Play: Dixon and Daughters

Tonight, having tried several sold-out shows, I finally plumped for Dixon and Daughters, at the Dorfman. Got the last cheap, restricted-view ticket in the pit. Unfortunately, was up most of last night working, and grabbed whatever chance I could to sleep this afternoon - was a little groggy by the time I left.

Headed down via GBK, as usual for here, so decided to eat there. It was pretty empty - and a family was heading away as I arrived, the son upset because they weren't eating there, and as the mother said, he'd had his heart set on it.. the waiter then explained to me that the chef would be on break for 20 minutes. I'd set out early though, and wasn't in a rush - so I ordered straight away, and waited my turn. The chef actually returned early, and lo, ever so slightly after 20 minutes later, I was fed! Delicious as ever, too.

Google Maps mistook the bus stop, but I got a bus without problem - there are plenty heading that way. And I just made it to the theatre in good time both to go to the toilet and get a drink, which I took in with me. I was in one of the high seats at the back - "restricted" view meant, in my case, I was beside a pillar that restricted the view out of the corner of my eye, so if I wanted to see the whole stage, I had to lean forward. Hardly a problem. More of a problem were all the people squeezing past me, and me having to hop out of my seat every time..

This time, the trigger warnings were available by QR code! I suppose that avoids people being triggered by the trigger warnings.. so, the play concerns itself with a family of sisters, as we discover in due course. The eldest, who has a daughter of her own in college, is first seen collecting her elderly mother (Brid Brennan) and bringing her home after an extended absence. This is the only daughter she's happy to see - but another has pretty much moved in in the meantime, about whom she has nothing good to say. And there's another woman hanging around, whom the mother doesn't even want mentioned..

As with most family dramas, this has secrets just below the surface. And it isn't hard to put the pieces together when you find out the mother has been in prison, not in hospital, as you might have thought. Apparently, the father's grave has been vandalised. And what's the story of this other woman, that the mother can't even bear to have mentioned..? Oh yes, we have a lot of secrets to uncover. A powerhouse performance from all concerned, in a 90-minute straight-through show. Very well done. Runs till the 10th.

Climbed those stairs onto the bridge to catch the bus back - Lordy, if I had to do that more often, I'd be fitter than I am! As it was, I had to stop to admire the scenery for a moment, halfway.. at the top, had the phenomenon of yet another bus sailing past us, despite several of us having extended our arms, well in advance. I've complained, but this is a real problem here - they really don't seem to want to stop unless they have a passenger that wants to get out! Never mind, there's always another along in a minute, here - such a variety of buses I can catch.

Tomorrow, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) at last! Well, I couldn't resist a performance of Aspects of Love, by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with Michael Ball - I've never seen it. Showing at the Lyric - there have been cheap offers, but the best I could find were with the official website. Aisle seat, for the legroom - thanks for the advice, Seatplan!

Yes, film on Thursday - and I thought I might finally get to see The Blue Caftan! It's Moroccan, and again showing at what is still, for now, my local cinema. Although, checking the listings again, I found a new one - A Crack in the Mountain is a documentary about Hang So'n Doong, the largest cave in the world, which is in Vietnam. Looks gorgeous - but it's only on in the Curzon Wimbledon, at 5.40, which I'd never make in time if I stay at work as long as I should! However, it is on their Home Cinema.. which would also save the fare.. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.

Monday and next Tuesday, I'm also thinking of film. The film listings aren't helping my decision much, though - so I consulted my local cinema, which was happy to tell me that it's showing Return to Seoul on Monday, which seems the best of the fare that day - for now; The Blue Caftan doesn't seem to be showing next week. It's the story of a young French girl, returning to seek her roots in Korea. Looks engaging.

Next Tuesday, the same cinema's excellent doc house is showing Tina, a documentary about the phenomenon that was the late Tina Turner!

On the 7th, back with UITCS for Bleak Expectations, a Dickens-based comedy, with a different star every week, showing at the Criterion. I think we're getting Julian Clary.. I ended up going up a price band here, the cheap tickets all seemed so restricted!

And on the 8th, back with North London Friends, for the first time in, oh, ages.. we're off to The Park, to see The Shape of Things. Different people from last time, these are some I knew before.

