In a pandemic-hobbled season of small shows, this was reminiscent of a normal year's big weekend shows, almost all of which have been canceled this season. Click the link below. It's unlikely you'll see a show anywhere near the size of this one before the season ends.
The Northside Grille, host of the cruise night, had set out picnic tables under a tarp with plenty of space for social distancing. I've been reluctant to eat food prepared at car shows or in restaurants all this season, but at the Northside Grille for the first time, with its spacious outdoor accommodations and employees all wearing masks, I judged to be safe and ordered a lobster roll.
My photos, featuring some fine '50s icons, can be seen at this link:
We were finally directed in an orderly fashion to pre-assigned seating, spaced well apart by groups, a group being several related or otherwise connected individuals or as few as one. Face masks must be worn throughout the performance. Theater employees, but not actors, are required to wear masks. The "Winni" deserves our gratitude for their efforts to make desperately-needed entertainment in this dismal season safe and enjoyable.
There was no relaxing of the Winni's production values and professionalism. This play ranks up there with the best they've ever produced. The actors do not wear masks or observe social distancing from each other but are safely distanced from the first theater row. They're tested for COVID and confined to their own living quarters during each performance run.
The current play is entitled "Or," (the comma is part of the title) by Liz Duffy Adams. Under the direction of Aileen Wen McGroddy, three of the Winni's most talented actors appeared in a comic take on 1660's England. London is recovering from the Great Fire and — how timely — a plague! Aphra Behn, a former spy, has just been released from debtors' prison and is intent on becoming England's first woman playwright. Charles II is King. That much is true. The rest is from Adams' fertile, bawdy imagination.
Rebecca Tucker is Aphra in a tour de force performance, rushing to get her play done in a day while balancing her gay relationship with Nell Gwynne (Haley Jones), heterosexual affair with King Charles (Nicholas Wilder) and a surprise appearance by former lover William Scott (also played by Wilder), who may or may not be involved in a plot to murder the king. Besides her role as Nell, Jones also played the maid, as well as Lady Davenant whose scenery-eating turn caused the audience to break into spontaneous applause.
The outdoor stage was perfectly built to support the play's costume-changing, door-slamming antics. The 17th Century costumes were brilliantly designed by DW along with associate designer Jennifer Paar, and there were many of them with the three actors playing six roles. Scenic design was by Gwen Elise Higgins. Nick Cochran has a minor role as the jailer.
The Winni has another outdoor play scheduled, then they move indoors for one more. If you go, plan ahead for the drive, questionnaire and strictly regulated seating, plays from one and a half to two hours without intermission, wearing a mask for the whole time, and the drive home. Frequently sanitized restrooms are available through a theater side entrance. Not exactly a casual theater experience, but personally I thought it was worth the minor inconvenience to see a live play again. Thank you, Winnipesaukee Playhouse!
I took a few photos of the few cars that interested me, thinking I probably wouldn't end up with enough to make a page out of. But cars kept drifting in, and eventually about 60 to 70 filled the lot. There were the usual muscle cars and customs that have dominated every show this season, but also a number of cars from the mid-20th Century and a 1923 Model T Ford, overall as good a mix as any show this year.
Near the end of the show, ominous clouds darkened the sky. They rushed through trophy presentation, and just about completed it when rain started coming down in buckets, causing a rush to the exits. A few convertibles didn't get their tops up in time.
So the show I was afraid wouldn't fill a page on my site ended up filling two pages. You can see them all at this link:
I was able to get all the photos I wanted before noon, then made the 40-minute drive south to Manchester for Salute the Troops Car & Motorcycle Show, hosted by JAK Kustoms, on the banks of the Merrimack River, under the Notre Dame Bridge in the old mill district. This a smaller show, but still featured some interesting vehicles and many good photo ops.
Photos of Hot Rods, Muscle & More can be seen at this link:
https://www.linwoodstreet.com/hotrodmuscle/
Photos and a video from Salute the Troops are at this link:
