Mac in play

Last week, at the Garrick in Charing Cross Road, the Theatre, not the Club, was a lovely, rare, but real spotting.

The Play is from 1953/4 - hah: significant and a very perspicacious wardrobe mistress. It is The Solid Gold Cadillac. It stars Patricia Routledge and Roy Hudd, is very funny if not a great play and it's prescient in terms of its lampooning criticism of corporate Fat Cats.

But it's the brief appearance, quite early on, of a beautiful young blonde, Kate-Lynn Hocking in several costumes and, yes, one of them is a super red rubber mac.

I was in the front of the dress circle, so couldn't hear a rustle or a swish, nor, of course, could I smell the beautiful smell from my seat. But I was in no doubt that, yes, she was wearing IT. It isn't belted, but it's very smart, fresh and, being REAL, like theatre is, being larger than life , like theatre is, Ms Hocking was actually posing in the mackintosh; sort of part of the plot.

As she makes her exit, of course, the mac moves, as only a rubber mac moves. And also, she's an attractive woman; fifties type make-up too.

I didn't time the exciting happening, nor will I be able to see the same play again. But it's on, I gather, until Jan 'O5. My seat was £22.50: maybe some stalls are even less and you might even catch the susurrus, or even the bouquet from the front!

Bryan