And now, the end is near, and so I face the final curtain..
Oh wow, the final Man with the Hat event finally, inevitably, rolled around. Family commitments beckon, and he's closing down the groups as of tomorrow. Doesn't know when, or whether, he'll be back.. a sad, sad day indeed.
Let me pop up that screenshot again of my Meetup activity, with the groups with which I've been most active:
Yup, there go the two groups at the top of my list. :'-(
I had a late meeting, but it did finish a bit early, and I decided to walk, in the end - it's not much quicker to take public transport to the Globe. Mercifully, it had warmed up quite a bit - the cold weather having done its damage to me! And what a lovely surprise - a group member who hadn't got a ticket had dropped by anyway, just to say goodbye! Chats with the Man with the Hat pre-event had to be taken in snatches - he was fielding phone calls from people who were lost, dealing with sporadic people coming up to him to collect their tickets. He did have 46 coming, after all..
It's impossible to be sad around this man. There's more than one reason that he has such a loyal following - he has a sunny personality that smashes through the gloom. Anyway, I hung out there until it was nearly time to go, shepherding a member of London Dramatic Arts (LDAM) who was finding herself at the Globe for the first time, and was uncertain where to go. And for my part, I was comfortably snuggled at the back, which suited - I didn't want a breeze making my still-sniffly cold any worse. Having said that, it had warmed up so much that I actually took my coat off for most of the first act!
Now, this production of Romeo and Juliet has attracted mixed reviews. The Man with the Hat did mention, mind you, that it was supposed to be very popular with the kids - sure enough, the place was packed with school groups. To give credit to the girls' school filling my section, they were extremely well-behaved - and I think they performed the best rendition in YMCA of anyone in the theatre!
Yes, you're right - I don't remember YMCA popping up in the original version either. That's the Globe for you. Neither do I remember the actors being in clown face paint.. and wow, the fight sequences are something else, with strobe lighting, streamers that shot out and wrapped themselves fetchingly around a support wire, MTV-style music.. I'm actually not trendy enough to have the vocabulary to describe the opening scene of this production, which is kind of mind-blowing..
Happily, it calms down a bit after that. And I've gotta say, it's a brilliant idea - we don't know what age Romeo is supposed to be, but Juliet is only 13 in the play, and I'd guess him a little older. So, teenagers then. And what appeals to modern teenagers..? Exactly. They play their parts perfectly, a bit of teen gawkiness adding to the charm, and the MTV-style posturing fits perfectly with the brashness that we often see with teenagers. They keep the original text, just the odd interjection added - and oh, the music! The music is absolutely perfect, going from slightly insane at the party at the start of the play, to a sudden shift to a much softer tune as they see each other and fall in love. Complete change of mood - perfectly chosen, as ever!
I loved it. Purists will hate it - well, don't come to the Globe then. But for everyone else, I really recommend this. Runs on selected dates until 9 July, better availability the earlier you book - many dates are sold out already. And as for their warning on the site, about guns - don't worry; although there are guns, they're not fired. The characters just say "Bang!". And, further to that review I read, the dinosaur is quite sensibly woven into the production - and I saw no sign of the submarine they mentioned! Unless they were referring to the torpedo that's been suspended over the stage for weeks now.
Afterwards, we met with the Man - who'd already hung up his Hat! He'd checked, and there was space in the Swan, so in we went - in fact, it was quite deserted, and we took over the alcove at the end. Didn't stop it taking forever for me to be served, though, as usual.. and hey, another of our members, who lives nearby, had dropped by for drinks! Awesome.. and a really great night was had, a fitting end to the group - with the Man with the Hat staying to the bitter end, as he used to. Farewells had the potential to be teary, but we survived. Hey, who knows we shall meet again as a group.. but I look forward to that day.
By now, it was after midnight - I had great fun trying to find somewhere quiet to ring my mother and pretend I was at home! Blasted busker, under that bridge.. and as I paced up and down in the rain, this would be the night that my mother decided to have a nice, long chat. Afterwards, across the same bridge - and with a choice of two buses, it wasn't long before one came and I could get home at last. (Wise of me to bring my Oyster card - I'd have walked if it had been early enough, but at this time I just wanted to get to bed.)
Tonight, it's back to Ireland for the weekend. On Monday and Tuesday, I'm off to Pint of Science - following a theme, given my background, I'm headed to a talk on Small Is Beautiful (quantum physics) on Monday and one on Across the Universe (cosmology) on Tuesday. Both now sold out. Rock on..
On Wednesday, London Literary Walks is off to Highbury. And so am I.
On Thursday, I'm booked for free comedy in Hammersmith, with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon & Greenwich, Random London, and London Live Comedy. Something, frankly, that I usually cancel, but you never know - nothing better has yet come up for this night!
Next Friday, I saw that London Social Detours (a side-shoot of Ken's Events) were charging £3 to go to the free jazz concert at the Royal Academy. So I was going to go on my own. Free. But then the London European Club (LEC) advertised a Norwegian Dixieland concert at Jamboree.. well, that sounded like more fun, so now I'm going to that instead.
On the 20th, I'm doing something local - a guided walk on Residents, Rascals & Riots, in Holborn. With London for a Tenner or Less.
The 21st, LDAM is headed out of town. We're going all the way to Northampton, to see a couple of Shakespearian plays, one directed by one of her members. Richard II, to be precise, with Titus Andronicus to whet our appetites. No-one has signed up apart from me, but what the hey I've never been there, so it'll be interesting.
On the 22nd, I'm off to Ugly Lies the Bone, at the Lyttleton.
On the 23rd, I'd booked with Funzing UK for an Infinitease Burlesque Show. In Leytonstone, so if anything better came up in the meantime, I was up for it! That's a terribly long way out. Anyway, the other day I got an email about cheap tickets - apparently there's a burlesque festival on - in Hackney, which is a bit closer. And a lot cheaper. So now I'm going to that instead - Funzing can be cancelled up to 48 hours in advance without penalty.
The 24th was supposed to be the Man with the Hat's last event, but he had to cancel. Instead, I discovered that the UL Alumni Association (UL is my alma mater) is holding a talk on Brexit that night. And I was going to go to that - but lo, Funzing came up with something better! So now I'm going to Urban Legends of London.
The 25th, Crick Crack is back - at Crouch End Arthouse again, unfortunately. It's just so far! Still going, of course - the more especially because it's Michael Harvey! He's worth the trip. Then I'm back to Ireland for the Bank Holiday weekend again - and taking the bank holiday, this time!
On the 30h, LDAM are at the Olivier to see Common. So am I.. on a cheap Travelex ticket, which I booked direct with the venue. So I'll be avoiding them, since they don't appreciate that.
On the 31st, free comedy in Hammersmith was up again (temporarily), with the above groups, plus London Art Comedy & Culture Lovers (another offshoot of Ken's Events). But yay, it's now been replaced by another Funzing event - a Luxury Chocolate evening! Helen's popping along, too. The code Fun_Day10 got us a 10% discount.
On 1 June, I eschewed the free comedy in Hammersmith for the Ghosts & Executions Tour, with London for a Tenner or Less - even though that guide wasn't great the last time, so I cancelled this previously, he's better than that free comedy! Oh, and I forgot to mention, the code WELLBEING30 got me 30% off this. How it qualifies as "well-being" I don't know, but I'm not complaining!
Then I'm off down to Helen for the weekend - she told me about this Living History Festival, and I said yes please!
The 5th, I'm back to Soho Theatre with the Crick Crack Club, for something called The Frog Princess - Punked. Ben Haggerty, the mc and co-founder of the club, told us the other night that there's going to be a full punk band - goodness, who would've thought that Sally Pomme Clayton had a hidden punk side!
And the 6th June, I'm with the LEC, to see the Images Ballet Company at the Arts Depot.
And now, the end is near.. and so I face the final curtain..
Well, near but not yet quite arrived, and hopefully not the end, but just a pause. Because, of course, the Man with the Hat is taking a break, and we don't know (and neither does he, I think) when he'll be back. Moral of the story - enjoy these Meetups while they last, there's nothing else quite like them out there.
Anyway, for last night, Let's Do London - for less! was off to the Opera House, to see.. Mayerling. Ooh-er: a ballet of unparalleled passion and intensity, and my favourite, by the way. (Well, I'm a sucker for passion and intensity.) I booked just as fast as my fingers were able to. And, of course, it was nice to be able to stroll down there, just a 10-minute walk from the office. He was easy to spot, surrounded by the usual scrum as he sorted out slips tickets from amphitheatre ones, and when I had my ticket I headed upstairs, arriving just as the house opened. I didn't bother to stay for a drink - there was nowhere to sit, and I couldn't see anyone I knew.
I sat beside a charming young man, who eyed my free flier jealously. He obviously hadn't been here before, and didn't realise that these are available at the programme stands - and, as I explained to him, they're very handy for the plot summary and the timings, which include length of intervals. There's also a cast list, if you're into that sort of thing. So I lent him mine, and we got to chatting, comparing operas and ballets. His favourite ballet is Swan Lake. Uh-oh, I thought..
See, Swan Lake this isn't. What it is, is a depiction of the real-life Mayerling incident - the Crown Prince of the Austro-Hungarian empire, locked into a loveless marriage, fell madly in love with a young girl, took her to his hunting lodge at Mayerling for the weekend, and (spoiler) neither came out alive. Apparently a murder-suicide, at any rate, it was a terrible scandal, and as he was the only liberal member of the family, his early death had enormous repercussions, with the Habsburgs losing the throne less than 30 years later. Had he lived, perhaps he could have changed their fortunes - who can say?
Now, it isn't for everyone. The guy beside me - and his companion - did stay for the duration, but I overheard him remark at the interval that it was "too dramatic" for him. Indeed, someone else later said that someone near her had called it "disgusting". By the third act, the seats around me were emptying out a bit, which gave me a nice amount of space to move around in.
I adored it, just like last time (when I bought the dvd). Again, Swan Lake it isn't - although the costumes are sumptuous, they aren't the frilly tutus of many ballets. The story is a tragedy, to which we're building up all night, and the sets and score are made to match. The sets are dark and brooding, the score - of which I'm also very fond - is brooding and intense. The dancing is actually violent in parts, with him flinging her about the stage, both crawling along the stage, her crawling all over him. Visceral, I think you could say, rather than pretty. There's a moment of nudity, too. Oh, and at least one gunshot in every act.
Highly recommended, but be warned - apart from the above, it's long. Not that I minded, but the early start and late finish did put some people off, and we had some who left - some were tired, some were sick, some had to be up early. And maybe they weren't that keen on it. Still, we had a decent crowd for the pub afterwards - at The Covent Garden, the Man with the Hat directed us to the end of the bar, where a bottle of white wine was waiting in a cooler, complete with several glasses. He said he'd bring a bottle of red when he came himself, staying behind to direct stragglers. We repaired upstairs, and although he left early, I'm sure he'd be delighted to know that we spent much of the evening singing his praises.
Of course, when the white was finished, I ended up having some red as well, and it was past my bedtime when I got home. I suspect something similar will happen tonight - I'd already bought a ticket to Nell Gwynn, at the Globe, then it turned out that London Dramatic Arts (LDAM) is going on the same night! (Buy Your Own Ticket.) As the organiser said, it must be fate.. it'll certainly be nice to have company. Odd venue for them, though - I know the organiser doesn't like it. Naturally, we're meeting at The Swan both before and after.
And tomorrow, I'm joining the London European Club for a classical concert at the Royal Festival Hall. Oh joy, they're playing Beethoven's 9th. LDAM has a double-bill that day, in the Arcola, but it wouldn't be convenient, and I'm not that pushed anyway.
I considered yesterday a summery treat - the Man with the Hat took both London for Less Than a Tenner and Let's Do London - for less! to the Globe (ah, it's been too long..). For one night only, the Comedy Store Players regaled us with their unique brand of improv. As usual, London for Less than a Tenner standing in the yard, Let's Do London - for less! in lower gallery seats. Which is where I go - couldn't take standing for that long.
Now, I always associate the Globe with summer - but to describe yesterday as "summery" might have been a step too far. The day was gloomy, the afternoon rainy, and in general it was freezing. Anyway, I decided to walk - it'd just take a little longer than the bus, I'd get some exercise, and I could get cash on the way. My evening took a severe downturn when I got cash, though - after being paid on Friday, my available balance was just £30! So I took out £20 - and it was right at that moment that a nearby homeless man decided to accost me. Expecting to get the £20, doubtless, when it was literally all I had of disposable income - he wasn't at all impressed with the spare change I offered him, and when he started to insult me, I turned on my heel and kept my change to myself. It wasn't a fun walk down, though, imagining having been ripped off again (as happened in December), and to top it all off, it rained quite heavily upon me.
Hey-ho, I joined a few other early birds at the arranged meeting point - we beat the Man with the Hat to it, by a few minutes. Got our tickets, made our way into the piazza outside the Globe building - the building wasn't open just yet - and hung around chatting. For all that I'd specifically got out cash so as to be able to buy stuff from the wandering vendors, I didn't feel like it, now that I was once again impoverished.. Well, I wasn't hungry or thirsty anyway.
When the doors opened, we made our way in.
I had a comfy, back row seat, where I could lean against the wall. And get a good vantage point of everyone else! And as the rows in front of me filled - if there were spare seats, I didn't see any - I had a windbreak, too; damn, it was cold!
(Massive crack in that pillar - I can see why they have bands around it, to hold it together.)
A line of chairs on stage awaited the arrival of the Comedy Store performers - and my, this evening was worth coming out for! Various games required them to improvise on the spot, and I haven't seen better. Rapid-fire, really funny - highlights included an operation where they had to switch from horror style, to musical, to Bollywood.. They started with a game where one was sent outside, while the audience came up with outlandish suggestions he had to guess when he came back, and - given the venue - they finished off with a Shakespearian-inspired play ("Julius Caesar Salad"). Honestly though, the highlight of the night for me had to be the Tale of the Haunted Carrot, in the style of a musical. And kudos to whoever helpfully threw a couple of carrots on-stage as props for that one!
Fabulous stuff, and the Comedy Store deserves its reputation. Great, too, to be back at the Globe - even if we nearly froze in our places. One night it might have been more comfortable to be standing - I wished I'd rented a blanket. At least I had gloves. Afterwards, we repaired to The Swan, as usual - shuffling all the way back to the meeting point in the freezing cold, just to be directed back in again. Could just have gone straight in - it's just across the piazza from the Globe! Never mind, it was great to be indoors.
Toilet first - I needed to go, and figured this would give the bar time to calm down - service tends to be busy, here. Struggled with a weak flush - apologies to whoever next used that cubicle - and, sure enough, by the time I came out the bar was manageable. Ordered a large wine - they have three prices on the menu, for a medium glass, carafe, and bottle, but rest assured, large is also available. And sat, and we had a convivial chat. For once, I thought to bring my sponsorship form with me - for that sponsored walk that Helen and I are doing in September, for Cats Protection. And lo, I got a good few new sponsors! Many thanks, all.
