Google Maps suggested a train and bus - I'll always choose Waterloo over Victoria, it's a better organised and better connected station. So, Waterloo it was, and the 341 - from Stop F, again! Easy-peasy, I knew where to go, this time. And gloriously light traffic on the way back from Guildford meant I was in plenty of time, and strolled relaxedly to the stop. Just as well I was in time.. sod the 8-12 minute estimate posted on the stop for waiting time between buses, I waited a solid 20 minutes for a 341 to appear - as scores of other buses passed; it's a very busy road for them. Of course, by the time it did, there was a whole crowd queueing to get on - but luckily, I managed a seat. By the window, which gave me a great vantage point as we crossed the bridge, and I mused that the city looked just like a jigsaw, an eclectic hotchpotch of buildings of different shapes, sizes and styles.
In heavy traffic, the bus journey took about 15 minutes longer than predicted - I'd thought I'd be in time to meet the group at the pub beforehand, but didn't arrive till after 7, by which time the organiser had promised to be at the theatre. Handily, this bus stops right outside, and I nipped in and picked up a free flier, with cast details. By the time I'd done that, the organiser had arrived - I left him standing at the entrance with a Meetup sign (see, I did say some organisers care that people find them) and made my way upstairs. The Second Circle has a lot of steps up to it - a good workout.
Dinner consisted of a tub of salted peanuts and a packet of Minstrels, purchased on the Second Circle level before I went in. We may have been a bit far from the stage, but we had a good, central view. And a very interesting backdrop to look at while we waited:
Zoom in, look carefully - there's a lot of interesting symbolism.
Anyway, the show was She Said - showcasing the work of three female choreographers. Each piece was quite long, and there were two intervals. Just as well, because - as we discovered at the interval - one of our group had done her homework! Without her, we'd never have understood the meaning of the first piece, Broken Wings - but she had researched the artist on whom it was based, Frida Kahlo, who suffered a dreadful road accident that left her crippled. In particular, she eventually had to have her lower leg amputated - which would explain the actions of the principal dancer in the piece, who, towards the end, held her leg as if in pain.
But this wasn't a depressing piece - in fact, it was a riot of colour (like the artist's work), amazing lighting, and terrific music, accompanying vibrant and evocative dance; with more than a hint of humour throughout! Most of us agreed afterwards that this was our favourite of the night - good enough to make me want to shout to the rooftops that everyone should see this! Quite literally unmissable.
The second piece was very different; M-Dao was a new take on the legend of Medea. Much darker and stiller, it began - again - with the most amazing visuals, a curtain backdrop unravelling with lighting that made the falling curtains look like forked lightning. The music was fantastically ominous - as befitted the theme. As Medea accepted her husband's betrayal, she appeared besieged by demons; the music became like demonic chant, and as the red-clad demonic figures crawled on stage, again, lighting made it look as if they had dropped from the curtains. A close runner-up to the first for me, although others in the group found it too sinister. As far as I'm concerned, though, another must-see.
The final piece was less successful for me - and the others, I think. Fantastic Beings just had a large group of dancers, in skintight body suits, dancing in synchronicity to display the various shapes they could make. A bit drawn-out for my taste. But you know, two outta three ain't bad, as the man said! Two unmissable shows for £12: I think I got a bargain! Ends tomorrow (Saturday) - sold out now, I'm afraid. It was for last night, too.
Sadly, people didn't really feel like going for a drink afterwards - well, it didn't finish until 10:30. Even at that time of night, the bus took 15 minutes longer than Google Maps thought it should - and I got home after bedtime, considering I was in Guildford today and had to be up early! So, no blog last night - and work kept me too busy all day to get to it.
Tonight, I was on my own again - headed to see Russell Kane, in the Leicester Square Theatre. Again, train to Waterloo, and this time Google Maps suggested the Tube to Leicester Square. I considered walking from Waterloo, and looked up the route - at less than half an hour, it was manageable, and I made good time again: but we had such terrible weather that I didn't fancy it, and ended up on the Tube in the end.
I've been to this theatre a few times before, but it's been a while, and I nearly missed the side street turnoff from Leicester Square - recognised it from Ruby Blue, just up that street, on the other side from the theatre. My seat was on the end of a row - and seemed to have very tight legroom! even in comparison with the adjacent seats. It turned out that the seat in front of me seemed to have a loose back, and kept leaning towards me.
