Last night, back with London Literary Walks (LLW) for The Richmond Walk. Third west London walk in a row with him - but I'm not complaining, they're lovely settings. I headed off in what should have been decent time - and on another roasting evening, was glad of the aircon, the seat, and the lack of crowding on the District Line. I wasn't as glad of the three stops at red signals - and to top it all, the train finished early, at Gunnersbury!
Well, this was an education in this station. It only has two platforms - one westbound, one eastbound (handily, right beside each other). And there was the poor station employee (at least there was one!), plaintively begging eastbound passengers to board on the westbound platform, because the train there (which we'd just vacated) was turning around and going back. And then speaking desperately into her walkie-talkie, consulting her tablet for information, and explaining that she hadn't a clue what was going on. After our train left again, she was giving estimates of five minutes for the next one to leave Richmond, heading east - and finally, said that the next westbound service was due in 15. :-/ I checked, but the bus wouldn't have been any faster, so I glumly stayed where I was.
..and then she gave us a glimmer of hope, saying that the Overground to Richmond was due in five minutes! I had no idea how to get to it, so wandered along the platform.. and lo, it turned out that they go from the same platforms as the Tube! Who knew they shared tracks from Gunnersbury to Richmond.. (well, besides TFL employees..) So I waited, and in due course a gloriously empty Overground arrived (with even stronger aircon!). And as we pulled out (with relief), I could hear the station employee bemusedly telling remaining passengers that, eh, the next train at the westbound platform would also be turning around and heading east..! Afterwards, people mused that perhaps the heat was to blame, had buckled the tracks or something. So how come it didn't affect the Overground..?
Happily, I know my way to the Orange Tree theatre - I knew the pub of the same name, where we were to meet, is right beside it, and I'd been there once before, but couldn't remember exactly where it was. Looked for the group on the street somewhere, as we were past start time, but couldn't see them. As I peered around for the pub.. I realised I was standing right outside it! And lo, there they were, seated right inside the door - how nice of them to wait. So I ran to the loo, and still had time for a drink, which I gulped down before we started off. We were an intimate group - some people had cancelled in advance, and as usual, some people just didn't show up, nor did they warn us that they wouldn't be there.
Apparently, the theatre started life - like so many others - in a room above the pub; they have much larger premises now. And off we wandered for a very pleasant stroll through Richmond - which turns out to be quite eclectic.
Also something of a bastion of female literary accomplishment, with references to both George Eliot -
and Virginia Woolf:
Home of coffee shops (back when they were hothouses of debate), home also of battling bands, as we kept coming across stories of the Beatles and the Stones. And a place keen on sports, with pubs having references both to cricket and rugby - however, the folks on the village green seemed keener on reclining in the evening sun.
We also came across what remains of Richmond Palace:
..and, of course, ended up by the water, where we sat for a while. And it would've been idyllic, but for the constant noise of planes - it's on the Heathrow flypath.
Walking back to the station, we came across a cinema advertising, appropriately, the new release, Vita and Virginia, about Virginia Woolf's relationship with the poet, Vita Sackville-West. And as we approached the station, I needed the loo again - never trusting station facilities, I popped into the adjacent Railway Tavern, where they turned out to be at the end of a labyrinthine path to the rear of the pub. And so ended another great evening, strolling in leafy west London with convivial company. Delighted I went, delighted with the scenery, the history, and the company. And delighted it wasn't today, with its prediction of record-breaking temperatures..! Wary of the Tube, I took train and bus home instead - and was a bit late to blog, last night.
Tonight, back with the London European Club (LEC) - it'll be my first time in St. Mary's Church Rotherhithe, where the Little Symphonic Duet is performing. They aim to reproduce famous classical pieces, with only a guitar and an instrument called a charango, a kind of miniature ukulele. It'll also be my first time in an age with Tuned In London - delighted to be with them again! Being in a church, we should be nice and cool - and one person is heading to the nearby Mayflower first, for food - I believe I'll join him.
Tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend. On Monday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) - we're off to see Present Laughter, by Noel Coward, with the wonderful Andrew Scott, at the Old Vic. It'll be interesting for us all to see how he is in a comedy. Rear stalls again, yay! Sold out now, I believe.
On Tuesday, I'm back with Anthony's Cultural Events and Walking Activities Group (ACEWAG), who are off to a free Motown concert in Canary Wharf. First come, first served for spots on the grass. Unless it's promised to rain, in which case I'll probably cry off..
