Last night we hopped over to the White Bear Theatre Pub to catch a play called ‘Swimming’ which is part of a season of new writing at our little local and oft overlooked local playhouse. White Bear Theatre is a very intimate and almost immersive experience. In fact, on our last outing the naked people onstage getting gouged with shards of glass seemed almost personal.
Swimming is an altogether more accomplished play and involves a group of four friends as they explore issues of relationships, intimacy, timing, and honesty. Breaking up with friends and making friends is a key theme here, but the base is about gay and straight relationships forming, falling apart and then forming again. And believe it or not the play is rather funny. And if you’re not accustomed to theatre on this scale what makes it interesting is that the action happens only a few feet away from you.
White Bear Theatre is totally independent and not associated with the White Bear Pub downstairs. Having said that, the pub is offering 10% off your total food bill if you book a ticket. Having said that, unless you like your dinner cooked by sous chef ‘Mike ro Wave’ we’d give dinner at Young’s pub owned White Bear a wide berth. Having said that, the ‘check us out we know our community so well’ Kennington paraphernalia festooning the walls are fun to peruse and are worth a gander and a drink before the show.
Swimming is on until 21 August and is 75 minutes without an interval. So you can just swim home in the August daylight afterwards. Or walk if you prefer. The venue is well ventilated and your temperature is taken on entry. If this play doesn’t float your lilo then have a look at their website for other offerings.
Remember when the theatre was housed in the previous incarnation? I remember bringing my mum to a seriously odd play (half the fun of black box theatre) and having to make our way out afterwards through a really drunk and rowdy crowd. When the place was done up, we had big hopes. Had a few dinners and Sunday lunches there, but the space seemed too big to manage and quality seriously fell off. A last chance was given and the veggie Wellington (their vegetarian special for the past few years) was so salty, it was just unpleasant. Beer selection used to be great (husband had to walk to the bar to show the waiters what he was talking about when it came to beer which wasn’t massively encouraging), but that also has fallen down recently. Great pint of Young’s special, but sadly that’s about it now.