Memphis

It stayed in the low 50sF all morning (Wednesday) with steady rain. It was a good morning, after a week of being hard working New york tourists, to stay in and get some washing done. We eventually did set out in the cold and the rain, catching the line 1 train up to 42nd Street where we spent a bit of time at Barnes & Noble (on Fifth Avenue) and a casual lunch stop at Le Mirage Cafe on W43rd Street.

In an inspired move we'd booked our tickets to a matinee performance of a Broadway show today, the Tony Award (2010) winning musical, Memphis. Memphis was staged in the old Shubert Theatre on W44th Street, a designated New York City landmark, no doubt because of its over the top interior decor (dating from 1913) and the fame brought to it by its longest running tenant A Chorus Line (which ran for 15 years).

This afternoon's show ran to a packed house, of mostly grey haired New York seniors, but it was FANTASTIC. Set in the 50s it tells a story about the birth of rock and roll in the Deep South, including the racial discrimination that marked the era.

We were very privileged to experience this remarkable show with its very strong cast of mostly African American performers with a full live "orchestra" backing.

This is my only photo taken today - and I got into trouble for taking it, at interval. It doesn't really capture the (faded) opulence of this theatre. The whole of the Broadway district was packed today. There are so many shows running and yet all the theatres are busy!