Monday 29 February 2016

Play: What I Learned from Johnny Bevan

Honestly, I had no idea what What I Learned from Johnny Bevan was about when I booked it - I had a brief read of the Soho Theatre's description, it seemed to be about New Labour, and with this venue and Let's Do London - for Less! organising.. yeah, I booked. No-brainer. Love the place, love the group. Frankly, it'd take U2 playing in town to top that combo. Whatever it was..

Back in Ireland, there was a general election last Friday - Labour was in coalition in the outgoing government, and, as is the way with outgoing governments, got a suitable drubbing. No, actually, that was their coalition partners - Labour were massacred. Perhaps people expected more of them; there's a general belief that Labour stands for something more than the general impression of politicians as self-serving, vote-grabbing fat cats. When a government that includes Labour lets them down, then, people take it a bit personally.. how much more so in the UK, where Labour had the chance to go it alone? And take the blame alone..

I was in Guildford today, but bless 'em, my passengers are becoming better trained at leaving on time, and traffic was blissfully light! (And driving is so much cooler now that I'm getting used to the London lanes!) So I got back in plenty of time. Arrived on the platform at Clapham Junction just as a train to Vauxhall was boarding, arrived there to an announcement that the Victoria Line had minor delays. Not too bad, it seemed - although I just missed one, there was another right along. And when I disembarked, I strolled happily to the theatre, confident that - for once - I was in time. Hell, the Man with the Hat even remarked on how early I was..!

I was even in time to chat briefly to my co-attendees.. when did that last happen? Anyhoo, after a bit we made our way (all the way) upstairs, and took seats - I ended up front row centre (seating being unassigned, as usual). All the better to read the large screen, which had the show title projected on it. And there was a stool. And that was it.

It started a few minutes late - is there a show in London that doesn't? And then our star appeared. As previously mentioned, I didn't know what to expect - I didn't expect what I got, for sure. Luke Wright comes on like a hurricane, machine-gunning words at the audience in what seems like stream-of-consciousness, but obviously isn't. And tells us the story of Johnny Bevan, a staunch believer in New Labour, in front of a changing backdrop of images, projected on the screen.

It occurred to me that this is the third thing in a row I've been to that is word-based: first, storytelling, then a performance of Battlefield, which owed more to storytelling than to play writing. Now, a passionate description of shattered hopes, fired at us in verse, practically nonstop for an hour or so. The closest reference I had to it was Lose Yourself.. he was electrifying as he prowled the stage, I couldn't take my eyes from him. And sitting in the front row, you'd better prepare to be shouted over..!

Loved it. Seriously impressed - bought the book, for a tenner, on the way out. Runs till the 12th - go see! Most exciting thing I've seen in a long time.. pretty full, especially for a Monday - booking might be advisable for weekends.

Afterwards, we repaired - as usual - to the upstairs of The Nellie Dean, where we commandeered the sofa in the corner and drank and talked until we were done drinking and talking. Well, it was a Monday, I guess.. we didn't stay very late.

Tomorrow is film again.. the ICA (haven't been there in a while!) is showing the BAFTA-nominated shorts. One of them - Prologue - won the Oscar for best animated short.. was going to go to those, but they sold out some time this afternoon / evening! Ah well.. Instead, I'm heading to Deadpool. My local cinema, and a nice, late showing so I can get free parking. Looks like fun! On Wednesday, I'm headed to the Chinese Lantern festival at Chiswick House.. hope I can find my camera.

Thursday should've been London Dramatic Arts (LDAM) - I actually do have a ticket for Hangmen, at the National, which they're going to. But the organiser went into such a sulk over me getting my own ticket for that - honestly, I must've got the last ticket that was cheaper than what she had - which blossomed into a full-blown row over my blog, and posting links to ticket resellers in it.. So she banned me from linking to my blog on her pages, and frankly, when the Man with the Hat advertised The Young Visiters, at the Tabard (with his other group, London for Less Than a Tenner).. I booked that, and am going to that instead. I'd much rather. Pity my other ticket will go to waste, but what the hey. Only thing is, I'm driving from Guildford again, and have to stay a bit later that day.. pray to the Traffic Gods!

Friday and Saturday are LDAM again. On Friday, I'm going with them to The Mother, starring Gina McKee, at The Tricycle.. and on Saturday, to Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, at the National. For the latter, I didn't get my ticket with them - but that's acceptable to her, since her tickets were sold out at the time. So I'm semi-officially going with them. Ironically, they do now have a ticket available, and a better - and cheaper - one than I have. Ah well.

On Sunday, none of my Meetup groups had anything interesting, so I'm piggybacking on an event of the Russians in London group - I don't really want to join the group, but the balalaika concert at Rossotrudnichestvo in Kensington sounds interesting, so I'm going to that solo. On Monday, I'm back with LDAM, for a performance of Uncle Vanya, at the Almeida - their second trip, and a Q&A after.

On Tuesday of next week, I'm back with London for Less Than a Tenner, for a comedy night for a change, at the Star of Kings. Wednesday of next week, I'm headed to a Trans-Siberian March Band concert at Rich Mix, with the London European Club - again, I was interested in going with LDAM that night, but they're going to the St. James Theatre, whose legroom is a bit tight for me; I did ask whether she had any aisle seats, and she said she'd get back to me, but never did. What the hey, Miss Atomic Bomb didn't sound great anyway.

On Thursday of next week, I'm back at Rich Mix for a concert by Iness Mezel. - I've signed up for that jointly with London European Club and the World Music Meetup. Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again, followed by the Crick Crack Club on the 14th, who are back at Soho Theatre for an evening of storytelling entitled UniVerse - as ever with these, booking essential; they always sell out. On the 15th, I'm with Let's Do London - for Less! again, as they head to Cyrano de Bergerac at Southwark Playhouse - another of the Man with the Hat's preferred venues, and another good one.

On the 16th, I got a cheap ticket to a concert by the Coppell High School Band, at the Central Hall, Westminster. A new venue for me! Cool, I do like to keep discovering them. On the 17th, Kensington Classical Music is off to a concert by the Trio Isimsiz - you had to get your own ticket, though, then pay extra to join the group at the concert. Huh. I'll avoid them, and the extra charge - have to be discreet though, I believe it's a small room! It's at the 1901 Arts Club - another first for me.

On the 18th, I'm joining Spooky London for their monthly spooky pub night! Wherever it is. If I actually go. And on the 19th, I'm back with the Crick Crack Club, for an event entitled Seven Princesses - at Rich Mix, which will be my first event there with them.

Thursday 25 February 2016

Play: Battlefield

Oo-er, back with London Dramatic Arts tonight for the first time since the war of words that included banning me from posting the link to my blog on their site! All because I posted a link to London Box Office in one of my blog posts, having got a cheaper ticket from them. Well, I didn't have a good alternative for tonight, and I'd have to meet them eventually - so off I went. Tonight's play was in the Young Vic, which is delightfully convenient to Clapham Junction - grab a train to Waterloo, find the exit for bus stop C and it's a short walk - and one I already knew. Google Maps said the whole trip should take just over 20 mins.

Lovely - I got home in plenty of time, and set off in plenty of time; the organiser had said she'd be in the upstairs bar of the Young Vic from 7 to 7.15 or so (for a 7.30 start). I'd make that.. arriving in Clapham Junction station, I checked the London departure board: Victoria, Victoria.. Waterloo in 2 mins, from Platform 4! Well, that was right beside me; I scuttled up the stairs and made the platform at the same time as the train, which turned out to have been delayed - someone had pulled the passenger alarm further down the line. Suited me perfectly..

In Waterloo, I don't doubt there are other ways down to Waterloo Road, but damned if I'm going looking for them. I know one exit, and that exit I will use! Stairs down to the Jubilee Line in the centre of the station, hang a right at the bottom and the exit is straight ahead. Out the door, turn right and walk to the crossroads, with the Old Vic on the other side; hang a left there, the Young Vic is a bit further down on the left. I remember being very surprised when I first found out how close together they are..

The Young Vic was bedlam. Usually is, in fact - the bar is popular, and I don't think exclusively with theatregoers. I could barely get through the lobby - fought my way upstairs, couldn't see anyone I knew in the upstairs bar. Walked all the way through, and when I saw someone go out on the terrace - well, despite the cold of the night, I thought, maybe.. and when I went outside, saw her coming towards me.

Now, I've known her for a little while, and frankly, she does mean well, but can be extraordinarily tactless. Which, I think, was the cause of much of what she said on the group's pages - most of which was subsequently deleted. Well, on balance I don't want to leave the group, and tactlessness isn't, after all, a hanging offence (yet!) and I wasn't going to foster any awkwardness - so I greeted her with a big hug, which was reciprocated, and that was ok. More or less. She gave me my ticket and went off to deal with the other tickets - it was getting close to the deadline for people to collect the remaining ones from the box office, I think - and I went down to where she directed me and had an interesting chat with the group members there about ticket prices.. and Meetup fees.. Honestly, I didn't choose the topic!

Surprisingly, for such a cold night it wasn't that cold on the terrace - but after a bit, we decided to go and find our seats. Unusually for this group, we were scattered about the auditorium - four of us on one side, her on the other; I don't know where the remainder went. All seats are good here anyway, with a good view and good legroom, and we had plenty of time to peruse the stage - very bare, just a bongo drum and some poles for ornamentation, a couple of things to sit on.

The play was Battlefield, based on the Mahabharata. So it surprised me somewhat that the first person on stage looked Chinese.. he turned out to be the drummer, taking a seat and drawing the drum to him. And at first, I had no idea what to make of what happened next. And then I realised - this was closer to storytelling than a play! Should've recognised it - jeez, only last night I was at a storytelling session.. That settled, I could enjoy it.

And enjoy it I did - from the sensual drumming to the pared-back stage; I love minimalism in theatre (no wonder I'm such a fan of Beckett), it allows me to concentrate on the essence of the thing. I also love how you can imagine a pared-back production working in any setting, practically no props. Simpler. And the only essential difference between this and what I was at last night was that a number of different people were playing different parts - otherwise, you had the telling of a story for the sake of the story, the rhythm of the words, the rhythm of the drum in the background..

They were inventive with the use of what little they had on stage, of course, and I thought they really evoked the stories. Stories I wasn't familiar with, but what harm.. they wove their own spell, and I really enjoyed it. Funnily enough, at the end they all sat on stage in silence for what seemed like an eternity, until the lights seemed to brighten a bit and we started to clap - hesitantly.. earning a smirk, I thought, from one of the cast. Still not sure whether they were really finished at that point..

Outside, I lost track of everyone - we found each other eventually, just four of us staying on for a drink. Except the Young Vic was still manic - we figured we must find somewhere better locally, so we went exploring. In the cold. Rounded the corner past the Old Vic - and right around the back of it, we found an unassuming sign for Waterloo Bar + Kitchen. Turned out to be a restaurant - lovely, we were all hungry! And four of us was the perfect number for a meal. So we took a table.

One had a salad, two had lamb, I fancied a steak; they had sirloin or rib-eye - I had sirloin. And never has a simple plate of steak & chips (with garlic butter) tasted so good - I was starving. Extensive wine list, and reasonable prices. The sweet potato fries were so popular that three servings were ordered. And as the others decided they'd like more drinks, I took the opportunity to try the fascinating-sounding double chocolate brownie. With ice cream & hot chocolate sauce. Which I can highly recommend. And which kept me very happy, while two of my party practically came to blows, debating the Brexit from opposite sides. Some opinionated people we have in this group..

When we finally left (no doubt the very obliging staff were relieved!), gee, it was still freezing cold. We all returned to Waterloo, where we made our separate ways home. And tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend. On Monday I'm back with Let's Do London - for less!, who are off to Soho Theatre for What I Learned From Johnny Bevan. More politics.. yippee! ;-)

Fairytales for Grownups: Telling the Blues

I try to get to the Crick Crack Club events when I can, and indeed, since they always sell out, I also book as early as I can. So it was with Fairytales for Grownups: Telling the Blues - especially given the audience reaction when it was announced. It was also nice when the London European Club announced they were going too - more people to talk to! So I signed up with both.

The Forge isn't exactly close to me, but I was back from Guildford in good time, and easily made the Overground - the cheapest way to get there by public transport. And my journey was somewhat enlivened by a preacher - got on, started to remind us all of the necessity of preparation for Eternity. Leaving the station, I made extra good time walking to the venue - the freezing cold lent me better wings than Red Bull ever could! Inside, I soon saw the LEC, sat in the bar area - someone had ordered food, so they were waiting for that before going in. I was talking to her later - seems she ordered fully half an hour before start time, and all she ordered seemed to be chips or similar.. it was nearly start time when they arrived! Moral of the story - even if you only want a snack, don't order anything within an hour of show time, here.. although mind you, you can bring food and drink into the theatre.

Of course, it was sold out, and seating is snug - I got myself a seat by the wall, as usual. Our performers for the night were Jan Blake, again, and Matt Chandler on guitar - he played the odd blues track, accompanying her singing: and despite her disclaimer at the start, what a wonderful, soulful, blues singer she turned out to be!

