So I had a Plan B. And my Plan B was to take myself back to the Udderbelly Festival, where there's a new acrobatics show - A Simple Space. There is a Time Out offer on this show if you book by midnight next Saturday, but they didn't have tickets for tonight. Rats! Apart from that, there was no trouble in getting a ticket - no need to book, although perhaps weekends are busier, and certainly no need to go to an expensive reseller! Check the official website first - there were plenty of unoccupied seats tonight, and apart from the Time Out offer, nobody is offering cheaper tickets.
So I took myself into town after my eye test. When I disembarked at Embankment, I saw the river exit was closed - I guess they're doing maintenance on the bridge at that point. No problem - just take the other exit, head left under the bridge, and left again, and take the stairs to the pedestrian bridge on the other side. Which is the side the Udderbelly Festival is on anyway. And I did have a different view from the usual one..
Also, having a breather between climbing out of the Tube and climbing onto the bridge made all the difference.. much easier!
From this side, you see the box office long before you come down from the bridge. I got a ticket, and made my way into the area in front of the purple tent, where the show is. The other headline circus show, Limbo, is playing in the Spiegeltent, well signposted to the left. And while I'm at it, let me give that show another plug.. I saw it last year, it's back by popular demand, and it is terrific! Anarchic, daring, unexpected, and great fun. I can't recommend it highly enough. Check out my blog post of 28th June last for more info. Running until 17th August.
Anyway! The last time I was at the Udderbelly, earlier this year, was something of a disaster. I had a hot dog, which I hated, and saw a show, which I loathed. Let me reassure you first off that tonight was much better. Couldn't really be otherwise, eh? I avoided the hot dogs and queued for a burger. It was a long queue, and I spent ages mulling over the menu, until I finally got close enough to see the burgers that were being brought out. Err.. I do not know when I have seen such insipid-looking burgers. The buns were tiny, and did a pathetic job of covering the fillings. I didn't actually know they did burger buns that small! Also, the place was packed and there was nowhere to sit, which meant that I'd have to eat standing up - which was a consideration, given that there was no bun to hold in the various bits. I just had chips. Which were very good, I'm glad to say. And I didn't need the little container of ketchup I asked her for.
It didn't take me long to eat that, and I mulled it over, and finally decided to have a glass of wine. There wasn't much else to do. There are three bars in situ - one exclusively for Pimm's, one that seemed to do beer and spirits, and a third that looked more my style. So I went up there and decided, from the drinks list over the bar, what I wanted. And then I waited. And waited. For the slowest bartender in history. Before he even acknowledged my existence, they were announcing that people should start to queue for A Simple Space, so I gave up and went to queue. And when they finally opened the doors, I discovered I was in the wrong queue. 'Twould have been handy to have someone tell us from the start there was a priority queue..!
Never mind, when I went in - given that I was on my own - I scored a seat in the very front row, albeit at a corner and with a lighting post right in my view - there's one at each corner. But they're slim and it's not too much of a distraction. Now, the title gives it away - there is nothing on stage at this point. Eventually, the acrobatic troupe comes on - seven young Australian acrobats and a musician, who plays at the side throughout. Collectively, they go by the moniker of Gravity & Other Myths. :-)
My, how acrobatics have changed since I was a kid! Gone are the spangly costumes, gone are the safety nets. In their place, we are treated to shows that are ever new and daring. All they care about is pushing themselves beyond the conventional and into the exceptional. Beware, for this show, though - if you're in the front row, you could find yourself a participant! There's a bit where they fix you with their beady eyes.. and next thing you know, you're encouraged to go on stage. And have someone hover above you, then walk on you.
No, not me - but the guy two seats away, for instance. Mind you, we all got to participate later on, when they all did handstands and we all had to throw balls at them, to see who could endure it the longest! All about competition, this show. There's a competition to see who can hold their breath the longest. There's a competition to see who can do the most backflips. There's a competition - a real crowd-pleaser, this - where three guys are skipping. They skip in unison, faster and faster, until one stumbles, trips on the rope, or whatever. And then he has to remove an item of clothing. And they start again, until it happens again. Each is wearing three items of clothing - a top, shorts, briefs. So, three strikes and you're out.. and they do continue until someone gets three strikes..! And THEN - he's made to do 10 skips in the nip. I won't tell you how they do it, but it is family-friendly. Honest!
They seem a jolly crew, and it's all very good-humoured. But my, they have a terrific level of technical skill. There's a lot of balancing on other people's body parts, there are a lot of human statues, with all different angles experimented with. And the bit where they swing the girls around.. ooh la la! We screamed, we laughed, we cheered! And we gave them a standing ovation. And what's more, they're hanging around outside afterwards, handing out flyers and pushing t-shirts. Good on 'em! Yes, guys, I'll HAPPILY spread the word. Go see, go see, go see. Pity they don't have a double deal with Limbo - they're both shows not to miss. This one runs until the 6th July.
Tomorrow? The Scoop beckons.. the show is a comedic history of Britain, sounds good. And if the weather holds, it'll be terrific! And it's free.. On Friday, Helen and I are heading to the zoo, which is doing "lates". We got half price tickets with yet another Time Out offer. Booking essential - these are popular. On Saturday, I may just swing by the Naked Bike Ride (all in the sake of protest against fossil fuels, natch!) At any rate, I have something to do that evening - ShowFilmFirst is playing a blinder these days, and I have a free ticket to Dreams of the Orient, a dance production, on in Fairfield Halls in Croydon again - the third time they've sent me there!
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