1 An end-of-day train packed with commuters, standing-room only. I had a more enjoyable reason, however, for being onboard the Windsor and Eton train than getting home. It was the official opening night for Accolade, a play written in the 1950s by Emlyn Williams about a to-be-knighted author with a penchant for brothels and sex parties that threatens to unravel his world. It’s at the Theatre Royal Windsor in a production directed by Sean Mathias. Better still, the other half is in it.Windsor is dominated by the rising walls of the castle and the theatre sits on Thames Street, a road that wraps its arm around one side of the royal residence. And while Eton is just across the water, don’t get too carried away with painting pictures of genteel Britain in your mind – this arc of retail is dominated by burger chains and pizza joints. I was hoping that at least one of the kebab shops would have a royal warrant but it seems that the king has little hankering for a shawarma wrap.The Edwardian theatre, however, has a nice façade, and is all red velvet and charming details inside. And, on a Wednesday evening, the hum of people having a swift G&T before a night of entertainment showed that it has a good following too. Anyway, this isn’t a column about improving British high streets or even a theatre review.I have seen David in many plays over the years and have envied the ease at how a company of actors can come together, how they can develop a level of trust and connection that might take years to engender in some businesses, no matter how many team-building exercises on a windswept moor you drag them on. When rehearsals began in London, David knew none of these actors. Now, as I observed him at the first-night party, it was all beaming, genuine bonhomie (the show went very well, by the way, and is filled with talent).And there’s something else: seeing people do the thing that they are good at. Being an actor can be a slow path to wealth and security but it brings people alive in a way that’s compelling to observe. In life it’s easy to drift away from your passions, to compromise, to let go, but seeing the other half so happy was a good reminder to be true to what you enjoy.