Putting the Sex in Brexit

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Saturday 20th 2018

On the X90, Oxford to London; from one remain stronghold to another, to see 'People Like Us' a new play by Julie Burchill and Jane Robins! I quote: “A play about Sex and Brexit”... what could possibly go wrong? The bus is diverted, so I make my way onward from Shepherds bush; where would London be without the tube?

On the tube I reflected on what a great multi-cultural success London has become– last nights BBC 4 music night had taken me back to the dreary 70s when there was a much stronger anti- immigration movement and there really was a significant right wing and I had marched under the Anti-Nazi league banner. These days you only have to sneeze to be part of the Alt-Right; or be a Brexiteer – strange days.

Shoreditch looks lovely in the Autumn sunshine as does the trendy Union Street Railway Arches. FB informs me that coincidentally today is The Peoples March. And that explains the travel disruption. One cast member is missing – have they been kidnapped? Because of the delay the bar has become free for those that can. I got a free programme – it says “A whopping 95% of people working in the Arts in Britain voted remain” that's not healthy whatever way you voted.

Finally we are allowed into the Cosy Union Theatre. There is nobody in the audience I could describe as young. They must be on the march -anyway it's a lovely day for it and there are claims for half a million plus.

Travelling back on the tube I am surrounded by the marchers, I wonder about waving my theatre programme about, the badges DEMAND a referendum...the cheek! They LOVE CORBYN, HATE BREXIT!

The X90 crawls to escape London taking me back to what is now home (but that's another story). And what about the play? Well it is fast and funny (I laughed out-load which is a good sign) and it held my attention. There is an awful lot of drinking – can't be real -they would never have finished the run. I hope it gets another run after Brexit happens – maybe even a sequel! I thought Paul Giddings was especially good. I will never forget the lesbian reference line “Ladies who Munch”.

Can't resist name dropping – I was once at Jane's for dinner with a group of her London friends, Julie might have been there but wasn't, but she was present by her absence. Oscar Wilde said something like “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about” Another play perhaps- “Waiting for Julie” ?

On the way home I reflected that what this play was really about or rather it's lasting message was the importance of close friendships in a crazy world