We were treated to some wonderful stories of the Deep South - some of slavery, some of witchcraft. And her rich style wove a magical world for us.. some disliked the sad theme of many of the stories, but as she reminded us, she was "telling the blues"! And she did leave us on what you might call a climax, as promised - recounted in a Jamaican accent; I believe her parents are Jamaican, so that'd be where she researched that. A terrific night, as always with Jan Blake, and with the Crick Crack Club. It's lovely that the LEC came - some of them were new to this kind of event, and I hope they come to some more.. so many people don't even know that storytelling events take place regularly in London.

By the interval, my tummy was grumbling, so I went in search of food - again, though, there didn't seem to be snacks readily available - you had to order something from the kitchen, and that would've taken too long - so I had a glass of wine instead, once I'd clarified to the barman that no, I asked for white, not red.. After the show, nobody seemed inclined to hang around, so I scurried back to the station on winged feet again, in the bitter cold. If you're travelling by Overground after 9pm, you can't get a direct train to Clapham Junction from points further north or east than Willesden Junction - so I had to change there, and had the bad luck to catch the train that gets there 25 mins before the Clapham Junction train! So it was a cold, cold journey.. and home after bedtime again.

Tonight, I'm back with London Dramatic Arts, with whom I'd booked a ticket to Battlefield, at the Young Vic, before all my trouble with them started. It's based on the Mahabharata, apparently. Travelling there should be easy enough - train to Waterloo, and an easy walk from Stop C, which I now know how to find! Back to Ireland at the weekend, then on Monday I'm back with Let's Do London - for less!, who are off to Soho Theatre for What I Learned From Johnny Bevan.

Wednesday 24 February 2016

Play: Orphans

Cool.. another day, another play, courtesy of the Man with the Hat. Let's Do London - for less! were off to Orphans yesterday, in Southwark Playhouse. And so I booked.

I worked from home, so left in good time - the 344 bus would take me directly there, and I caught the one before the one I needed to catch. And off we went, and I was nice and relaxed. Until I realised the damn thing was on diversion.. of course, they never tell you WHERE they're diverting to, so there I was, checking on my phone where exactly we were, as we diverted. Well, I can tell you for sure that we found traffic.. popular diversion, this. Which seemed to consist of toddling off to the end of the road, turning around and coming back. I can only conclude there was a right turn they couldn't take. Anyway, this little diversion cost 15 minutes - just as well I was early.

Also just as well my phone battery lasted - it was nearly out. Anyway, my concern as I got off wasn't that I'd be late - I was in decent time: it was more that, by now, I really needed the toilet (what can I say, when last I bought wine, one of my favourites was on sale, and I'd just finished the bottle..). Trotted up the road, trotted into the theatre, scurried to the back, located the Man, got the ticket, made my excuses, scarpered to the loo. Phew. Made it back in time to sit and turn off my phone, and we made our way in.

It's in the "Little" of the two theatres here, and as you walk in, you see that it's as snug as ever. You have to cross the stage to get to the seats. I grabbed a seat in the second row, near the middle (unassigned, as ever) and as I sat, noticed the fellow staring at a tv in the far corner of the stage. It occurred to me to wonder what exactly he watches, before every show, and whether he varies it..

It's obvious that this is Philip, the younger of the orphaned brothers that are the centre of the plot. When we're introduced to his volatile older brother ("Treat"), the play picks up a notch. Treat is unpredictable, he has a temper, and if you want to feel immersed in the action, the front rows are the place to be when he sparks off. Treat is obviously the boss here, telling his little brother what to do, and shielding him from the Big Bad World. The final character, Harold, is introduced when Treat kidnaps a guy that he figures will fetch a fine ransom. But as the first act closes, we're left wondering who's really in control.. has Treat met his match?

Southwark Playhouse always throws something interesting out there, and I don't think any of us predicted how this would pan out. A constantly evolving story, with strong, engaging characters - this was a hell of a yarn. I'd have loved to know what happened to the characters next.. Recommended. Runs until Saturday week.

I had another wine at the interval, and just couldn't resist one of the chocolate bars they so thoughtfully place right at the end. And we all chatted about how much we were enjoying it - everyone has to leave the auditorium so they can re-dress the stage. Sadly, it does end a wee bit late, and most of our group scarpered afterwards, it being a school night. Interestingly, despite protests from those that remained, they did end up staying for a bit. And we all got to meet Treat! who came out after a bit, and was happy to chat about the play, and the venue. And that is another great thing about this place - the cast generally do hang around the bar for a bit.

A short walk got me to the bus stop, where I had a bloody freezing wait for my bus! Kudos to the Americans who asked whether that was their stop - turned out they wanted the same bus, and they timed it perfectly; the bus arrived shortly after they did. Too late to blog last night - it was already past my bedtime when I got home, given I'm in Guildford today.
Tonight, the Crick Crack Club scheduled another storytelling session, in The Forge - and next thing I knew, The London European Club were coming too! I'd already booked my ticket (they always sell out) - so now I've signed up with both groups. Looking forward to it.. and it'll be nice to have the LEC there, I'll know some people; the Crick Crack Club don't put much emphasis on meeting. Tomorrow, I'm back with London Dramatic Arts, with whom I'd booked a ticket to Battlefield, at the Young Vic, before all the trouble with them started. It's based on the Mahabharata, apparently. Is Battlefield an appropriate name for how the evening will go? We shall see.. Back to Ireland at the weekend, then on Monday of next week I'm back with Let's Do London - for less!, who are off to Soho Theatre for What I Learned From Johnny Bevan.

Monday 22 February 2016

Film: Neerja

Funny, I was just recently discussing Bollywood with someone - and then another Bollywood film pops out on top of my film list! Neerja, based on the true story of a flight attendant who sacrificed herself to save the passengers when her plane was hijacked, looked ok from the trailer. And it's showing in my local cinema - with validation of parking after 7, it looked an attractive option, as long as I worked from home tomorrow, so didn't have to get up too early!

I was home in good time today, with light evening traffic, and had time to eat (for once!) before the 8.20 showing. Blissfully empty streets greeted me on my drive to the cinema - if only it'd been like that this morning. I'd booked in advance, as always cheaper with Cineworld. Got there a bit before the trailers started, to find a guy sitting in the seat I'd booked - no biggie, I took the one on the other side of the aisle. And when the people who'd booked that one arrived (I overheard their conversation), they just sat behind me. The place wasn't terribly full - indeed, the guy in my seat (and his companion) left at the intermission..

Yes, that's one thing about Bollywood, there's always an intermission. And some music and dancing. I've heard a lot that's disparaging about Bollywood - but you know, there's Bollywood and Bollywood, and some of it incorporates Western trends. And these are the films that are more accessible to us Westerners.

