THE EFFEMINATE MICHEL POLNAREFF

F R I D A Y,  1 0  F E B

'S.L.C.' came today, so of course I took it to school. At dinner break Anya and me read all about Michel Polnareff and were pleasantly surprised - he’s not half as bad as we made him out to be...! Still, with his peaky nose and long blond hair, he's the most effeminate man we have ever seen. We took turns in reading it out aloud and understood most of it. Fab photos of Jacques Dutronc in Mexico, and some photos of Antoine (who's now got a fringe and I don't like it.) 

All allowed to go home at three because of half term.

Changed into bloomy dress and at 6.30 we left for Leatherhead Theatre. Daddy thinks my dress is too short for a bloomy style. I see what he means, but actually it looks just right.

“Had pâté, roast pork, and apple pie in the supper room and at 7.30 ‘The Critic’ by Sheridan began ”

Of course it was marvellous. The play is set in the late 18th century and it's a great change to see Georgian clothes instead of Victorian - the only other plays I've seen set outside the Victorian period are Shakespeare's, and 'The Alchemist' by Ben Johnson. The theme is very clever. In the first act you have Puff discussing the tragedy he's just written, with Dangle and Sneer; in the second act you're taken behind the scenes and see the play being rehearsed as they watch from a box. Terribly original idea, and very imaginatively done, with marvellous scenery and everything.

The main 'stage manager' was acted by the man who was Oswald in the pantomime, and another main character was the Queen of Hearts in the panto! At dinner this evening he bumped into me; he was terribly nice.

Went to bed at 11 with a bit of a sore throat.