Harry Rollo’s Surprise Intimate Perf

Thursday 14th November 2013

It’s time to make a special corner for Harry Rollo’s intimate performance, which was given last week to launch a new venue.  Harry opened the Recession in November 2008 by launching another venue and afterwards Reggie Cresswell and I drove in the chauff-ed limo of a Lord who had wrecked one of the banks and therefore brought about the Recession (Poor Little Rich Gays are always at the core). I sat in the front seat amongst the Chauffeur’s debris of The Sun and cardboard coffee cups with a whiff of cigars and fart gas. We drove to a restaurant where Harry was fêted.

Now Harry closes the Recession by launching a different venue. Happy days are here again.

How to describe the perf? It was Harry and friends who had begun together as nothing and now are something. They’re in their prime. Most members of the audience were world-class in their category. I bought almonds at the bar to keep the wolf from the door. ‘Will they make me cough?’ said Reggie Cresswell, the world-renowned Ghanian ceramicist, when offered one. ‘It would have been better if you’d bought the wasabi nuts.’

First class Poor Little Rich Gay behaviour. In the interval, for there was an interval, Finn Magnus, the hot boy doc (in pink Ted Baker jumper),who accompanied Reggie, was duly holding a pot of green wasabi nuts for general consumption.

Finn is a miracle, because he’s not like other young people, riddled with commitment phobia and always on the run. No, he reaches out to tend to your wounds. Also, he loves expensive hotels.

But what of the perf? It was lyrical, jagged, entirely new, not a bit like anything on TV. The Strictly audience would have been completely at sea. Harry is in ag because it’s all been done before, beauty’s old hat yet the perf goes on and beauty and shape with supreme struggle can be wrested forth. Nobody knows what Harry’s given for his Art. Stephan Jaëger too, who was in the perf and hooped and whooped as you wouldn’t believe. But he is never at home  because of performing so is terribly behind with home improvement.

There was an after-party so we were supremely late for the restaurant which had to fling itself open again at closing time. About twenty sat down then another ten mega-figures surged in and staff were required to shower them with true pork scratchings. I sat next to Harry but he was so fêted I never saw him except as a torso whirling in the other direction. Red wine began to pour down from above. Rufus Pitman was on my other side being superb. He always poses a question to which the answer is something you never knew before. More red wine cascaded down. Stephan Jaëger cuddled up somehow (Harry must have moved). He said, ‘Maybe one day, maybe, maybe I’ll meet the Multis.’ He reads the Poor Little Rich Gays, you see, but unusually does not know those Poor Little Rich Gays.

A world-class Opera Director said, ‘You’ll have so much to put into your Poor Little Rich Gays after tonight.’ Oh dear! What did Rufus say? I then myself performed, at Stephan’s request, my version of the Chinese Opera, which I saw at Sadler’s Wells in 1987. It is a strange cat-sound accompanied by ferocious banging on the backs of saucepans which I can suggest with voice. By rights, the one miaowing should be doing a water-colour of a paeony at the same time.

More red wine. Miss Lamore Cellina loomed. She’s gone off her own cabaret – tragic since it was brill. Also has been at Aldeburgh. But we agreed that Britten is finished, never to be performed again.

Otherwise, can’t remember a thing. So irresponsible and awful.

Posted Thursday, November 14, 2013 under Adrian Edge day by day.

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