Day Two: Bay Area Stage

What does a theatre practitioner do when they arrive in a city? They check out the theatre scene! Or in this case, 'theater scene'. I ask Reception where I might find information about 'what's on'. My concierge is not very helpful and suggests I go online and look under Bay Area Stage. The computer room is at capacity, so I decide to walk around and get my bearings, and a decent cup of coffee (OK, I know wishful thinking but I'm an optimist).

My hotel is situated in the arts district cheek by jowl to literally hundreds of art galleries, large and small. I pass exhibitions of Picasso, Miro and Chagall and contemporary American artists I'm not familiar with,  before I end up in Union Square looking up at Macy's department store, which in itself is a work of art. In the Square is an open air exhibition of local artists and off to the left is the Half Price Tix stand.

I go over and look at the programme of evening performances. I had done some research before arriving in San Francisco and knew that ACT (The American Conservatory Theater) was presenting Pinter's  The Homecoming but I'm not a fan of museum theatre and am searching out the local scene. I ask at the counter what's good and quickly learn the ACT is the only professional theater in the Bay Area, other than the commercial Broadway shows. Nearby, a nattily dressed man is talking up a show he has produced to a group of people, but when I enquire further, I learn it's showing on the other side of the harbour. I'm looking for something within walking distance of my hotel.

There's Shopping - the musical! a madcap look at America's second favorite therapy and a list of other unremarkable productions by pro-am companies. The two most promising productions by independents are completely sold out.  A.C.T. has an international reputation and boasts a fully professional resident company of players. This type of theatre company is a dying breed, so I concede and pay USD 60 to attend the Pinter. I'm advised to arrive fifteen minutes before the show.

On my way back to the hotel I see a Starbucks. Not my usual choice of coffee fix, and why would I when in Wellington has any number of excellent local coffee houses within the same block, but I know they sell espresso coffee and there's no gratuity required. It's packed and the line is long. A young man suggests I take a seat and wait. I do and when things quieten down, finally get an Americano . I find myself  amongst a group of people all beavering away on laptops. I assume I'll be left alone but that's not the case. A conversation starts and I learn I'm sitting in the midst of a start-up company of web designers. They all come to Starbucks for the coffee, community and collaboration, they tell me.

They ask about Christchurch once they know where I'm from. They're concerned. They know all about earthquakes. They know all about Wetta Digital. I'd like to stay and chat but I have pre-course reading to finish. My new group of friends tell me The Homecoming is the right choice. It's had rave reviews; not that anyone has seen it!

There are a number of things I notice on reaching the theatre at 7.45pm. Firstly, there are plaques everywhere dedicated to benefactors. "The Grand Stairway - a generous gift from Burt and Deedee McMurty". In the auditorium every seat has been purchased by a patron. I'm sitting courtesy of Harry E. Weaver. The bar downstairs displays over 15 honour boards dedicated, but not limited to, long lists of names: corporate partners, company sponsors, distinguished benefactors, patrons, underwriters, investors, memorial and tribute gifts, government and foundation members. Then there are the honour boards for different campaigns; The Geary Theater Refurbishment Campaign, Members of the Next Generation Campaign - hundreds and hundreds of names. You can become an Executive Producer for 25K-50K, a Producer for 10K-25K or an Associate Producer for 5K-10K, the payoff being your name listed in the programme credits or, for a price, you can sponsor a director or a playwright. The programme has seven pages dedicated to all these people!

I also notice there is no espresso coffee and all wine is served in plastic cups!

The theatre itself is reminiscent of the St James Theatre. It's a traditional set-up with three levels and lots of gold detailing, a central ornamented dome and a huge red curtain which looks 100 years old. The company is celebrating it's 40th anniversary (a mere baby!). I sit next to a couple of theatre buffs. They know everyone who is anyone and rave about the 'on the couch' series where the play is dissected by a group of leading psychoanalysts. Nothing is left unturned, they tell me.

The couple complain bitterly when the curtain rises at 8.05pm.

The other thing I notice is the audience is predominately white and middle class. I count five people of whom are not anglo and one of these is an usher. This certainly does not reflect what I have experienced since my arrival in the country. In fact, we landed simultaneously with two flights from China and one from India. The Air New Zealand passengers were a motley crew of pale Aussies, Kiwis and returning Yanks. We were definitely in the minority. At immigration, the DVD welcomes visitors (we are no longer termed aliens) and promotes multi-cultural USA. The PR has stepped up since Obama took over the White House and the commitment from the National Border Control Law Enforcement Officers is 'respect, professionalism and a warm welcome'.

Outside the theatre, a barber shop quartet of homeless, black gospel singers entertained patrons for at least an hour before curtain up and made a killing. Once inside, I felt like I'd slipped back in time.
ACT is the the Bay Area's premier theater and while this maybe true, they don't know how to play Pinter. Okay, I expected the bad accents, lack of irony or basic understanding of the British class system - and don't get me on the set design! - but I had forgotten what I learnt a long time ago while studying theatre arts in New York, American actors don't know how to play subtext! And given the pauses in Pinter, this meant a long evening in the theatre. Needless to say, I left at interval and I was not the only one.

I respect and understand the role Pinter plays in the history of theatre practice. I respect that he is a Nobel Laureate (as is Patrick White) and I understand his plays, in their time, were ground-breaking. But it's just not what turns me on. His view of the world has been surpassed and primarly I'm interested in the  next vanguard work or set of emerging trends to appear on the horizon.