Tonight, I was back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for Programme Three of Pinter at the Pinter - Pinter plays at the Pinter Theatre. This time, it was advertised as Landscape / A Kind of Alaska / Monologue. Got my ticket from Ticketmaster. My last meeting of the day was, happily, postponed to another day, as so often happens, so I got away early enough to get the bus.
I changed in Strand - and as the bus came to a halt, rather abruptly, someone coming down the stairs crashed into someone standing near the bottom. Wouldn't you know it, they were old friends! As they got off, the one thanked the other for "saving her life". Me, I got on the next bus heading to Trafalgar Square - after all, they'd all take me a bit further towards my destination. And Strand is a long road.
At the theatre, as usual, they have a desk where people can more easily collect their tickets. Mine, of course, was bottom of the pile.. they don't really seem to have much of a system. Anyway, the various members of the group found each other, and formed a big enough group in the cramped lobby that we were politely asked to move to a bar. So we went upstairs, where the Moonlight Bar was slightly less crowded, before we eventually dispersed to our various levels. This time, I was a level lower than last week, in the Dress Circle - handy, as it's directly accessible from the lobby. Right by the wall, which was handy for leaving my stuff - oh, and several seats beside me were unoccupied, so I had plenty of room to spread out!
Well now, as has happened before, there turned out to be more plays in this than were advertised. I bought a program at the interval, to be able to keep up with them. The stage was revolving gently before the show started, actors gradually sneaking onto it and taking their places. And first up, we were surprised to see Penelope Wilton.. turns out she's doing 12 performances in this series, and her monologue was Tess, an amusing and deceptively innocent short.
They then came rapid-fire. Landscape has a man and woman, talking completely at cross purposes, each apparently unable to hear the other. And for this, we had Keith Allen, and Tamsin Grieg giving a star turn with a completely believable Irish accent. Hardest accent in the world to fake, they say. I did love the difference in tone between the two, her all dreamy and nostalgic, him gruff and practical.
Apart From That has Lee Evans and Meera Syal on the phone to each other, repeating this meaningless phrase. Girls has Tom Edden desperately trying to recall the details of a story he heard, where a female student presented her male teacher with a note that read "girls like to be spanked". He gets to be quiet in That's All, though, where Lee Evans and Keith Allen are holding a vivid conversation, for all the world like gossiping old women, and all three in curly wigs. Periodically, they look with great suspicion at the silent Tom Edden on the end - hilarious!
Ending the first half, we have God's District, where Meera Syal plays an evangelist from North Carolina, spreading the word of the Lord among Londoners, and Monologue, where Lee Evans has a deep discussion with an empty chair.
The second half starts with That's Your Trouble, Lee Evans and Tom Edden discussing the universe at a bar, and Special Offer, where Meera Syal receives an offer she can't refuse - or can she? Trouble in the Works is a hilarious sketch between two co-workers, one telling the other that the workers are troubled. Tom Edden and Lee Evans again. Night has Tom Edden and Meera Syal reminiscing about how they met, and the evening ends with the only really downbeat play of this programme, A Kind of Alaska, where Tamsin Grieg plays a woman who wakes from a coma after 29 years, all confused about her current reality. Meera Syal is her sister, Keith Allen her doctor. Quite moving.
Having the most plays of any single programme I've seen in this Pinter at the Pinter series so far, this was a most entertaining evening, the majority of the plays comedies, beautifully acted. Whetted my appetite for more - this group is holding more outings to them next year, I'm just not that far ahead in my booking yet. Interestingly, as we chatted outside afterwards, whom did I notice near us but the organiser of London Dramatic Arts - curiously, she was also at last week's. Privately, it seems - she doesn't have any more Meetups organised until next year.
Heading back, I caught the bus to Aldwych - where he's supposed to drop us at the same stop I can catch my next bus at. Hell, I thought it was bad the last time this happened - tonight's driver stopped as soon as he got into Aldwych! So I had something of a schlep up to the stop. Pushing through hordes of people, I wondered what was going on - finally realising that it had to do with the three, full-size, tourist coaches that were parked right at my stop, picking up passengers! Those of us waiting for regular buses had to squeeze between the coaches, breathing in diesel fumes, and stand in the road, beside the busy traffic, even to see whether our buses were coming. And when mine eventually did, we had to board in the middle of the road! There was nowhere for our bus to park. I've complained to TFL - this is illegal. Just wish I'd taken photos of the bus company names - there must be CCTV though; I hear this is the most-videoed city in the world.