Play: Phaedra

Tonight, I booked for Phaedra, at the National. Stars Janet McAteer. Google Maps said the fastest route there was to take a bus from Acton Street - so, past The Lucas Arms again. But when I went in.. Lordy, I've almost never seen it so busy! Certainly not when I was last here, a week ago.. Well, I scouted the pub, and there were exactly two tables free - one of which was reserved. So I grabbed the table for one, near the Ladies' toilet. Which was fine, really! The lady at the bar confirmed that this was unusually busy - and warned me that the food might take a little longer, because they had other orders to get out before mine. I tell you something, they know what they're at in that kitchen - even with a table of six to be served, right beside me, mine still only took 10 minutes. And was perfectly cooked.

So, having gobbled it down, off I went, figuring the earlier the better. And as I was crossing the road - the nightmare scenario, a bus I could take was just pulling in! So I started to run off my dinner.. the lady who got off the bus smiled at me as I ran past, and bless the driver, he was one of those that wait! So I made it. Sadly, Google Maps still doesn't seem to recognise that the stop they tell me to get off at has been closed for ages for road works - happily, it doesn't make much difference, except that I still have to cross the road, and the next stop is nowhere near a pedestrian crossing! Happily again, there was actually no traffic, for once.. and the next bus was right along. So I made the theatre in plenty of time.

The house, BTW, was packed - and the row, two rows in front of me, was what looked like a school group. Lucky beggars - I never got to anything this cool when I was in school.. You can see some of them in this shot, leaning over to talk to each other.

The actors play in a box, essentially - perhaps a strange choice, but I got used to it. The set, you see, is a large, enclosed, glass box that can revolve, and which has different sets within it at different points of the story. One of the (many) trigger warnings for this production is that there are many sustained periods of darkness - that's when they're changing the set. Indeed there are - during a couple of which, a man's voice narrates words in a foreign language, whose translation in English is projected onto the safety curtain. Turns out the language is Arabic - I don't speak enough of it myself to have realised that until the story progressed a bit.

Wow, the dialogue in this is fast-paced - I had trouble keeping up, particularly in the opening scene, when we meet "Phaedra" - here called Helen - and her husband, grown-up daughter, son-in-law, and teenage son, who have gathered for a meal in the well-appointed living room of their London home. The lady beside me had similar problems - and I can only feel for the poor sign language interpreter, stood outside the box for the whole thing, translating vigorously as people speak over each other! 

So. In the original myth, Phaedra's husband is away at war, hasn't been heard from in years, and is presumed dead. She proceeds to fall madly in love with her stepson - only to have her husband return! To deflect criticism from herself, she accuses her stepson of forcing himself on her, he ends up dead, and she commits suicide.

Here, she's a successful politician; the choice of "Helen" as her name isn't accidental, and is confirmed when, at one point, her husband draws a comparison between her and Helen of Troy. She might now be comfortably married, but back in the day, she had an affair - it is revealed - with a dashing young Moroccan musician, who ended up dead in a car crash. And now his son is in the UK, and has come looking for her.. and you can guess what happens next. Now, I have to say, I can't blame her - they cast this role carefully, and I think, very successfully. I can quite believe this guy as a lothario! He is dark, handsome, sultry.. has a deep, sensual voice.. seems sensitive and caring..

I did not expect this play to be as hilarious as I found it. It's kind of like a comedy soap opera; as the plot twists and turns, the audience shrieks in disbelief, and we get to laugh as various characters react to the news. The trigger warning of nudity is a bit OTT - nobody appears completely nude, they always have underwear on! It's all quite comical - until it isn't. Finally, in the last, snowy scene, we get to the tragic Greek conclusion, where the mood changes completely. Trigger warnings perhaps appropriate here, as the story is finally and dreadfully resolved.

I loved this - unless you have a particular sensitivity to the themes covered, this is a must-see, and provides a terrific evening of enjoyment! Runs till the 8th.

Tomorrow, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats to Sadler's Wells - first time in an age - for Creature, by Akram Khan! I absolutely love his work. Handily enough, I used my latest Theatre Token for this - would have used it for Phaedra, but while neither theatre takes them online (you have to phone if you want to use a token), the National charges extra for phone bookings. So I used it for this instead.

On Thursday, back with the London European Club, at somewhere called the Ugly Duck, for Synchrony, a female 12-piece string ensemble. Tickets from Eventbrite. As hosted by Eleanor Salter Thorn again! So glad to see her hosting events in more central locations..