And all that walking I did yesterday will help with that. Walked back to the office afterwards, to check my account..
And wouldn't you know it, it was all a storm in a teacup. It was past midnight by the time I logged in to my account, and my monthly salary had just been paid in. Phew! Blasted banks, and their unnecessary delays.
Tonight, London European Club (LEC) - it'll have been a while! They're off to an informal evening of classical music, in Peckham.
Tomorrow, London Literary Walks is doing the Sloane Ranger. Rain forecast, and the organiser has offered to redo the walk next month - but consensus among those of us there last night was that we'd risk tomorrow.
On Thursday, Helen and I are on an Underground treasure hunt, courtesy of Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts. TFL goodies to be won, it seems.. Handily, I have no meetings scheduled for that day, so we have time to eat beforehand. Then back to Ireland for the bank holiday weekend - which I'd forgotten was a bank holiday, or I'd have stayed over an extra day!
Instead, for Monday, I've booked The Ferryman, with London Dramatic Arts (LDAM), at the Royal Court.
Next Tuesday, London Speaks Sessions, LDN Talks @ Night, and London for a Tenner or Less have advertised a talk called Origin of Vampires: Fact or Fiction? One I'm unlikely to cancel.
On 3 May, London Literary Walks is off around Gloucester Road.
On 4 May, Let's Do London - for less! is off on its last scheduled trip to the opera house - the occasion is Mayerling, my favourite ballet, and is sold out by now, I see. We have tickets in both slips and amphitheatre, as usual. The clock is counting down on remaining Meetups for this most excellent group - we're already feeling the pinch of its events being scheduled less frequently.
On 5 May, I'd bought a ticket to Nell Gwynn, at the Globe - then it turned out that LDAM is going on the same night! (Buy Your Own Ticket.) As the organiser said, it must be fate.. it'll certainly be nice to have company. Odd venue for them, though - I know the organiser doesn't like it.
And on 6 May, I'm joining the LEC for a classical concert at the Royal Festival Hall. Oh joy, they're playing Beethoven's 9th..
Another much-anticipated Man with the Hat event, as popular as the Opera House always is - last night he took Let's Do London - for less! to Madama Butterfly. So, off I went, leaving straight from the office as usual, got my ticket for the slips (he also had Amphitheatre), accompanied inside the small group of people who'd already arrived. We were in plenty of time, so I ushered them to the Amphitheatre bar, where one kindly bought me a drink (in fact, I didn't have to buy a drink all night!).
And so to the slips, in plenty of time for the lights to go down and the curtain up. This is an opera I've seen plenty of times - the University Concert Hall, near where my mother lives, stages two operas a year, and this has featured highly. So the story was familiar to me, of the Japanese ingenue married off to an American sailor, abandoning her family and culture in a rush of teenage passion, little realising that she is the only one in the room taking it seriously. And the music was just as familiar.
No matter what my mood at the beginning of this opera, I know I'll be teary by the end. It's a fabulously sad story, watching this poor innocent's hopes dashed by a callous older man. At the interval (only one, for once), one woman remarked that, goodness, typical opera: the woman always gets it in the neck! Well, as I said, if you thought the first act was depressing, wait till you see the second bit..!
The second and third acts see the action and drama ramped up, and the lead singer's beautiful, crystal-clear voice becomes ever more apparent. I liked how - from our elevated vantage point, anyway - the leads didn't seem too old, for once; Butterfly's hair is mostly loose, in a younger style, which is the first time I've seen it worn down - and her sailor, Pinkerton, isn't as obviously middle-aged as many I've seen. But of course, what we were there for was the music - and I'm quite sure I haven't heard a better production. As I say, Butterfly's voice soared above the rest, and I quite agreed with the chap beside me when he leapt to his feet in applause after one of her arias!
Mind you (spoiler alert), it was vey bad manners of her to kill herself at our side of the stage, where we couldn't see her, and sundry people in our row were to be seen jumping to their feet in a vain attempt to see what was happening! Also, it was interesting that one of our group had downloaded the play version, which has a slightly different ending - I think he was slightly miffed about that. How and ever, a beautiful production of what is always a moving opera. Runs on selected dates until the 25th.
And so to The Covent Garden, and upstairs, where he assured us that wine was already poured! Sure enough, glasses of red and white awaited us - not enough for the horde that followed, though! I'm sure it's the improvement in the weather that's doing it - there've been a lot more staying on lately, after the shows. Which is a good thing. Never fear, the Man with the Hat reappeared after a bit, having shepherded the last from the Opera House, and armed with another couple of bottles and an armful of glasses.. It was more than a bit crowded, and I was cosily ensconced in a corner, so didn't get a chance to have a word. But, you know, watch this space..
Today - why, it must be summer! Welcome back, London Literary Walks - good to see you. We're on The Composers' Walk - apparently a repeat. And a lovely, sunny day for it. And yay, we're meeting in Caffe Nero - I can have a chocolate Milano.
Tomorrow, I'm with the World Music Meetup, for a free concert of Iranian music at the Brunei Gallery. It's been a while for me, with both group and venue..
Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again, and a meeting with my birth and adoptive mothers on the 8th. That's assuming we can agree on a venue - we had decided on Greene's, but there's no parking, my mother can't walk any distance, and while she had agreed to take a taxi, she's now gone and changed her mind. The new suggestion is Bowes Ryan, in the same building as the multi-storey; I'll run it past her when I call her this evening.
On Monday, I'm back at the Wanamaker Playhouse - always a favourite - for The White Devil, a Jacobean tale.
On Tuesday, I got a cheap ticket to the Caine and Kane comedy show, in Brixton. However, when Funzing (courtesy of London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night) advertised a talk on Exploring the Mind of a Psychopath, I was intrigued, cancelled the first and booked this instead. I tried a couple of Funzing codes, and EnjoyFunzing10 worked, to get me 10% off. Also, thank goodness it isn't in blasted Cafe 1001 this time! No, this one I can probably walk to.
Next Wednesday, I'm with London Dramatic Arts (LDAM) to see Don Juan in Soho, with David Tennant, in Wyndham's. Just down Charing Cross Road - nice!
Then I'm back to Ireland for Easter - on Good Friday, my (adoptive) mother and I are off to La Bohème, at the University Concert Hall.
On the 18th, back in London, and back with Funzing - London Speaks Sessions, LDN Talks @ Night, and London for a Tenner or Less, for a talk on the Science of Paranormal Activity. Unless I get a better offer, in time - it'd have to be a good one, I'm interested in this!
On the 19th, London Literary Walks is off down Brick Lane - and so am I.
On the 20th, I have my usual placeholder of free comedy in Hammersmith - courtesy of Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Greenwich, and London Live Comedy. Of course - much like Funzing - I usually end up cancelling these, when something better comes up.
Ditto the 21st - or I may go to the cinema that day. As usual, watch this space..!
On the 22nd, I'm off to see the Naked House Cleaner! Venue to be revealed just the day before.. ooh!
On the 23rd, I'm on a walk of Hampstead Village Highlights, with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts. Be good exercise, leading up to my own sponsored walk in September, in aid of Cats Protection.. Helen and I are going as Dick Whittington and his cat. She's the cat.
The 24th, another summery treat! The Man with the Hat is taking both London for Less Than a Tenner and Let's Do London - for less! to the Globe (ah, it's been too long..). For one night only, the Comedy Store Players will regale us with Shakespeare-inspired improv. As usual, London for Less than a Tenner standing in the yard, Let's Do London - for less! in lower gallery seats. Which is where I go - couldn't take standing for that long.
The 25th, London European Club again - it'll have been a while! They're off to an informal evening of classical music, in Peckham.
The 26th, London Literary Walks is doing the Sloane Ranger.
The 27th, Helen and I are on an Underground treasure hunt, courtesy of Walk, Talks and Treasure Hunts. TFL goodies to be won, it seems.. Then back to Ireland for the bank holiday weekend - which I'd forgotten was a bank holiday, or I'd have stayed over an extra day!
Instead, for 1 May, I've booked The Ferryman, with LDAM, at the Royal Court.
And 2 May, those same three Funzing groups have advertised a talk called Origin of Vampires: Fact or Fiction?
Last night, London Dramatic Arts (LDAM) was off to see The Goat - or Who Is Sylvia? with Damian Lewis, at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. I managed to get a cheaper ticket - however, our team member was visiting from Stockholm, and it was her last night.. and you know, I wasn't that pushed about that play anyway, and trying to avoid those LDAM people who object to members buying their own tickets.. So I hung around the office. Drinks, sensibly, were in the office, which is well stocked - and finally, some of us decided we were hungry, and headed for dinner with no firm idea of where we were going.
Meandering through Soho, we finally lit on Bistro1. Crowded on ground level, but they offered us a table in the basement, which was just fine. Décor is enhanced by these ornate, stained-glass mosaic lights:
We skipped starters. Our visitor and I had beef bourguignon - sadly, I can't remember what the guys had, I was so intent on my own! Besides, I was more than a bit tipsy - I'd imbibed heavily in the office, and we shared a bottle here as well - and for some reason the bottles in the cooler looked rather large to me, I do remember saying that! As I ended up finishing this bottle as well, I decided I'd better order a dessert to absorb it, even though I was the only one having one. And do you know, it was all excellent - the beef bourguignon was tasty and filling, the lemon sorbet I had for dessert really lemony. Fantastic value for central London, for £20 a head including tip! Must remember it for the future.
Today, April started with the Man with the Hat (long time no see!). Both London for Less Than a Tenner and Let's Do London - for less! went to see the ballet Jewels at the Royal Opera House. He's not scheduling so many things lately, and this was something of a rare treat. Anyway, some of us arrived before him - but after directing some to the best lifts to take, I was left to my own devices. Got a glass of wine, took my seat in the slips.