I changed in Strand - and as the bus came to a halt, rather abruptly, someone coming down the stairs crashed into someone standing near the bottom. Wouldn't you know it, they were old friends! As they got off, the one thanked the other for "saving her life". Me, I got on the next bus heading to Trafalgar Square - after all, they'd all take me a bit further towards my destination. And Strand is a long road.
At the theatre, as usual, they have a desk where people can more easily collect their tickets. Mine, of course, was bottom of the pile.. they don't really seem to have much of a system. Anyway, the various members of the group found each other, and formed a big enough group in the cramped lobby that we were politely asked to move to a bar. So we went upstairs, where the Moonlight Bar was slightly less crowded, before we eventually dispersed to our various levels. This time, I was a level lower than last week, in the Dress Circle - handy, as it's directly accessible from the lobby. Right by the wall, which was handy for leaving my stuff - oh, and several seats beside me were unoccupied, so I had plenty of room to spread out!
Well now, as has happened before, there turned out to be more plays in this than were advertised. I bought a program at the interval, to be able to keep up with them. The stage was revolving gently before the show started, actors gradually sneaking onto it and taking their places. And first up, we were surprised to see Penelope Wilton.. turns out she's doing 12 performances in this series, and her monologue was Tess, an amusing and deceptively innocent short.
They then came rapid-fire. Landscape has a man and woman, talking completely at cross purposes, each apparently unable to hear the other. And for this, we had Keith Allen, and Tamsin Grieg giving a star turn with a completely believable Irish accent. Hardest accent in the world to fake, they say. I did love the difference in tone between the two, her all dreamy and nostalgic, him gruff and practical.
Apart From That has Lee Evans and Meera Syal on the phone to each other, repeating this meaningless phrase. Girls has Tom Edden desperately trying to recall the details of a story he heard, where a female student presented her male teacher with a note that read "girls like to be spanked". He gets to be quiet in That's All, though, where Lee Evans and Keith Allen are holding a vivid conversation, for all the world like gossiping old women, and all three in curly wigs. Periodically, they look with great suspicion at the silent Tom Edden on the end - hilarious!
Ending the first half, we have God's District, where Meera Syal plays an evangelist from North Carolina, spreading the word of the Lord among Londoners, and Monologue, where Lee Evans has a deep discussion with an empty chair.
The second half starts with That's Your Trouble, Lee Evans and Tom Edden discussing the universe at a bar, and Special Offer, where Meera Syal receives an offer she can't refuse - or can she? Trouble in the Works is a hilarious sketch between two co-workers, one telling the other that the workers are troubled. Tom Edden and Lee Evans again. Night has Tom Edden and Meera Syal reminiscing about how they met, and the evening ends with the only really downbeat play of this programme, A Kind of Alaska, where Tamsin Grieg plays a woman who wakes from a coma after 29 years, all confused about her current reality. Meera Syal is her sister, Keith Allen her doctor. Quite moving.
Having the most plays of any single programme I've seen in this Pinter at the Pinter series so far, this was a most entertaining evening, the majority of the plays comedies, beautifully acted. Whetted my appetite for more - this group is holding more outings to them next year, I'm just not that far ahead in my booking yet. Interestingly, as we chatted outside afterwards, whom did I notice near us but the organiser of London Dramatic Arts - curiously, she was also at last week's. Privately, it seems - she doesn't have any more Meetups organised until next year.