So, a hijacking film. Used to be a big thing, plane hijackings - not so any more; this story takes place in 1986. The title character is a part-time model, a gorgeous young woman, and the lead actor bears a good resemblance to the real-life person on whose story this is based.

That's about as much as I knew going in. What did I discover? I had no idea I'd find this film so moving - I hate mawkishness, and am suspicious of over-sentimentality: but we are made to care so much, about Neerja, about her family, and about the passengers and crew, that it's irresistible. Pack the hankies - it's a real weepie. All the characters are given great depth - I was impressed at how only one of the hijackers was depicted as a raving loony - and even knowing the outcome doesn't lessen the suspense. Most of the action takes place on the plane, too, a claustrophobic space guaranteed to ratchet up the tension levels.

I was really impressed. The woman who played Neerja herself is, apparently, receiving great praise, and rightly so - but credit must also go to the woman who plays her mother, who gives possibly the most heart-rendingly believable performance I've ever seen as she stubbornly clings to the belief that her daughter will be ok. Where were the Oscar committee when this came out? She should be a real contender for Best Supporting Actress. Jeez, I don't know when I've cried so much - and there's a scene near the end that reminds me, more than anything else, in its spirit, of that "O Captain, my Captain!" scene at the end of Dead Poets' Society, where the boys all jump up on tables in support of their teacher.

Really touching, really tense - really, why aren't you rushing to a cinema to see it?

Afterwards, I knew my parking would be completely paid for, but wasn't quite sure whether I still needed to insert the card into a pay machine as well as the cinema validation machine. So, in time-honoured tradition, I watched what everyone else was doing. And yes, you do. And Kyrie came on as I drove home - oh, I love Magic FM!

Tomorrow, I'm back with one of my favourites - Let's Do London - for less! is off to see Orphans, at Southwark Playhouse. On Wednesday, the Crick Crack Club scheduled another storytelling session, in The Forge - and next thing I knew, The London European Club were coming too! I'd already booked my ticket - so now I've signed up with both groups. This one, I'll definitely go to.. and it'll be nice to have the LEC there, I'll know some people; the Crick Crack Club don't put much emphasis on meeting. On Thursday, I'm back with London Dramatic Arts, with whom I'd booked a ticket to Battlefield, at the Young Vic, before all the trouble with them started. It's based on the Mahabharata, apparently. It'll be interesting to see whether I'm over-reacting, or whether it really will be that tense to meet them again. Back to Ireland at the weekend, then on Monday of next week I'm back with Let's Do London - for less!, who are off to Soho Theatre for What I Learned From Johnny Bevan.

Sunday 21 February 2016

Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras

Ah, deep joy when I discovered the London European Club was off to see some flamenco last night - and at Sadlers Wells, too, which kind of guarantees quality! But frankly, it'd take a lot to convince me that flamenco wasn't worth going to - I immediately booked. We were all booking our own tickets (oh, how much less hassle that is!) and sat separately, but met both before and after..

After the previous day's spat with London Dramatic Arts, who no longer like me either buying my own tickets for their events, nor linking to my blog - and hence potentially mentioning ticket resellers (shock horror!) - on their pages, I was up very late that night, trying to bite my tongue in the latest blog post, for fear of inflaming things further. So I woke very late yesterday.. at least there were no further comments in the fray. Sadly, the day kind of escaped from me, and I didn't have time to eat properly before I left..

I decided on the fastest way in, which was train to Vauxhall, Victoria Line to King's Cross, Northern Line to Angel - we were to meet at The Angel, across the road from Angel Tube Station. Wouldn't you know it, for once my luck was in and I just caught a train to Vauxhall as it was about to depart! After that, my journey was smooth enough - as it turned out, I beat everyone else to The Angel, and not finding anyone else, was on the point of leaving when the organiser showed up. So we convened at a small, free, table in this busy pub, and drank and chatted until it was time to go.

Sadlers Wells is really only a short walk away, straight down the road and take a right when you see the sign for it. So we hung out in the lobby for a while, where I ran into people I haven't seen in an age! In due course, we made our way upstairs - most of us were in the Second Circle, and boy, do those stairs test your fitness! And yes, when we made it to the right level, there were more steps to climb..

Someone had guessed beforehand that there'd be a lot of Spaniards in the audience - I think they were right. As usual, we started a bit late.. to a full house, it's been sold out for days, at least. The first piece, I wasn't so keen on - the guitar was overpowered by a secondary music track I found unnecessary, and the formation dancing reminded me of Riverdance - which is fine, but gee, I've seen it before. They even have a flamenco section.

I needn't have worried - the rest was spectacular. This was ballet flamenco, and I did wonder what that would mean - in practice, it meant, it seemed, that you got everything you might want from flamenco (olé!) but with a nod to the way it looked - so, some pieces were more consciously balletic, there was plenty of attention to costume and lighting, all movements were choreographed. It looked incredible! Some of the staging was absolutely epic - I particularly noted one scenario with three flamenco dancers in red.

The flamenco itself, of course, was superb. As the evening progressed, it got ever wilder, and the (extremely noisy) crowd picked up on it. Plenty of "Olé"s! The lead dancer (Sara Baras) got a separate standing ovation after an extended solo, some time before the end - but she wasn't the only one worthy of applause. A fantastic night, whether you've seen lots of this before, or it's your first time. This is part of their Flamenco Festival, and I really recommend it if you can swing both the time to see it, and a ticket.. jeez, sometimes I really miss Spain.

Afterwards, our organiser led us to a little place just around the corner, called The Shakespeare's Head. It's been described as "the pub that time forgot" - well yes! Someone remarked that it didn't feel like we were still in London - I remarked that it felt as though we were in a time machine. Call it what you will - it's definitely retro. Service was a little slow, but prices reasonable and the atmosphere was great! A jukebox included modern hits, but the preference of the clientele tended towards the earlier stuff, and it fitted perfectly! Towards the end of the night, what with the heat, the (too-heavy) coat I was wearing, and the lack of food, I was feeling a bit faint; after a short sit-down, I called it a night, and a couple of us made it to the bus stop, just in time for the bus to Waterloo.

A great night - this is a group I enjoy meeting people from, there's quite a variety of people coming to different things, and they're always open to new people and ideas. Now, I was supposed to go to a free gig at the Finsbury tonight - but you know, I'm quite run down, pretty exhausted in fact, what with quarrels and all, and I ain't going anywhere tonight. Particularly with the wind that's been howling outside all day! I've spent the interim revising my film list, ranked in order of IMDB ratings, and the grand winner for tomorrow is.. drum roll please.. Neerja! Yes, it's another Bollywood film - the true story of an Indian flight attendant who gave her life to save her passengers when her plane was hijacked by terrorists, in 1986. I'm sensing a theme of sorts in the Bollywood films I've seen lately, the last being Airlift.. Anyway, it's in my local cinema - which is quite good for Bollywood - and in the evening, so I can drive (they validate parking from 7). I'll work from home next day, so it doesn't matter that it finishes a bit late.