I was keeping Friday free because Ivan is feeling thirsty again. :-) And for once, he seems to be sticking to the date, having booked us a table at The Lucas Arms (which, as he pointed out, has a smoker's area). We're hoping to have Martin - my other friendly ex-boss - join us, but he has more family commitments, which he's trying to juggle - we've told him to join us whenever. And this looks like turning into the first zapoi in a while - Ivan is talking about booking a studio, where we can drink overnight. Oy ve, watch this space.. So, not pushed about doing anything extra on Saturday.

And on Sunday, I'm back with the Crick Crack Club, for Orpheus Dismembered, at the British Museum, courtesy of Ben Haggarty. The event there that I'd already heard of..

Play: Romeo and Julie

Tonight, back with - you guessed it - Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS), for Romeo and Julie, at the Dorfman. The quickest buses I could get to there involved me walking past GBK, so that's where I ate.. and ate well, although now it's repeating on me a bit. Ah well, these things will happen..

The rain held off, pretty much - and apart from the organiser, I was one of the first of our group to arrive. And wow.. having recently come across the most expensive glass of wine ever in central London, here I found the cheapest in ages! At under £9 for a large glass of sauvignon blanc, I wasn't complaining.. I did make sure to get it in plastic, so I could take it in.

The high seats at the back do require some organisation, as you can't reach anything on the floor from your seat, so you have to be careful what you leave down there - but otherwise, it's quite comfortable. And the view is excellent, although - with most of the row in front vacant - one of our group did head out there for the second half. I didn't see the need, though..

Now, this is similar to Romeo and Juliet in that it's a doomed romance, between a boy and girl from opposing families. It is different in that.. it's set in Cardiff - specifically, Splott, the same location as for the fantastic Iphigenia in Splott, which has the same writers. And the genius twist is that the opposition between the families comes from the fact that this Romeo is a single father, raising his little girl alone, with an unreliable, alcoholic mother - this Julie, however, has parents who have pushed and pushed to give her the most she can have in life, and are delighted with her ambition to go to Cambridge. To study physics, in fact - she's into the Theory of Everything, the Holy Grail of modern physics. Fair enough, Cambridge is acknowledged as the place to do that..

In what we must admit is a very unequal world, we can readily see the problem here. Any middle-class parent would be horrified to see their child - particularly, their daughter - with a chance of going to Cambridge, endangering it by a romance with a local with zero prospects. OK, so that's us set against the romance, then. Except.. he's so responsible, so caring of his daughter, whom his mother wants nothing to do with. And they are truly in love. Oh my..

Given this unconventional take on the classic story, we were all befuddled at the interval, trying to guess what would happen next! I don't know whether anyone predicted what actually would happen - it certainly came as a shock to me. And by the end, we were all in bits. This - like Iphigenia in Splott - is beautifully written, beautifully acted (with a minimal set), and such a moving and original take on the story.. Just like that play, an absolute must-see. Runs till the 1st - go see it, decide whose side you would come down on..

Tomorrow - not so much appealed on Meetup. Free Stuff and Free Events does have Free Community Singing with Ros Hone and the Global Fusion Sound Singers, which you can attend on Zoom, or in person at Fossdene School Community Hall. Which sounds just fine - except that this is the sort of thing I keep cancelling! So I decided not to confirm until nearer the time. Which is just as well, because - predictably last-minute - Eleanor Salter Thorn, from Tuned In London, just a short while ago advertised an evening of Iranian music with Shahab Azinmehr, with the World Music Meetup. I adore this kind of music - and for once, it's not all the way out in Rotherhithe! It's just such a trek.. no, this is in St. Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace. Which, ironically, is just down the road from where I last lived.. anyway, much closer than usual for these concerts! Refugees and asylum seekers get free tickets.

On Wednesday - back with the Crick Crack Club, woohoo! for Goddesses in the Garden, at the Chelsea Physic Garden. Features my favourite, Clare Murphy, along with Sarah Liisa Wilkinson, Laura Sampson, and Xanthe Gresham. Might need to bring something to keep myself warm..

On Thursday, my final booking - for the week - with UITCS, for Brilliant Jerks at Southwark Playhouse. And wouldn't you know it, I still had credit on my Pay as you Go subscription, so got it for free!