On Wednesday, LLW just recently advertised a walk called Heart of the City. Wouldn't you know it, it goes from practically outside my office.. to practically outside my flat! Couldn't refuse to go on that, now could I?! Why, they'll just be walking me home from work..
Next Thursday, attending a performance of Hamlet by Shit-Faced Shakespeare at Leicester Square Theatre, with Civilised London (CL). Apparently, the idea is that one cast member performs while, well, shitfaced drunk. The organiser scored us some cheap tickets.
On the 2nd, back with UITCS for Barber Shop Chronicles at the Roundhouse. A National Theatre co-production, apparently.
On the 3rd, a group called Get Out of London is off to Stratford-upon-Avon. Ooh, I thought, that sounds nice - but they're leaving ridiculously early, and coming back the same evening. It being a Saturday, I thought it'd be much nicer to head off at a more civilised hour and stay the night! So that's what I'm doing. Booked a nice, cheap advance train ticket and a night at the Doubletree by Hilton - and because I booked with Expedia, I got a nice discount, on account of all those U2 trips I've been booking with them lately! It's very near the station, which will be convenient. Handily enough, my guide book to England didn't get thrown out in the recent move - and reading it, I might have missed a trick; seems the Shakespeare Hotel is an olde-fashioned type of establishment, and might have been nice. Never mind, it might just be noisy.
Of course, I've been busy booking other things too - such as a "full-story" ticket to all the five houses associated with Shakespeare (much better value than individual tickets: I pick it up when I get there - valid for a year); a couple of them are a bit far-flung, but I believe the hop-on, hop-off city sightseeing bus covers them all. So I've booked a 24-hour ticket for that too - cheaper on that website. (Valid for three months after booking, and for 24 hours after first use. Cancellable up to 48 hours beforehand. Only problem is, I'll have to find the office printer - they only accept paper confirmations!) And, of course - considering what I'm like - I've booked myself into an RSC production that night, at the Swan. It's not Shakespeare, but it is a period play; Venice Preserved is a Restoration thriller.
I'll come back on the Sunday evening. On the 5th, back with UITCS for Pilgrims, at the Orange Tree Theatre.
On the 6th, I'm off to the Bunker.. they have a program of plays by black writers, called This is Black, and that day, I'm seeing Double Bill 2 (they run on alternate days).
On the 7th, LLW has a walk called Moby Dick (ahoy!). It's around Greenland Dock.
On the 8th, I'm at a UITCS double bill at the Orange Tree! The Mikvah Project and Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography! (ahem..) Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
On the 12th, This is Black, Double Bill 1.
On the 13th, back with ACEWAG again - they're at a free outdoor concert in Canada Square Park, called the Magic of the Movies.
Now, UITCS is at Matthew Bourne's Romeo and Juliet the same night, at Sadler's Wells - and I was gutted not to get a ticket. But guess what - I got one for the next night! Last seat in the house, in fact.. love Matthew Bourne.
On the 15th, back with The Embers Collective, who are performing Full Moon Stories at Cafe Cairo.
On the 16th, I'm back with the Best Authentic Walking Tours in London (aka Funzing) - for the Sex, Drugs, Sausage Rolls Tour. Unusual for me to find a new walk!
On the 17th, going to see The Doctor, with Juliet Stevenson, at the Almeida. Now, I'd originally booked for this for the 15th, forgetting that The Embers Collective were meeting that day. Can happen when I'm booking lots of stuff. When I realised my mistake, I thought I just wouldn't bother with this - then saw that London Dramatic Arts are going on the 17th! So I switched my ticket to that night, and let them know I was coming too. As for whether they'll actually meet me, I'm not sure - the organiser was selling tickets for this, and might take umbrage at the fact that I bought my own: despite the fact that I originally bought it for another night, and wasn't deliberately trying to avoid buying hers! She can be like that, though.
On the 18th, going with CL to the Cartoon Museum - with optional dim sum afterwards. Yes please!
On the 19th, I'm finally going to see Evita, at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. Never have seen it.
On the 20th, with the LEC at the Globe - we're going to risk The Comedy of Errors.
And on the 21st, I'm seeing Showtune - an evening of Jerry Herman music - at the Union Theatre.
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