Well, I had planned to dress appropriate to the theme, in something like a jewel colour; how fortunate that the colour I picked was one they also had (I hadn't checked). First up was a ballet called "Emeralds", to the music of Fauré, to be followed by a sassier piece called "Rubies", to the trains of Stravinsky, and finishing off the evening was a piece called diamonds, set to an extravagant score by Tchaikovsky. And despite the lack of story - which did bother some - the whole affair was gorgeous to look at (as you might expect). The dancers for each piece, of course, wore sparkling costumes of the appropriate colour, the sparse stage lined with backdrops of the same colour. It was a lovely way to spend a Saturday afternoon, and the final extravaganza sent us away dazzled.
To The Sun Tavern afterwards, where we'd booked most of the first floor, as usual - and unusually, we took up most of it, too! I grabbed a seat at the end, ordered food - tried the onion rings for the first time, they were quite good. Wine was courtesy of the Man with the Hat, who was to be seen measuring out lines of glasses of it at the bar, before taking himself off. The rest of us had an enlightening chat.. Watch this space.
For tomorrow, I booked a guided walk through Islington - Between the Wars - with London for a Tenner or Less. Funzing, so I could cancel, provided I did it in time - and then I decided I'd rather go to a film. Top of the list are a couple of documentaries, and the one I'm more interested in is Tickling Giants, about a comedian and chat show host in Cairo who's always sticking two fingers up to the authorities, and getting in trouble for it. (I've been particularly interested in Egypt since I visited, back in 2000.) It's showing, that day only, in the Curzon Bloomsbury - walking distance from me, nice! Seeing that it was starting to fill up, I booked, and cancelled Funzing. Again - I have a litany of cancelled Funzing events, these days!
On Monday, I'm back with the Crick Crack Club - at Soho Theatre this time, for an evening of Greek mythology entitled Atalanta, brought to us by the able Ben Haggerty. You know, now that I'm a Westminster resident, I have a Westminster card, which - among other things - entitles me to £1 off at this theatre! Pity I didn't yet have it when I booked this..
On Tuesday, Let's Do London - for less! is back at the Opera House, for Madama Butterfly. I'm in the slips, as usual. Was telling this to one of my colleagues - he's seen it, apparently, and was very impressed.
Wednesday - why, it must be summer! Welcome back, London Literary Walks - good to see you. We're on The Composers' Walk - apparently a repeat. And yay, we're meeting in Caffe Nero - I can have a chocolate Milano.
On Thursday, I'm with the World Music Meetup, for a free concert of Iranian music at the Brunei Gallery. It's been a while for me, with both group and venue.. Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again, and a meeting with my birth and adoptive mothers on the 8th. That's assuming we can agree on a venue - we had decided on Greene's, but there's no parking, my mother can't walk any distance, and while she had agreed to take a taxi, she's now gone and changed her mind. I've asked whether the venue can be changed - no word yet; it's more awkward, as we're still communicating through a social worker.
On the 10th, I'm back at the Wanamaker Playhouse - always a favourite - for The White Devil, a Jacobean tale.
On the 11th, I got a cheap ticket to the Caine and Kane comedy show, in Brixton.
On the 12th, I'm with LDAM to see Don Juan in Soho, with David Tennant, in Wyndham's. Just down Charing Cross Road - nice!
Then I'm back to Ireland for Easter - on Good Friday, my (adoptive) mother and I are off to La Bohème, at the University Concert Hall.
On the 18th, back in London, and back with Funzing - London Speaks Sessions, LDN Talks @ Night, and London for a Tenner or Less, for a talk on the Science of Paranormal Activity. Unless I get a better offer, in time - it'd have to be a good one, I'm interested in this!
On the 19th, London Literary Walks is off down Brick Lane - and so am I.
On the 20th, I have my usual placeholder of free comedy in Hammersmith - courtesy of Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Greenwich, and London Live Comedy. Of course - much like Funzing - I usually end up cancelling these, when something better comes up.
Ditto the 21st - or I may go to the cinema that day. As usual, watch this space..!
On the 22nd, I'm off to see the Naked House Cleaner! Venue to be revealed just the day before.. ooh!
On the 23rd, I'm on a walk of Hampstead Village Highlights, with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts. Be good exercise, leading up to my own sponsored walk in September, in aid of Cats Protection.. Helen and I are going as Dick Whittington and his cat. She's the cat.
The 24th, another summery treat! The Man with the Hat is taking both groups to the Globe (ah, it's been too long..). For one night only, the Comedy Store Players will regale us with Shakespeare-inspired improv. As usual, London for Less than a Tenner standing in the yard, Let's Do London - for less! in lower gallery seats. Which is where I go - couldn't take standing for that long.
The 25th, London European Club again - it'll have been a while! They're off to an informal evening of classical music, in Peckham.
The 26th, London Literary Walks is doing the Sloane Ranger.
The 27th, Helen and I are on an Underground treasure hunt, courtesy of Walk, Talks and Treasure Hunts. TFL goodies to be won, it seems.. Then back to Ireland for the bank holiday weekend - which I'd forgotten was a bank holiday, or I'd have stayed over an extra day!
Instead, for 1 May, I've booked The Ferryman, with LDAM, at the Royal Court.
And 2 May, those same three Funzing groups have advertised a talk called Origin of Vampires: Fact or Fiction?
Ah, the last Man with the Hat event for the month (for me, anyway - he is repeating it next Friday). Yesterday, he took both London for Less Than a Tenner and Let's Do London - for less! to the Opera House, to see a mixed bill of ballet.
