On my weekend away, reading a book after a pleasant lunch, was the vehicle to transport me to the land of nod.
I woke up, checked the time, and definitely needed to get a wriggle on to get to the theatre on time. I felt a little disoriented after my nap as I stumbled out into the still bright, afternoon sunshine. I was heading to the Southwark Elephant Theatre to watch a new musical titled Lifeline, focusing on the life of Sir Alexander Fleming. I confess that I knew nothing of what happened after his discovery of Penicillin. It is easy to imagine that that would be the end of it, however, I had not realised that Fleming had warned of the dangers of resistance soon after Penicillin use became widespread and extensive. It may seem a stretch of the imagination to build a musical around such a story, but that is the aim of Lifeline – to tell the story but also to add the human element.
The set of Lifeline at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant venue
A musician collapses on stage and is admitted to a hospital in Scotland where his previous partner works. Their love is gently rekindled until he develops sepsis. Fleming’s story is woven in parallel. He is a lonely widower, working with a delightful research assistant who clearly carries a torch for him, but he chooses not to reciprocate. We learn about Fleming’s carefree childhood in Scotland, and army career. His comrades die because their battlefield injuries become infected and there is no treatment. This becomes his driver, to prevent such needless deaths. The entwined stories shift from pain to joy, and back again. A unique feature of this musical is the chorus of healthcare professionals. As part of the finale, each member introduces themself and talks briefly about their work. This makes for a powerful performance with a clear message – we shouldn’t become complacent with antibiotics.
The following morning, I decided to embark on a circular walk at a casual pace. Crossing Blackfriars Bridge, dodging the Saturday morning joggers, in the sunshine, I noticed how, in this very closely packed area of London, green spaces are being created on vertical walls. In the countryside, we are surrounded by green but this is a helping hand for nature, which can thrive in the smallest of places. It takes the “hardness” away of urban areas in my opinion, and makes them easier on the eye. Pockets of nature can spring up anywhere, and is of benefit everywhere.
Nature can live anywhere, if we just make room for it
I turned left onto Fleet Street. I walked along to the edge of the City, the original site of Temple Bar, the gateway between Westminster and the City of London. Temple Bar is now situated between Paternoster Square and St Paul’s Cathedral. The site in Fleet Street now has a commemorative memorial, including a statue of Queen Victoria and a gryphon atop of the stonework.
The Temple Bar memorial in Fleet Street
My first stop was the Twinings Tea Shop a short distance away. The shop has existed since 1706 and London’s longest ratepayer. Although the interior is modern, the exterior shows the company’s heritage. Tea is light to carry, which is just as well as I managed to fill a bag with boxes of fragrant teas from around the world.
Twinings tea heaven
Onward! I walked along the Strand towards Trafalgar Square. I have not taken this route for a few years so I was surprised that the Strand has been closed to traffic in the area close to St Mary le Strand church. King’s College was holding an open day. Parents holding maps and pointing, were being led by excited young people visiting universities and dreaming of their independence and the excitement of studying in London, just as I did over forty years ago.
The pedestrianised Strand, looking towards St Mary le Strand church
I turned right before Trafalgar Square and headed up to Covent Garden. A man was standing at the top of a tall ladder, trying to persuade a child to prevent him from falling, when it appeared that he could quite easily flatten them. A large crowd had gathered to watch the ladder climber’s act, but I was not among them, I ploughed on further.
Covent Garden fruit and vegetable market has stood since the nineteenth century. In 1980, it was redeveloped and opened as a retail, craft, and hospitality centre. It was a huge success and demonstrated how historic markets can be repurposed in the modern world. Shop units have come and gone, and as much as I lament the loss of the Body Shop, the French Creperie overlooking the Piazza, and the upmarket cocktail bar, Rumours, there is still a wide selection of shops and stalls to interest a wide range of visitors.
Covent Garden Piazza, busy on Saturday morning
I walked away from the Piazza towards Cambridge Circus and then on to Leicester Square. After the quirky, exclusive, and traditional market stalls of Covent Garden, Leicester Square is rather a disappointment. Souvenir, vape, and American candy shops abound, but this is a place to pass through, rather than to hang about.
I headed onto Coventry Street and to Piccadilly on a mission to buy some chocolate to accompany my fine tea. Driven by my thirst for tea, I stopped on Haymarket. I find it irritating that the West End premium adds a few pounds to even the price of a pot of tea, but the surroundings were pretty and, outside, a vintage bicycle rally was passing through, cheerfully ringing their bells and wearing historic costumes. Refreshed, I returned towards Trafalgar Square.
A pitstop in Haymarket for tea and cake
I don’t remember the last time I visited the National Gallery. I was small and tired from lots of walking. The paintings bored me and I wanted to go home. Visiting as an adult is a different experience. I chose my favourite paintings and periods of history, purchased some souvenirs, and headed back to Southwark.
The stunning interior of the National Gallery
Saturday night’s play was just a short walk to the Young Vic theatre to watch a production of Arthur Miller’s Broken Glass. This was quite a different experience to Friday night’s musical. This production featured very harsh lighting, bad tempers and high drama. Set against the rise of Nazism in Germany before the outbreak of World War II, a Jewish woman worries herself senseless over increasingly horrific news stories. She is paralysed by a mystery cause. Her husband oscillates between kindness and frustration. I was disappointed to see that the production featured two goldfish bowls, with fish, when the show involved loud noise and changes in light level, so this show wasn’t my cup of tea.
You’re nearly home
On Sunday morning I returned home from London, across the Cotswolds, past the “nearly home” tree, ready to begin my working week again. It never ceases to amaze me that you can pack so much into two days if you really put your mind to it. Rather like a time Tardis a busy weekend can be just as restful as one spent lounging in the garden. Which is exactly what I will be doing for this one!
More information
Covent Garden Market – https://www.coventgarden.london/Shop/Markets
The history of Twining’s tea – https://twinings.co.uk/blogs/news/history-of-twinings
Excellent blog post about the Temple Bar memorial – https://lookup.london/temple-bar-memorial/
The National Gallery – https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/
All photographs by the author
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