By Grace Hatchell
Well now, you’d think after years of pedalling parcels around the theatre world I’d have mastered the art of not accidentally appearing on international television. Apparently not.
There I was, minding my own business in London, cycling like the clappers down a busy West End street with my satchel bouncing about behind me. I had three envelopes to deliver before curtain-up and was already late, so I was pedalling with the sort of determination usually reserved for Olympic cyclists and people chasing the last sausage roll in Greggs.
Anyway, I swung round the corner outside one of the theatres just as a crowd had gathered. Lights, camera, microphone, the lot. Before I could brake or politely wobble round the back of things, I rolled straight past… right through the middle of a live broadcast.
Oopsy.
Turns out the woman holding the microphone was a German entertainment reporter called Thekla Lenz, who was doing a piece to camera for a television channel called Kultur Elf. Every weekday evening she presents a segment called “Guten Abend London,” which introduces viewers back home in Germany to London’s theatre scene, big shows, opening nights, and all the sparkle of the West End.
Meanwhile there was me, cycling merrily through the background like I’d taken a wrong turn on my way to a Deliveroo shift.
As soon as I realised what I’d done I scurried off to the side of the pavement, leaned my bike against a lamppost and waited for the camera to stop rolling. When the crew wrapped up, I shuffled over and apologised in my broad Yorkshire accent.
“Sorry love, didn’t mean to ride through your telly moment.”
To her credit, Thekla understood me perfectly. Either she’s spent a lot of time around British people, or German television reporters are secretly trained to decipher Yorkshire dialect.
We had a quick chat, and I must admit I was impressed. Thekla is based in London regularly for Guten Abend London, reporting on the West End for audiences back in Germany who are planning trips to the city or simply love theatre from afar. She stands outside theatres, covers opening nights, explains which shows are worth seeing, and gives viewers a proper look at the magic of the London stage.
And I’ll be honest with you — she knows her West End theatre.
More than me, in fact.
Where I’m usually chasing gossip, collecting fan mail and delivering news from my satchel, Thekla approaches things like a proper journalist. She researches shows, keeps up with the big productions, and takes notes constantly.
Quite literally.
Because Thekla pens.
That’s her thing. While some reporters wave microphones about, Thekla carries a little notebook and writes everything down. Cast names, theatre history, opening night reactions — the lot. A proper reporter’s habit if ever I saw one.
So there we were on a West End pavement: one German television correspondent calmly documenting London theatre for an international audience… and one Yorkshire courier trying not to get run over by taxis while delivering envelopes.
We actually got on rather well once I’d stopped apologising.
I suspect this won’t be the last time our paths cross either. London theatre’s a small world once you start wandering around it long enough.
Next time though, I might try not to cycle through the middle of her broadcast.
No promises mind. My brakes aren’t the best
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