Had the usual dilemma beforehand of whether to take the evening bag - the fact that it fitted my keys without argument sealed the matter, and it came. And I spent the rest of the night struggling to get it closed, and keep it closed. Life is hard. But not for the coach that was turning from Endell Street into Short's Gardens just as I was doing the opposite; this one was a reasonable size, and hadn't half the trouble - nor did it provide half the entertainment - of the 60-seater I saw trying to do the same, recently..
Approaching the Opera House, I saw one Man, one Hat, one guest. Not hard to spot. Got my ticket, and when a group of newbies had arrived, off I was dispatched to lead them upstairs. The first couple, mind, took off at a gallop, and I pretty much lost them while the security guard was trying to peer into my teeny bag to see whether it contained anything of danger. Last I saw of them was when they were heading determinedly for the lifts, so I left them to it. I went up instead with a very nice lady - we got a drink and hung out on the balcony for a while before heading in. I was sat beside Mary - good to see her, she hadn't been able to make the night before.
This is a triple bill. First up, The Human Seasons apparently describes the cycle of life, and is inspired by Keats. Very pretty, very elegant - but we didn't really feel moved by it. Much more successful were the latter two. The second - After the Rain - is mesmerising, with haunting music (Spiegel im Spiegel) I've heard before.. somewhere. And finally was the world premiere of Flight Pattern - starting with sombre bass, dramatic staging sees a host of people in grey shuffling onto a dark stage, moving in unison, like flocks of birds in flight. Until two break away..
Particularly the second and third pieces are absolutely stunning - I can't recommend them highly enough. Go see - runs until next Friday (which means the Man with the Hat will have been to the first and last performances..). Were I available that day, I'd be seriously tempted to go again.
Afterwards, with The Sun apparently booked for a private function, a small group of us ended up in The Covent Garden - upstairs, which had more space. And had a most convivial chat, including about this sponsored walk I'm going on in September. Sceptics can go take a long walk off a short bridge.. and last night, predictably, the ladies outlasted the gents, whose stamina gave out long before ours.
Today? Lá le Pádraig shona daoibh! Not doing anything particularly Irish.. well, not after I leave the office, anyway!
Tonight, I got a cheap ticket to a very topical version of Twelfth Night, in the Drayton Arms. Ah, I remember when I was walking distance from there..
Tomorrow, I'm back with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts for an Oliver Twist walk. Back with Hazel, excellent!
Sunday.. not a Man with the Hat event, but one he's advertised. One member of his group plays Spanish guitar, and is giving a concert that night - so I've booked a ticket. Well hey, I do love Spanish music..
Monday, I'm off to a Funzing talk on The Science of Psychedelics. Courtesy of London Speaks Sessions, LDN Talks @ Night, and London for a Tenner or Less (nothing to do with the Man with the Hat). Unless I think of something better up to 48 hours beforehand.. can cancel that far in advance without penalty.
Tuesday, I'm with London European Club (LEC) for Carradine's Cockney Singalong, at Hoxton Hall. Had some fun with this a couple of weeks ago, when I noticed another group member had confused it with something at a different venue, and thought it wasn't now happening..
Wednesday, I'm headed with LEC again - with a different organiser - to see 2 Cellos in concert in the London Palladium. Cool - never seen them before, never been there before, and I can probably walk there!
Next Thursday was another Funzing talk, with the same three groups, on The Science of Hypnosis. And then, wouldn't you know it, Henning from the LEC advertised.. Hypnosis - Altering Consciousness! With Pint of Science. (What is it about that day and hypnosis?!) Anyway, I do enjoy events with Henning, and as I say, I can cancel Funzing up to 48 hours in advance without penalty. So I did, and booked the other instead. And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again..
Again with the Man with the Hat last night, who persuaded a bunch of people in Let's Do London - for less! to go see The Diary of a Teenage Girl, in Southwark Playhouse. I've been there before from the office, but rechecked the travel details - and Google Maps was giving me a longer estimate than before of how long it would take me. 40 minutes by bus, now - and I had a late meeting, and got caught up doing stuff.. Realistically, I had to take the Tube. Handiest was Northern Line from Tottenham Court Road to Kennington, then backtrack to Elephant & Castle (the line forks). And glory be, Kennington is a maze - I must have trekked every platform in the place en route to the right one.
The trick with Elephant & Castle, of course, is taking the right exit - for Southwark Playhouse, you need the one for the university; the shopping centre exit drops you at the wrong side of the roundabout. So, although the exit arrow might point left.. beware, you might need to go right! I got the right one - and still had to schlep around a lot of the building to get onto Newington Causeway - your clue is the Nando's, across the road, which shows you're taking the correct exit at last. And as I approached the theatre, I was very glad I hadn't taken the bus; it was now 15 minutes to start time, and I'd have missed the play if I'd done that.