On Tuesday, I'm back with one of my favourites - Let's Do London - for less! is off to see Orphans, at Southwark Playhouse. On Wednesday, the Crick Crack Club scheduled another storytelling session, in The Forge - and next thing I knew, The London European Club were coming too! I'd already booked my ticket - so now I've signed up with both groups. This one, I'll definitely go to.. and it'll be nice to have the LEC there, I'll know some people; the Crick Crack Club don't put much emphasis on meeting. On Thursday, I'm back with London Dramatic Arts, with whom I'd booked a ticket to Battlefield, at the Young Vic, before all this trouble started. It's based on the Mahabharata, apparently. And that won't be a bit awkward, now will it..? Somehow I don't think I'll be hanging around for long after. Back to Ireland at the weekend, then on Monday of next week I'm back with Let's Do London - for less!, who are off to Soho Theatre for What I Learned From Johnny Bevan.

Friday 19 February 2016

Circus Show

I wonder whether this will become a routine - heading to The Aeronaut on a Friday night, on a cheap ticket to the circus show. Well, despite the long journey involved, I know it's a great venue and a great show, so I had no hesitation in booking.

Today should have been an easy day, working from home. Instead, I found myself involved in a most unexpected and unappreciated spat with London Dramatic Arts, the upshot of which is, no links to blog posts (mine, of course) or ticket resellers (mentioned in my blog) are to be entered on the group’s pages any more. No advertising of alternate ticket sources, basically. This is new - the organiser always said, up to very recently, that she was happy for people to buy their own tickets.

Well, this spat does make me feel somewhat persecuted, which is a shame, as I always considered this group friendly. I hope they continue to be - not least because I'm scheduled to attend five more events they're going to, for three of which I bought the tickets from them, and for another of which I've been listed as going with them. Anyway, I've learned my lesson - (a) no more mention of my blog on their pages, and (b) if, and when, I buy my own ticket in future for events that they're attending, no more mention of that on their pages, either!

Well, as I say, all this quite shook me, and I ended up finishing off my bottle of wine - a good idea, it cheered me up a bit. I headed off in time to catch the Overground to Shepherd's Bush, and had the directions from there saved on my phone. Yet again, the #207 was the first to arrive - although the #607 is also an option, I wonder whether it's less frequent. The bus was really crowded. Like last time, the beep when the button was pressed was unpleasantly loud. Unlike last time, the driver let me (and another woman, again - but a different one) off where we wanted; mind you, the fact that he'd had to stop at every single stop along the way probably got him in the habit.

I made my way back down the road in a light drizzle. Interestingly, although I could go straight through the doors ahead the last time, on this occasion I was directed through the bar. There was a red rope to the right, where I queued for some minutes to get into the performance area - when I got to the head of the queue, someone checked off my name and someone else stamped my wrist. And, yet again, I got led to the very end of the room - the other side of the stage, this time, at the end of a bench outside the gents. Similar to the seat I got last time, except the gents are busier - of course - and this time there was no blinding white light in my eyes.

The MC this time was a lady in corset and fishnets. Again, five acts - three before the interval, two after. Again, the first was a lady that juggled hoops - this was a different lady, though, and very artistic: a joy to watch. After her came a lady who did a kind of parody of an exotic dance - including various items of fruit, and a semi-willing audience participant. Last for the first half was a male acrobat - this one didn't take his shirt off, but did leave it quite open.. which was nice of him. And his act was wonderfully balletic.

After the interval, we had a terrific aerialist, to the soundtrack of a remix of Born to be Wild.. And last of the evening was a young lady on the piano (well, keyboard) - she composed and performed rather good comic songs. And we got to see just how good she was, when a beefy guy hopped on stage near the end - presumably to request something. Well, of course, that didn't go down well at all, and two security guys hustled him off. In no time flat, he finished his drink, and he and his female companion grabbed their coats and left - via the stage - both giving her the finger. "Stand By Your Man", I guess. Our performer? Why, she composed and performed a little ditty on the spot, entitled "Did you just give me the finger?" or words to that effect. Sterling stuff!

I left straight after she'd finished - sitting on my own, on a backless bench, in a noisy pub ain't my idea of a fun night. It was still raining, but at least - unlike last time - a bus didn't sail past just as I approached the stop. So much for the "6 to 8 minutes" estimated waiting time though - I was shivering there for at least 15 (and it had, indeed, got much colder). The platform announcements, back at the station, were optimistic - they promised trains were approaching when there was no sign of them, and said they were now pulling up at the platform when they had just been sighted! Anyway, my train came at last, depositing me all the way at the other end of Clapham Junction station, from where I shivered my way home.

Tomorrow, I'm back with the London European Club, for Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras, at Sadler's Wells. Sold out now. Part of their Flamenco Festival. Olé! And am I glad they just left us to buy our own tickets.. On Sunday, I'm finally heading to one of those famous free gigs at the Finsbury - there are actually two Meetup groups heading there, I've signed up with both! - specifically, the World Music Meetup and London Gigs and Alternative Events.. 6 currently going to each, I see, but not the same 6, by the look of it..

Play: The Patriotic Traitor

Last night was a play called The Patriotic Traitor, at the Park Theatre, which London Dramatic Arts was going to, and so was I.. I was in Guildford, but the timings on Google Maps looked ok and it seemed I wouldn't have much trouble getting there in time - since the group was meeting at 6:45 in the upstairs bar, I decided to get there as early as I could, taking the fastest route.

On the radio, on the way back from work, I heard that it was National Wine Drinking Day! which augured well.. When I parked, I made my way straight to Clapham Junction station, where I caught a train to Victoria pretty quickly. We came in at a different platform to those I'm used to, and it took me a moment to turn myself around.. and they had the grilles at the top of the steps to the Underground part-closed again. Must be an overcrowding thing. Anyhoo, made it in the end, although I had to stand most of the way on the Tube. At Finsbury Park station, the exit I wanted was closed - overcrowding again - but my route around the outside was well signposted. And I knew the theatre should be visible from the end of the road, so was soon able to find it.

They don't require you to pick up a ticket - I'd printed my confirmation, which I knew would be good enough - so when I arrived, I made my way straight upstairs, and after a minute or so located the group. Popped to the loo, where I noticed that the cubicle doors seemed to have been named by patrons.. and the hand dryer didn't work.. Back in the bar, there were no seats left, so I stood, chatting and helping myself to some really excellent warm bread and ham from the platters that someone had ordered, and shared with us all. And, of course, downing the obligatory wine! And I noted the theatre-related books, suspended from the ceiling. Quirky place..