Being on the aisle can be an advantage - not so much, though, when so many have to push past you to take their seats! In fact, this formed much of the early part of his act: why, at a sold-out show, were so many seats empty?! Despite stern warnings on the tickets about latecomers not being admitted - well, they were, and the place did eventually fill up. Jeez, he had just finished ribbing someone in the front row about arriving late, when a whole gaggle of people had to push past the guy to take their seats, having arrived even later!
You need a thick skin to be a stand-up comedian. This guy came on like a hurricane, hyperactively stalking the stage. You know the standard warning about not sitting near the front at a comedy show? Doubly true here - he's vicious. Foreigners, people from Essex.. eviscerated. But you know something? He drags the audience kicking and screaming along with him - before you know it, you're weeping with laughter. Or shrieking, like the woman to the side - she was quite infectious, actually.
The show is about ageing. Growing up. Becoming a father, as he just has - and of course, he's milking that for all it's worth. Comparisons with his own father. He had about two hours'-worth of material, and we had a fantastic time. I tell you this, though - they mightn't be strict about latecomers at this theatre, but they certainly are strict about recordings! Well, I assume that was the problem whenever they were shining their pen torches at people in the audience. Someone a few rows in front of me mustn't have got the message, because it seemed every usher in the place converged on that spot, shining their torches at - someone. It became very obvious, even distracting the comedian, who asked whether he was missing a drama.. threw him off his stride momentarily, which was a shame, but he picked his thread back up like the professional he is, and well deserved his standing ovation at the end. Last show's also tomorrow (Saturday) - at time of writing, there is literally ONE seat left for it, right at the back.
On the way back, I was delighted to find it had finally stopped raining, and in no time flat I'd decided to walk back to Waterloo - and that I did, and enjoyed myself thoroughly. It's been so long since the weather was good enough to walk to or from events in London, and it's always great to see how the city connects itself, rather than blindly getting the Tube from A to B. And it's more comfortable, on a mild, dry night, to walk above ground than to endure a stuffy Tube.
Gee, don't I go to popular shows these days? You can put all that down to the Man with the Hat, who finally persuaded me to start booking things in advance (well, at least if I know I want to go to them). So I get to go to sold-out shows, for a change. I'm back with him tomorrow (Saturday); Let's Do London - for less! are off to the ballet version of The Winter's Tale, in the Opera House. Sounds lovely.. and someone in the group just posted that they attended a performance of it on Tuesday, and it was sublime. :-) Augurs well.
On Sunday, I'm back to The Globe for the first time this year! (Well, the Wanamaker Playhouse.) Got the last, non-restricted view seat for Pericles. God, I love this venue..
On Monday, I'm off to my first Meetup with Interesting Talks London - Banged Up Abroad is the subject. Topical, what with the recent parole of an Irish girl convicted of drug trafficking in Peru.. early start, but it's near, so should be ok.
Tuesday and Wednesday are Man with the Hat days - Tuesday, Let's Do London - for less! is headed to Southwark Playhouse, for a play called Darknet. Now, I have more sense than to have anything to do with the real Darknet - the closest I've come to it are short horror films on YouTube. (In the course of my regular surfing for short horror films, of which I'm a big fan.) But I'll find this interesting.
On Wednesday, both of the Man with the Hat's groups (Let's Do London - for less! and London for Less Than a Tenner) are off to a show called The Passion of Lady Vendredi, at Soho Theatre - and so am I. This was a recent development - I was originally supposed to be going to Doctor Faustus, with London Dramatic Arts Meetup, but sadly, the organiser's mother-in-law just died (as I found out over the weekend) and the funeral is that very day. Works out well for me though - the event has been rescheduled, at a cheaper price, the difference has been refunded to me, and I can now go to both shows! (So I'm going for Less Than a Tenner - 'coz I'm cheap.) The Passion of Lady Vendredi is, apparently, musical theatre, and designed to promote the music of the Lady Vendredi band. And should be interesting.
Thursday, I'm off to a comedy show in King's Cross, with London Live Comedy - unless I change my mind and go to a film - we'll see. Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend, again..
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