Heading back, I caught the bus to Aldwych - where he's supposed to drop us at the same stop I can catch my next bus at. Hell, I thought it was bad the last time this happened - tonight's driver stopped as soon as he got into Aldwych! So I had something of a schlep up to the stop. Pushing through hordes of people, I wondered what was going on - finally realising that it had to do with the three, full-size, tourist coaches that were parked right at my stop, picking up passengers! Those of us waiting for regular buses had to squeeze between the coaches, breathing in diesel fumes, and stand in the road, beside the busy traffic, even to see whether our buses were coming. And when mine eventually did, we had to board in the middle of the road! There was nowhere for our bus to park. I've complained to TFL - this is illegal. Just wish I'd taken photos of the bus company names - there must be CCTV though; I hear this is the most-videoed city in the world.
Tomorrow, I'm going to see Company, by Sondheim, at the Gielgud. No tickets available for the upper levels on the official site - they must all have been bought up by resellers! Cheapest I found was with OfficialLondonTheatre, run by See Tickets.
On Wednesday, I was with Walking in London again for the Haunted London Pub Tour (also Lantern Ghost Tours, via Funzing). But we've now arranged our team night out for that night.
On Thursday, I'm back with UITCS at the National for Hadestown. My new co-worker raves about it. Then back to Ireland again for the weekend.
Next Monday, I'm back to the National for I'm Not Running.
On the 5th, LDN Talks @ Night and London Speaks Sessions (both Funzing) advertised a "Winterville" talk on The Science of Santa, where we get the scientific explanation of how he does it. Taking place at The Windmill. However, seems they meant the day before, when of course I'm busy. So instead I'm going to True West, with Kit Harington, at the Vaudeville. Cheapest tickets from the venue.
On the 6th, Hazel of Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts, London Guided Walks (and, indeed, Walking in London) has a Christmas Carol Tour. Now, the last two events I booked with her turned out to be no-shows.. the first might not have been her fault, as she was advertising someone else's event, but the second, she just missed the ball on and left three of us standing on a street corner. Whether this event happens is anyone's guess! Now, it's technically more expensive if you book on Funzing - but if you have my discount (Funzing_Fb20) ;-) it comes down to the same price she charges on her own site, without the booking fee! So I did it that way. But then Henning, with the London European Club, advertised a Happy Xmaths evening at Imperial College, the same night! Festive fun for maths geeks. Plus it's free - you just have to register with Eventbrite. (I see London Social Detours is also doing it now - for a fee. Funny, I wouldn't have put her down as mathsy! Oh, also London Science and Geek Chic Socials.) Anyway, I thought it'd be great to get back with this group. And since I booked the walk with Funzing, I've cancelled and will get a full refund. And I feel no sadness at missing an evening with Hazel, after what's been happening. But gee, this evening is proving to be one of the more popular- now a colleague has booked it for his leaving do. So I'm now going to that instead. Nibbles arranged at The Enterprise.
On the 7th, back with UITCS at the Royal Court, for The Cane. Got the very last ticket, phew!
On the 8th, with them again at the Orange Tree Theatre for The Double Dealer.
On the 9th, the Crick Crack Club is back at the British Museum for I Know Not, a full afternoon of Sufi legend.
On the 10th, I'm off to the Bridge Theatre for A Very, Very, Very Dark Matter, by Martin McDonagh. Starring Jim Broadbent, this is a dark take on Hans Christian Anderson! Our new starter saw it last week, and proclaimed it "weird". Well, weird is good.
On the 11th, I was going with North London Friends to The Convert, at the Young Vic. Discounted top-price seats, it seems! And then, the Crick Crack Club sent around an advertising email - and damnit if they haven't arranged a meeting that night! The House of Nine Lives is at the British Library, and has Nell Phoenix, Tim Ralphs, and TUUP talking about pussycats. Irresistible. However, I don't get my money back for the play unless they sell on the ticket - hopefully they can.
The 12th is our office Christmas party, but Let's Do This has advertised a Christmas dinner- which sounds a more attractive prospect. So I'm doing that instead. Places filled up quickly with regulars.
On the 13th, I'm thrilled to be going to Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, at Sadler's Wells, with UITCS. He's a fantastic choreographer, but I've never before gotten around to seeing this all-male version. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
And on the 17th, the Crick Crack Club is performing Gilgamesh, at Soho Theatre. With Ben Haggerty in the spotlight, this will be a treat! Sold out, of course - you have to book these things early. Meeting Helen for a meal beforehand.
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