When we went in for the performance, it turned out I was seated two rows behind the others - in the back row of the stalls, but since there are only four rows, that was fine! And the people in front of me didn't arrive till the second half, which meant I had a great view. The play concerns General Pétain, once a good friend of Charles de Gaulle, but who headed the Vichy government while de Gaulle was leader of Free France in exile, so de Gaulle charged him with treason after the war, for collaborating with the Nazis.

The scene was immediately set by the large stage backdrop of a map of France, with relevant cities and geographical features marked out, as well as the Maginot Line and the border marking the limits of Nazi occupation of France. Such props as there were, were cleverly concealed in niches at the bottom of the map, and painted at one side to fit in. With this overpowering map, coupled with dropdown French and Nazi flags, and frequent sounds of gunfire - notably during the part set during the First World War - there was a striking sense of period.

The play is dominated mainly by the characters of de Gaulle and Pétain, played by Laurence Fox and Tom Conti, respectively. Indeed, Conti never leaves the stage for the first half, which concerns his reminiscences as he's in prison, waiting to hear his sentence for treason - a capital offence. And I thought both performances were extremely good - although, as someone else pointed out afterwards, Conti did fumble over a few of his lines.

Someone else mused about how accurate the depicted events were, and the relationships between the characters. Well, none of us were there, but from what I've read, it seems pretty true to life - certainly believable. I'm always fascinated by these windows into history, and this gave me something of an insight into a character I'd never before paid much attention to. If you have an interest in this period in history, this play will definitely not disappoint.. recommended. Runs until 19th March.

At the interval, remembering the crush upstairs beforehand, I stayed where I was, and instead tried to Google the famous-looking guy, sitting at the side. No success, but he definitely looked familiar. In the second half, the elderly chap sitting beside me, who'd been falling asleep during the first half, finally decided to call it quits - which gave me some appreciated space to stretch out, and a bit of ledge at the seat back to rest my arm on - my shoulder's been playing up.

Afterwards, we decamped upstairs again, where we all got seats this time.. someone was hungry, but the restaurant next door was closed, so another generous soul ordered food for us all. And do you know, these were the very first sausages I could bring myself to eat in the UK! First time I didn't find them disgusting - these sausage rolls were lovely. Good food in this place, I think. And we chatted until they threw us out.

The nearby station entrance was open now, and I made my way back to Victoria - where at least, it being nearly midnight, the choice of trains was reduced. The next to depart had already been delayed, with a new predicted departure time of 15 minutes before - and still hadn't left. So there was no way I was trusting it, and I got on the 12.05 instead. Was home by half past, and am working from home today, so didn't have to be up early - but still, it was too late, I was too tired, and it had to wait till today to blog.

Tonight, I've got another cheap ticket to the Circus Show at The Aeronaut - it'll be interesting to see how much the lineup changes from last time! and whether the bus driver lets me off when I press the button.. Tomorrow, I'm back with the London European Club, for Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras, at Sadler's Wells. Sold out now. Part of their Flamenco Festival. Olé! And on Sunday, I'm finally heading to one of those famous free gigs at the Finsbury - there are actually two Meetup groups heading there, I've signed up with both! - specifically, the World Music Meetup and London Gigs and Alternative Events.. 6 currently going to each, I see, but not the same 6, by the look of it..

Thursday 18 February 2016

Play: The End of Longing

Last night, the London Dramatic Arts Meetup were off to see The End of Longing, written by (his debut) and starring Matthew Perry. And despite my general dislike of plays with celebrities in them, I booked - got my ticket with London Box Office.

I don't recall rain on the weather forecast yesterday - but by the time we left the office, it was pissing down. And the traffic was pretty heavy, unexpectedly for this week of half-term. I was in time to get the bus - #87, same as the night before - but then we heard on the radio that there was a broken-down car in Parliament Square, and traffic delays.. now, the 87 takes that route, and for it to make it to the radio news, it'd have to be bad. So to Plan B - Google Maps said to get a train to Waterloo, then the Tube: but when I mentioned this to my passenger, he pointed out that it was close enough to walk from Waterloo to the Playhouse Theatre, right across the bridge.

When I got to Clapham Junction station, behold and lo, there was a train due to depart in two minutes, and for once at a nearby platform! I made the platform just before the train did. Mind you, it was as well I was early - I've never been on a train that stopped so much. At stations, yes, but also for minutes at a time, for no reason. Outside Waterloo, we seemed to have to stop to wait for every other train in the vicinity to take a place at the platforms, before we were allowed in!

Nonetheless, we were in time for me to walk to the theatre. And I knew the way - look for the grand old exit, head down the street to the left, and up the steps at the end. Now, the Playhouse Theatre is to the left of the bridge as you cross over, so with no interchange between the two sides, I needed to cross on the left. Which meant passing under the bridge, down the ramp, up the steps, across, and down on the other side - right at the theatre door. Unfortunately, all this was accomplished in the pouring rain, which I hadn't anticipated, which was why I was wearing boots that leak a bit..

Queueing for the box office, I found myself briefly positioned right under a heavy drip. Finally I was in and collected my ticket - had a quick scout around for anyone I knew, but there wasn't anyone, so I made my way up. The bag search was so cursory that they missed me entirely. And so I climbed - and climbed - and climbed - I have rarely seen so many stairs to a theatre level! The Upper Circle turned out to be very steep, but fortunately there was a railing down the middle of each flight of stairs. Unfortunately, it was unbroken, which meant that I had to go right back to the end when I discovered the usher had sent me down the wrong side..

I was pretty central, with a good view:


Legroom - which I'd been worried about - was fine really, although something of a problem if you were carrying a lot of stuff - like the lady in front of me, who had to keep her backpack on her lap the whole time. I couldn't see the group, who were supposed to be in the front row of the stalls, and going down at the interval was out of the question, with all those stairs! I said I'd meet them afterwards, downstairs. We started late, of course, and as the lights went down, it became apparent that the audience members around me had absolutely no intention of turning off their phones - they spent the whole show checking texts.

There were a lot of foreign-speaking people near me, and the lady in front (with the backpack) was evidently a big Matthew Perry fan, and cooed with delight when he took centre stage in the first scene. Well, I'm glad she enjoyed it - and she definitely wasn't the only one. I didn't enjoy it so much - although the first act was entertaining enough, reminding me of an extended episode of Friends, the show that made Matthew Perry famous. Write about what you know, they say, and it seems that's exactly what he did - the scene changes are as fast as on television, and the cast speak in one-liners. I guess this is what the Evening Standard was referring to, in its unflattering review of the play, last week, with its mention of characters that "declare their feelings rather than revealing them".