And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again. Now that the film listings are finally (mostly) out for there, presently at the top of the list is one I hadn't heard of. My Sailor, My Love is an Irish, geriatric love story - a crusty old ex-sailor is looked after by his daughter, who gets in a housekeeper (Brid Brennan, looking a lot older than when I last saw her, in Brooklyn). The last thing she's expecting is for them to fall in love..

Play: The Boy with Two Hearts

Yesterday, I "provisionally" booked for the Soho Comedy Factory again.. but lo, was saved from having to make another of those difficult decisions, when Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) posted a trip to see The Boy with Two Hearts, at the National! Based on a true story, of a refugee family from Afghanistan, with a little boy with heart problems. Interestingly, I thought to use my Theatre Token for this - since I was finally booking something during box office hours, and could ring them up; few theatres take them online. But with them, phone booking incurs a £3 fee that other booking methods don't! So I left it, and just booked a ticket online for full price. Was perplexed when it wouldn't accept my card - until somehow I was logged into my National Theatre account, and noticed I had an old billing address. When I changed it, I had no further problems. There's a moral there. (Interestingly again, I couldn't even cancel my attendance at the comedy club - they now close RSVPs very early!)

See now, I do know somewhere good to eat nearby - The Archduke, a steak restaurant, does a cracking roast chicken. Ironically, when I tried their steak, I wasn't mad about it.. Anyway, it's a bit expensive, and frankly, I prefer O' Neill's. So I ate there. The waiter I got hadn't noticed me the last few times I was in, it seems, and welcomed me back! and I was well fed, and quickly. I hadn't such luck with the buses - I started out waiting for the #91, but my Buses Due app disagreed with Google Maps, and said it wasn't due for half an hour! With no sign of the bus that Google Maps said was imminent, I gave up on it and schlepped around the corner, to Upper Woburn Place, where I could get a variety of buses. And.. which had a great big "closed" sign on it, for this week, it seems. Hmm.

Well, I could see no good reason for it to be closed - and with one of my buses approaching, and knowing I couldn't get to the next stop in time, I said I'd see whether it stopped - they sometimes do. Another guy had the same idea. When the bus happened along, the driver gesticulated wildly to indicate that the stop was closed, and drove on.. we schlepped in the direction of the next stop. But then - he was stopped at the lights, and opened the door for us! So we got on - with just a small lecture from him about how the stop was closed. Nyeh, we were on, that was the main thing..

And we got off on Waterloo Bridge, where I walked back to the steps to get down to the theatre. And guess what I saw:

They were just closing up as I passed.. and as I walked past the length of it, a very interesting rumbling emananted from inside.. more anon.

At the theatre, I met the others and we chatted briefly - we hadn't long before showtime. We'd all been upgraded, which was nice! And this was press night, so some were in hopes of seeing some celebs - no such luck, though. Although I did see a couple of journos taking notes, in front of me.

Rows of shirts hang from the ceiling, more clothes are scattered at the foot of the stage - I guess this represents the refugees that, at the start, this family is on the point of joining. And soon into the production, we're introduced to the most beautiful singer, who, throughout, provides a stunning and, at times, heart-rending soundtrack to the action on stage, as she moves around the stage, always just at the edge.

This is a fabulously directed production - five actors do the entire thing, representing mostly the parents and three sons of the family, but also swapping, when necessary, to represent a Taliban soldier, neighbours, border guards, or doctors. It's as simple as donning a jacket, or swapping it with another person. And it really works! Some imagination is required to remember that there are always supposed to be five family members, but otherwise, it's flawlessly done. Searchlights are used when required - otherwise, props are minimal. There's a section above the stage, that acts to depict the family being squashed into compartments as they are smuggled to the UK - a harrowing story in itself, which takes up most of the running time. And oh, the animations on the front of that section over the stage are fantastic.. to depict rain, the letters "r a i n" drop and scatter, like raindrops. To depict a heartbeat, the word "heartbeat" scrolls across the screen, with a pattern that looks like a cardiogram. And that's not the half of it..

This play is based on a book, written by the younger brothers about their older brother, the one with the heart condition. And with minimal staging - but terrific animations, beautiful singing, and very clever direction - they have crafted a wonderfully moving story. It's an absolute credit to them, and the standing ovation at the end was no surprise. Highly recommended - runs till the 12th of next month. Includes flashing lights at one point, and a gunshot early on.

