Cirque Berserk

Well, it had to happen, eh? Third time unlucky.

I was actually home earlier than expected - got a lift. Then I decided to scan and email the documents I'd got a call about earlier in the day, to prove my credentials for car finance. This ran on a little longer than expected when I discovered I had to search for a bank statement.. all was found in the end, and I set out for Waterloo.

I got the next available train, and arrived in Waterloo - after the obligatory, unexplained delay pulling into the platform - just after 7. On the way, I'd looked up the train times to Dartford on thetrainline.com, which said that the last train to get me there on time left Waterloo East at 7.12, and took around 40 minutes. Fair enough.. I'd never used Waterloo East before, but it was supposed to be walkable from the main station, and I figured it wouldn't take more than a few minutes to get there.

It was 5 past by the time I left the platform. And there I was again, lost again. A sign pointed to the right for Waterloo East - fair enough, but then there were no more. I got to the end of the concourse and turned around, confused. Saw a sign for it on the nearby entrance to the Underground station. Ah! Ok, I went down there. And then wondered why there were no signs for it any more.. a passer-by that I asked didn't know where it was either. And it was down there that I realised I was going to miss my train. But at least I found the Underground exit I was used to, on Waterloo Road..! Which is also the site of Stop C. So now I'm getting an idea of the intricate architecture, sent to vex us. That much is satisfying.

I made my way back up to the main concourse. Couldn't figure out where I'd gone wrong. A sign said to ask staff if we had any problems. Hah! Assuming you could find any staff. After some minutes, I did see one - and indeed, she was friendly, and explained that Waterloo East was upstairs, not downstairs.. Looking at the sign that had led me wrong, I can see the problem in depicting "up", when an upward arrow is generally used to mean "straight ahead".

Determined to solve the mystery, I went up to the retail balcony, and sure enough, roughly in the middle is the entrance to Waterloo East. The timetable is listed on a display at the entrance.. the website was wrong, there was no 7.12 train to Dartford. Nor was there a 7.07, as stated by Google Maps. No, the last train that would've got me there on time had left at 7.05, as I was still on the platform downstairs - there was no way I could've made it. The next wasn't until 7.35, which wouldn't have got me there until about 8.15 - far too late for an 8 o' clock show. I went home instead, buying myself a packet of Leibniz on the way.

Back to Ireland tomorrow. Monday is looking like a film, so it's just as well I had the night to do the film list (and no need to go to bed early!). Although the London Short Film Festival continues, there aren't as many, nor as highly rated. Instead, tying at the top of the list (in terms of IMDB ratings) for Monday are two mainstream films - both critically acclaimed, both Oscar hopefuls. Both look good, if harrowing, so we'll see how my tastes and the ratings evolve over the weekend - both are showing in my closest cinema, Cineworld Wandsworth. Room is based on the true story of Josef Fritzl, who kept a teenage girl for years in his basement as a sex slave, fathering children on her, who were kept captive with her, until she finally managed to escape. The acting is meant to be incredible. The Revenant, meanwhile, is also based on a true story - Leonardo DiCaprio plays a frontiersman, whom Tom Hardy leaves for dead after a bear attack, also deciding it would be more practical to kill DiCaprio's little boy, travelling with them. DiCaprio isn't dead, though, and comes back for revenge. The ever-versatile Domhnall Gleeson turns up as the captain of the band. Directed by the excellent Alejandro Inárritu, it promises to be a raw and uncompromising experience.

The rest of next week is Meetups - somewhat making up for a sparcity of them, of late! On Tuesday, I'm going to a play about North Korea - P' Yong Yang is showing in the Finborough: ironically, walking distance from my old flat. The London Dramatic Arts Meetup is going, too - and although I didn't get my ticket from them, the organiser has been kind enough to include me on their list. Lovely to get to go to something with them - it's been ages!

On Wednesday, I got in nice and early for one of those Crick Crack Club meetings that are always selling out. Fairytales for Grownups: Solomon and Sheba takes place in The Forge. And none of those three days involves passing through Waterloo (yippee!). On Thursday, I'm back with Let's Do London - for less!, who are off on a cheery outing to This Will End Badly, at Southwark Playhouse. Which is closer to my new place. On Friday, I'm back with the World Music Meetup for a concert I'm very much looking forward to - Sufi Chants from Andalusia. Finally, that Saturday I'm attending what I think will be my very first Meetup with the Spooky London group, who are running a convivial evening chat about vampires. What a week - most of my favourites in there somewhere!