Comedy: How to Keep an Alien

Ah goodee, Let's Do London - for less had an event last night! It's rare that they run something I don't like, and I do love to meet this group - attracts the most interesting people, I find! So, since the show wasn't anything I objected to, I booked, asap.

Left from the office, again. Worked till the last minute, again. Since taking the Tube to Earl's Court is only ever a last resort - you can't depend on the trains - I risked walking there, this time. And ended up with a five-minute wait for the next train! Oh, this week just isn't fair.. Anyway, managed to cram on, and composed a text to the Man With a Hat - which I couldn't send yet, being underground - to say I might be late, and to go ahead and leave my ticket at the box office if he didn't see me.

It was in the Soho Theatre, which meant getting off at Leicester Square and trotting through Chinatown and up Dean Street. I did think I'd make it in time - just - but this wasn't going to be easy. It was made even less easy than usual when the crowd leaving the station by Exit 2 (the one I wanted) was so large that I left via Exit 1 instead, taking my chances crossing the road. Oh, London in December is a nightmare if you're in a hurry.. every corner I rounded, I was met with another crowd to push through. It was rarely possible to make speed.

On Dean Street, things were a bit better - just the usual pub crowds blocking the pavement. When I got to the theatre, sure enough I couldn't see the Man With the Hat. I had a couple of minutes to go - queued at the box office, got my ticket (under the booking name of Meetup) and joined another couple of ladies heading upstairs - we decadently took the lift. First time I've done it - it was quite slow.

The show itself was How to Keep an Alien - an almost solo show by Sonya Kelly. There is also a "stage manager", who stood in the stage area and greeted us all as we entered. A casual show, it began with Sonya struggling to get out from behind the curtain to the rear. And I needn't have worried about being late - she just happily greeted latecomers, telling them to come on in, there's a seat over there. When somebody's phone rang, she said "If that's for me, I'm not here!"

The show runs for about 75 minutes, and someone afterwards remarked how hard it must be to learn all those lines - but then someone else pointed out that this is her own true story, so she didn't have so much to remember. It's the story of her trying to get a visa for her Australian girlfriend to stay in Ireland. So there's a lot of her prancing about, telling the story - and a folder full of documents, possibly the actual ones used for her application. And sound effects, ably provided by the stage manager - who has his own folder, of stage directions.

Comedy is subjective. But in my humble opinion, I found this absolutely hilarious. But then, Sonya Kelly seems to share exactly my sense of humour, and I'd crack up watching her read the phone book. Her companion (Justin) is perfect as the deadpan stage manager. Her story takes us from the couple's meeting, through the letters written by this Australian woman's great-great-grandmother, who emigrated from Ireland to Australia in the 19th Century, and through interminable visits to the immigration department. This award-winning show runs until Saturday of next week, and I highly recommend it..

Afterwards, the theatre bar was too crowded, so we made our way across to what seems - in my absence for U2 concerts - to have become the group's go-to place for shows here: a pub just up the road, The Nellie Dean. Again, downstairs was too crowded, so we made our way up the cramped stairs, where there were lots of seats. And a tipsy group of revellers. And.. no service. A couple of us found better service in the heaving bar downstairs. Interestingly, the one who served me ended up upstairs later on. And then the service up there improved..

The ladies' toilets, reached across a sticky floor (downstairs), have interesting, contactless sanitary bins. Which are shiny and clever, but unnerving to use, as you're not quite sure whether the thing is going to snap shut on you. And the hand dryer is one of those that seems just too exhausted to work. No bin for the toilet paper you have to use instead. Back upstairs, I squeezed onto a bench that had ended up angled towards the table we were sat at. And my house white was so limp, it tasted like alcoholic water.

But the conversation flowed freely. As I say, this group is great for meeting interesting folks. Speaking of which, two met who had been Facebook friends for a while, but never met in person before! Ah, Meetup - there to bring folks together. And one of them has a website, which I can't seem to access from work (I wonder why!) - but do feel free to check it out: http://www.sexandrope.co.uk/

The Man With(out) a Hat - he doesn't wear it once his charges are safely shepherded to the pub - lit out early, unusually. The remaining five of us lasted until we were politely thrown out. And Mr. SexAndRope wanted a Chinese, as we were passing through Chinatown, en route back to the Tube - but some of us (me) had to be up in the morning, so I passed. As usual with this group, I found myself home after midnight. I love 'em, though!

Tonight, the organiser of the Kensington Classical Music group has very kindly invited me - as her guest - to another classical concert - up in the Royal College of Music, unusually. It's in conjunction with the London European Club, though. Tomorrow, I'm headed with the London European Club to a carol service with a difference, at a Romanian church in town. And on Sunday, I have an overdose of The Man With the Hat; Let's Do London - for Less! is off to a matinee of "Your Last Breath" at Southwark Playhouse - based on the true story of a Norwegian woman found trapped in the ice - and in the evening, London for Less Than a Tenner is off to a concert in Cadogan Hall. Actually, so is Let's Do London - for Less! but there's no conflict.. guess who's in charge of both?! So I can blithely pick the cheaper group. ;-)