It's a short journey, so it didn't matter that I was kept late in the office again. Still, good job I gave myself about half an hour - it took most of that, especially since parking was tricky, for once, around the pub, and I ended up having to park past it and walk back. Also just as well she'd let me know about the entrance - there is a completely separate entrance for the side bar, and when I've been here before I've been in the theatre, upstairs.
The side bar turned out to be quite small, chairs packed into the space - I took one. The bar, predictably, wasn't serving, but I didn't feel the need for a drink. After some considerable trouble fixing the large spotlight at the back,so it didn't shine straight into the performer's eyes, they deafened us with the mics. Seems this was only their second performance at this venue - they were thrown out of their previous venue, which was located near an eatery, because they were disturbing the diners. Also seems they're having some set-up problems here.
The first act was good - a blues guitarist, accompanied by a couple of singers in succession, one of whom turned out to be one of the comedians, Siobhan Dodd. Who, as well as being a good comedian, turned out to be a fantastic blues singer! After a brief concert, but which provided a nice interlude before the comedy, the organiser passed around the room with a box of free raffle tickets, and we were into the comedy.
More than other comedy nights, I think this particular gathering tends to attract the same performers over and over. Andy Gleeks, who I thought spent far too much time bantering with the audience, was followed by Rakhesh Martyn, and another comedian whose name was more conventional (so I'm afraid I've forgotten it). Both very good. And followed by Siobhan to finish out the first set, with an enthusiastic - if rather scattered - show, possibly a bit distracted by the fact that her mother was sitting in the front row.
Now, these chairs were loose on the floor, and I had the misfortune to be sat behind one of those guys that always seem to need more space - so his chair gradually crept back towards mine. I eventually had to move, or be squashed - and when, during the interval (while the organiser and another of the comedians desperately tried to get the sound system working for his multimedia show, later), the guy I was now behind started moving his chair back as well - I gave the whole thing up as a bad job and left. The comedy was ok, but it was just kind of hard work in this venue, and it was small and nearly full, so there really wasn't anywhere else to sit.
At least I was out nice and early. Sadly, the street I was parked on was one-way, so I had to go around, which involved getting slightly lost, and my phone would pick this moment to decide that my fingerprint wasn't a match for its database, which meant trouble getting my phone to turn on. But I did make it out eventually, coming back via Asda, which meant I could do a very much-needed shop.. I even had time to cook myself some dinner!
Tonight, I'm back with London Dramatic Arts, who unusually had the cheapest tickets for something, would you believe! Showing at the National, this time it's Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, a riotous schoolgirl comedy set during a choral competition. In the Dorfman, which is that one around the side.. always pays to check, with the National. Third time lucky, for something decent to go to this week?
Tomorrow, the Man with the Hat makes an appearance - his second outing to Macbeth, at the Globe, in fact; I loved it so much the first time that I'm going again. The music is by the same composer who wrote the soundtrack for Eyes Wide Shut, and I adored it - I'm a sucker for a good soundtrack.
And on Friday, I'm back to Ireland again, for a long weekend - it's a bank holiday here on Monday.
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