I couldn't see the Man with the Hat through the window as I passed - luckily, I know he tends to hang out around the back of the bar, and when I went down there I finally caught sight of him, deep in conversation. So deep that I began to wonder whether I'd ever get a ticket out of him. But I did, and as he fecked off to mingle somewhere else, I scurried to the bar - they don't make you put your drinks in plastic here, which is handy. Despite what the Man with the Hat said, confusing one poor member - perhaps he was suffering temporary amnesia. I was then just in time to join one end of the two-headed queue, which was about to go in.. seating was unassigned, so I plonked myself in the front row. Better view, less climbing.
Gosh, no doubt what decade this play is set in, with the psychedelic, clashing wallpaper and floor covering, the tub chairs. The tape recorder on the bed, with a large, handheld mic attached. The music - a glorious 70s soundtrack, some of which I recognised, although it was a bit before my time (I'd have heard such things courtesy of my older cousins, from Sheffield). The teenage girl of the title (Rona Morison) could have been from any era, but her mother, with the wide headband, the long necklaces, the flares & heels (and a nice trench), was pure 70s, as was her mother's boyfriend, shirt open to the navel to reveal a hairy chest and gold chain, and her stepfather, in the polo neck. Her best friend.. eh, the hair was 70s. The outfit.. what you might call timeless slut.
We did remark that the bed looked a bit hard - sure enough, in a set that serves multiple purposes, it also plays a table, and is handy for people to scoot across. Projections on the back wall illustrate the story, although they can be a bit tricky to read against the heavily patterned wallpaper. And as the audience enters, our diarist is in her nightie, scribbling something in a notepad.
So, this story has had a number of incarnations, starting life as a graphic novel, then a play that was made into a film. Must be good, eh? Oh yeah. Terrifically acted, it's what I'd describe as a trip through the fantasies I had as a teenager. I didn't get all the action this girl did though, wow! You might consider it a bit OTT for that reason - but you have to concede that it's a powerful piece. And although I didn't do all of that stuff when I was a teenager, I did some later.. ah, the memories! Meantime, the play reveals some interesting views on adult behaviour, from a teenager's perspective. She's a fiesty kid, and I took to her. Great stuff, highly recommended. Running until the 25th.
Afterwards, after I came back from the loo, a whole cluster of folks from the group were standing in the bar area. I got a drink, and the Man with the Hat shooed me off down the back - but I didn't see anyone I knew down there, everyone being still at the bar! Hell with that - this was an evening when I needed a chat with familiar faces, not a get-to-know-you small-talk session. So I came back. Yes, all of them were on the point of leaving, and gradually did - save the one kind soul who stayed while I finished my drink. The Man with the Hat had exited some time before - I think he had a lift organised.
And so home - late nights no longer being a feature of this group, I had time to eat, but, of course, my laptop was in the office, so no blog last night. Tonight, I finally get to go to something with the Post-Apocalyptic Book Club - not a book discussion this time, instead they're off to a play called The Machine Stops, at Jacksons Lane Theatre. Suitably post-apocalyptic. New venue for me - a longer journey than typical, but I can get the 134 straight there, it seems.
Then I'm back to Ireland for a long weekend. And my first meeting with my birth mother.
Monday, I'm with London Dramatic Arts at the Royal Court, for The Kid Stays in the Picture.
That rescheduled talk on Brexit Vs. Trump from a couple of weeks ago is on Tuesday. Unless I decide to go to a film instead - being Funzing, I can get my money back if I cancel at least 48 hours in advance.
Next Wednesday, the Man with the Hat is taking London for Less Than a Tenner to Top Secret.
Thursday 16th, he's back to the Opera House for the opening night of a mixed bill of ballet. As usual, he's in the slips with London for Less Than a Tenner, and in the amphitheatre with Let's Do London - for Less!
Friday 17th, I got a cheap ticket to a very topical version of Twelfth Night, in the Drayton Arms. Ah, I remember when I was walking distance from there..
Saturday 18th, I'm back with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts for an Oliver Twist walk. Back with Hazel, excellent!
Sunday 19th.. not a Man with the Hat event, but one he's advertised. One member of his group plays Spanish guitar, and is giving a concert that night - so I've booked a ticket. Well hey, I do love Spanish music..
Monday 20th, I'm off to a Funzing talk on The Science of Psychedelics. Courtesy of London Speaks Sessions, LDN Talks @ Night, and London for a Tenner or Less (nothing to do with the Man with the Hat). Unless I think of something better up to 48 hours beforehand..
Tuesday 21st, I'm with London European Club (LEC) for Carradine's Cockney Singalong, at Hoxton Hall. Had some fun with this last week, when I noticed another group member had confused it with something at a different venue, and thought it wasn't now happening..
Wednesday 22nd, I'm headed with LEC again - with a different organiser - to see 2 Cellos in concert in the London Palladium. Cool - never seen them before, never been there before, and I can probably walk there!
Thursday 23rd was another Funzing talk, with the same three groups, on The Science of Hypnosis. And then, wouldn't you know it, Henning from the LEC advertised.. Hypnosis - Altering Consciousness! With Pint of Science. (What is it about that day and hypnosis?!) Anyway, I do enjoy events with Henning, and as I say, I can cancel Funzing up to 48 hours in advance without penalty. So I did, and booked the other instead. And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again..