Why was I paying theatre prices to watch television, I mused to myself as the interval came. The (Italian) lady beside me came back with a tub (!) of crisps, of all things. Well, at least she got them finished in time for the second half.. and had this really been television, this would've been when I turned it off! It was dire. Losing its comic touch, the play lost its direction as it became more serious, although the "darkness" alluded to in the aforementioned review didn't feel that dark to me. It felt completely cliched and predictable. Oh gee, problems arise in what was, up to now, a rom-com. Oh gee, it takes a real-life crisis to make them realise what's important. Yawn. Really, I think he ran out of ideas here and just rattled off something that would pass muster. I did appreciate one scene, near the end, when his alcoholic character took centre stage for a monologue that seemed truly heartfelt, and I joined in the separate round of applause for that. He can act, I think - but PLEASE let him stop writing..

Recommended if you're a massive fan of Matthew Perry. Otherwise, there's plenty of better stuff to go to.

Outside, afterwards, I waited for the group, who duly appeared, and we discussed the play briefly - but it was still raining, and we decided not to go for a drink on this school night. As some of us headed towards Trafalgar Square for buses (I figured the traffic would've cleared by now), we passed some of those fans, at the stage door..



Poor driver, trying to get the car through that lot to pick up his star passenger! Anyway, same bus stop as the night before, same bus as the night before, and after the same brief but chilly wait as the night before, I was whisked home. But it still went too late to blog.

Tonight, the same group is headed to The Patriotic Traitor, at Park Theatre. Tom Conti stars as Philippe Pétain, the title character, a good friend of De Gaulle, who nonetheless has him tried for treason as a Nazi collaborator.

Tomorrow, I've got another cheap ticket to the Circus Show at The Aeronaut - it'll be interesting to see how much the lineup changes from last time! and whether the bus driver lets me off when I press the button.. On Saturday, I'm back with the London European Club, for Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras, at Sadler's Wells. Sold out now. Part of their Flamenco Festival. Olé! And on Sunday, I'm finally heading to one of those famous free gigs at the Finsbury - there are actually two Meetup groups heading there, I've signed up with both! - specifically, the World Music Meetup and London Gigs and Alternative Events.. 6 currently going to each, I see, but not the same 6, by the look of it..

Wednesday 17 February 2016

Concert: Elgar, Britten & Bach

Another day, another outing with the Man with the Hat; London for Less Than a Tenner was off to another classical concert at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Another no-brainer, I booked. And not only were the tickets the best value around - no need to check that any more, even - they were ground floor! Cool..

Working from home yesterday, I had all day to make it. So naturally, I ended up rushing. Mind you, what I was rushing for was the cheap option (the ever-convenient #87, the only one to go straight from Clapham Junction to the West End). I got the departure times from Google Maps - and do you know, they were pretty on the money! I scurried off down the road, and got to the bus stop about 60 seconds before the bus did. Result! this was supposed to get to Trafalgar Square at abt 7, perfect for a 7:30 start.

I actually love travelling by bus in London - when I'm not in a desperate hurry, and it isn't raining, so everyone crowds on with wet clothes. You see more on the way - time was, I was usually on the Tube; now I have to find other options. And this is a lovely route, once you cross the river - up Millbank, through Westminster, on to Trafalgar Square. I think it was just after 7 when I hopped off, and strolled around the corner to the church, just up a bit.

The Man with the Hat always takes up a position at the far side of the entrance, at the top of the steps, as you come from the direction of Strand. There he and his hat were, and I collected my ticket and spent some very convivial, if chilly, minutes conversing with others also attending. Heard a fascinating story from one of the attendees, who's Polish, and described how she knew this church from broadcasts of concerts performed there, which she listened to all the way over in Poland. London's influence extends far and wide, eh?

We had assigned seats to the rear of the nave - I don't think the galleries were occupied for this one, but the nave was pretty full. There were some complaints afterwards about the hardness of the seats - generally from people who didn't realise that cushions were available - but actually, as pews go, I find them quite comfortable. I mean, there are footrests, a shelf for your bag, a ledge to prop programmes etc. on.. Let's just say I've sat on worse.

I didn't invest in a programme, of course. I had scanned the poster outside, which informed me that the included composers were Elgar, Tchaikovsky, Bach, Britten, and someone I hadn't heard of. But you know, I was blissfully happy just to listen, unaware of what exactly I was listening to. And it was really lovely. Just before the interval, we had the first specific piece I recognised - Bach's Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor.

There wasn't much point in moving at the interval - it was too cold to venture out, and kind of too far to venture down to the crypt. We did have a latecomer to our group at that point, who decided he'd rather like to know what was coming up - so he popped off and got a programme. Which I sneaked a peek at, as I do - which is how I knew that coming up was a piece called To The Silver Bow, by John Woolrich (a world premiere). Uh-oh, I thought - modern s**t. I like modern music - just not generally modern classical music. It was to be followed by some Britten, which is why I didn't just decamp to the crypt cafe at that point.

Yes. Well. After the interval, they started the new composition. Ahem. Let's just say I wasn't massively surprised. Afterwards, someone in the group described it as a piece that never resolved - which I thought was quite an insightful description. It struck me as something that would've worked well as a film score.. for a 50s thriller, with men chasing each other with guns across a landscape overshadowed by storm clouds. Brr. Thoroughly unpleasant to listen to. Thank heaven for Britten, who ended the show.

Outside, after, sadly it was even colder. So we shivered around for a bit before decamping to the Amba, the rather nice hotel down the road that we've discovered to be both convenient for this venue, and never packed. Last time I was here, I found it a bit confusing - but it's not really. Once inside, there's really only one corridor to follow, and when you come to the massive staircase, you go up it. They had candles along the edge last night, which was nice. And as we climbed, we were met by the Man with the Hat, coming down to fetch us.. I'm guessing the Hat conceals a (very small) jetpack, so he can fly..

We occupied an entire side of the bar, the staff kindly pushing tables together for us. We ordered food & drink - I had the rather good chocolate fondant again, and the cheapest wine that didn't say "floral" in the description - I am rather sick of "floral" wines. I can testify that the Pinot Grigio was quite acceptable. And like the food & wine, the conversation flowed, as usual - much of it centring on the memorable show we'd gone to the night before! with many who hadn't been wishing they had. And when discussion of that was finished, talk turned to what's upcoming with this group. Watch this space - the year's hardly started!

Afterwards, I had a chilly, if brief, wait for my bus home, which was - of course - much faster. Got home quite a bit after my bedtime, given that I'm in Guildford today. And I just had a horrendous morning - let's just say this, the theme song is along the lines of You Could Be Mine. So I didn't have a chance to post until now. Feeling Guns n Roses inappropriate to the theme of this post, I've compromised by listening to some Beethoven..

Tonight and tomorrow, I'm back with LDAM - tonight for The End of Longing, starring - and written by - Matthew Perry, at the Playhouse Theatre. His playwriting debut. I got my ticket through London Box Office. On Thursday, we're headed to The Patriotic Traitor, at Park Theatre. Tom Conti stars as Philippe Pétain, the title character, a good friend of De Gaulle, who nonetheless has him tried for treason as a Nazi collaborator.

On Friday, I've got another cheap ticket to the Circus Show at The Aeronaut - it'll be interesting to see how much the lineup changes from last time! On Saturday, I'm back with the London European Club, for Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras, at Sadler's Wells. Part of their Flamenco Festival. Olé! And on Sunday, I'm finally heading to one of those famous free gigs at the Finsbury - there are actually two Meetup groups heading there, I've signed up with both! - specifically, the World Music Meetup and London Gigs and Alternative Events.. 6 currently going to each, I see, but not the same 6, by the look of it..

Monday 15 February 2016

Comedy: Free Admission

A provocative show. Soho Theatre. London for Less than a Tenner. Someone was asking me this evening - seriously, is that all you know about it? but what did I need to know..? I knew it'd be good. I booked.

I was working in Guildford today, and a 7 o'clock start at Soho Theatre meant I'd have to catch a train from Clapham Junction at 6.20 at the latest.. that'd be tight. So I had my passengers carefully drilled in the art of leaving the office early. Well, they were obliging - and gloriously light traffic (thank the half-term!) meant clear roads practically all the way. If only all journeys could be this short! So I arrived at Clapham Junction at about 6.05.

Checked the departure board for trains to Victoria.. "Due", "Due".. 6 mins. Third time lucky, I thought as I made my way to Platform 12. Arrived with 5 mins to go. The time came, the train didn't. The large crowd there were all looking at their watches as the minutes passed, and the departure boards disagreed: the one near me insisting, as we moved further past the time the train was due to depart, that it was still on time. After about five minutes, the platform announcer finally told us we'd have better luck on Platform 14.. down the stairs, down the corridor, up the stairs we went, and sure enough, did get a train from there. Eventually. Late.

Well, I was at least glad I'd arrived early, and had some leeway! Then it was Victoria Line to Oxford Circus, and walk to the theatre. Of course, I would find myself stuck behind a slow-moving, elderly French couple, just as I turned onto Dean Street and the place was in sight. Hey-ho, I made it in time to catch the Man with the Hat while he was still holding court in the bar.. and after me telling him he should probably leave my ticket at the box office. Figures. After a couple of minutes, I headed upstairs..

Seating is unassigned, and the usual principle applies: if there's a crowd, head down the aisle on the far side - it'll be much easier to get a decent seat over there. And it was - I got a pretty central one. We started a bit late, of course. On walked our star of the evening, Ursula Martinez. Very sophisticated.. white power suit, jewellery, red lipstick. I hadn't seen her before, and when she spoke, I got something of a shock - she reminded me of no-one so much as Maggie Thatcher. A combination of the accent and the power suit, methinks.

So it was something of a surprise when the work gloves appeared. She delights in shocking, this one - beaming at us as we looked on, bemused. And most of this quite unusual act involves her - building a wall. For real. With, you know, mortar and trowels and bricks. And her behind it.

Surreal. But quite clever, as she can use it as a distraction while she does her thing. Because she's not just building a wall, y'see. O no, she keeps quick-firing soundbites at us. While she's bricking herself in. And if she feels like a pause.. well, there's always another brick. And as you watch the rhythm of her bricklaying, you slip into the rhythm of joke (laugh), joke (laugh), not joke (aborted laugh). Clever - she slips the incendiary statements in there, and if things get too heavy, she can just flash a smile, and slap on another brick.

Those familiar with her shows will know to expect some nudity, and won't have been disappointed - although it did come as a surprise to some of our group. Particularly with all those bricks in the way. And a fine figure of a woman she is.. kudos to her too, on this cold night! Anyhoo.. A q&a afterwards cleared up such thorny questions as, did she go on a bricklaying course? (yes - and someone took her to task on her knowledge of the craft, too!) and how far does she go, down the road in the nip? (No, you just have to go see it, I'm not explaining that.) And more serious questions, about how elements of the show have been inspired by the barrage of emails and tweets she's got about previous shows - not all pleasant.

Surreal, provocative, intelligent. Recommended - and, q&a excepted, it'll only take up an hour of your time. Runs until Saturday.

Afterwards, we scurried off to the Nellie Dean again (yes, I'm familiar with it now!) Like the Soho Theatre bar, it was emptier than usual on this Monday night - upstairs was pretty deserted, so when we found a space downstairs we stayed there. And some got food, which looked decent. And I got wine, which was decent - and had my first contactless payment experience, which was freaky. (What, you mean I don't have to sign anything, or put in a PIN?) And as ever, we held court and the conversation flowed freely - until we were done, and wended our way home, and as I remarked, it was nice to get home early for a change!

Victoria Station was the usual muddle, with its departure board all higgledy-piggledy, trains in no particular order. It was miraculous that I noticed one that stopped at CJ was about to depart from a nearby platform - so I dashed for it, only to discover that the sadists weren't opening any doors at the rear of the train, so we all must needs dash for the middle. Made it, settled down with a paper. Had time to read most of it, too, considering the journey took twice as long as it should have.. stopping every so couple of minutes for unknown reasons. At least the view was nice:


And boy am I glad I'm working from home tomorrow! :-)

Tomorrow, the Man with the Hat is off to another classical concert at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. And so am I. Working from home, I'm sure to make it on time. Which is why I'd better be careful.. On Wednesday and Thursday, I'm back with LDAM - on Wednesday for The End of Longing, starring - and written by - Matthew Perry, at the Playhouse Theatre. His playwriting debut. I got my ticket through London Box Office. On Thursday, we're headed to The Patriotic Traitor, at Park Theatre. Tom Conti stars as Philippe Pétain, the title character, a good friend of De Gaulle, who nonetheless has him tried for treason as a Nazi collaborator.

On Friday, I've got another cheap ticket to the Circus Show at The Aeronaut - it'll be interesting to see how much the lineup changes from last time! On Saturday, I'm back with the London European Club, for Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras, at Sadler's Wells. Part of their Flamenco Festival. Olé! And on Sunday, I'm finally heading to one of those famous free gigs at the Finsbury - there are actually two Meetup groups heading there, I've signed up with both! - specifically, the World Music Meetup and London Gigs and Alternative Events.. 6 currently going to each, I see, but not the same 6, by the look of it..