With an early start, it also finished nice n early, allowing me to shop on the way home - but I couldn't blog, having to be up early for the presale for Bono's book tour! Have been completely unsuccessful so far, BTW - tickets seem to have sold out in seconds for where I was looking for, London and Dublin. Still trying, in the vain hope of a ticket drop - the presale is technically on till 5.

Today, I was thinking film - but what was coming up wasn't as interesting as what the same group is advertising in Hampstead Theatre. So I booked to go and see Ravenscourt with them - a medical drama, centred on the failings of the mental healthcare system. And yay, for this I finally used my Theatre Token! (No phone booking fee, here.) Well, that's a weight off..

Then I'm back to Ireland again, because of the dates I have weekend things in London this month, and the date of my mother's birthday, which I want to be back in Ireland for. It all works out - but only if I switch weekends, which I'm doing by coming back to Ireland again this weekend. Film for the weekend? Currently looking like The Lost King, a comedy co-written by, and starring, Steve Coogan as the husband of the woman who found the remains of Richard III. Under a car park.. Only showing in the Omniplex, and a little late. Ah well.

Monday. Well. 👿 Anyone who knows me well, knows that I love horror. And am really excited that Darkfield is doing onsite shows this month. Mwa-ha-haa.. Five of them, in fact. I've booked the first of them for Monday, the first day I was free - the first they're showing, it's Intravene, nearby the BFI (actually, outside the National Theatre - see above). These are all held in shipping containers, and the unifying idea for all Darkfield shows is that they're aural - you have headphones, which are your main sensory input. The shows all take place in complete darkness. This one is about drug abuse, and focuses on the drug problem in Vancouver. And wow, seeing the container in person finally, last night, has just stoked my anticipation..

On Tuesday, signed up for another of The Garden Talks' free online talks - this one is Does Dark Matter Really Matter?

On Wednesday.. heehee. Back with Darkfield. (Cue scary music.) They're also doing shows in Canary Wharf this year - three, in fact. This is the first night for those.. and yes, I'm doing all three, that night. In fact, they allow for that when you're booking. So, I'm doing them in the following order: first is Eulogy, an unusual Darkfield concept in that it's somewhat interactive, at various points you have to say "yes" or "no"..

Second up, I chose Coma (they all have multiple showings, so you can decide exactly what you want to go to, and when. They just ask that you leave at least 15 minutes between, which I have.) For this one, we get to lie down, I think - which is nice - and get an option to take a pill. :-)

Final for the night is the one I've heard the best reviews of - Flight is a reconstruction of an aircraft cabin, and the show is based around - well, a plane crash! Booked all of these while waiting for my eternally delayed flight on Sunday - as I say, every cloud has a silver lining..

Next Thursday is the next of my busy days. See, first I booked with Civilised London (CL) for Tango After Dark, at the Peacock. All good, no-brainer. Then I was messaged by an ex-colleague - another ex-colleague is having leaving drinks that same night, in the Pelt Trader! Hellfire.. so, what I'm going to do is skip drinks with CL after the show and leg it over to the Pelt Trader - I've ordered her not to stop drinking till I get there!

On the 14th, something advertised with the Crick Crack Club (CCC) - they're celebrating all things Mexican in Kew Gardens, with Mexico After Hours! With something about the Day of the Dead, no doubt..

The 15th is another of those busy days. So.. first I'm headed on a walk with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners - this one is Paddington - Proud, Perky & Picturesque.

But, for nearly a year now, I've had tickets booked, for me and Helen, for Dara O' Briain in the Hammersmith Apollo that night! Crikey, I'd never even have thought of it if it hadn't been noted in my calendar. So anyway, she can't come to the walk, but we'll meet for dinner beforehand in Bill's of Hammersmith. I can only hope for better service than I got in Bill's of Clink Street..

On the 16th, back with the CCC for Inisfáil, Irish storytelling courtesy of the wonderful Clare Murphy, in the British Museum.

On the 17th, I originally booked a free online talk about Railways of Surrey, from the Surrey History Meetup. But now I've finally seen (despite the fact that it was evidently posted months ago) an event from UITCS - Samsara is inspired by the Chinese novel, Journey to the West, and contains partial nudity, we're told. Tickets for this are quite cheap, and we're all in the Stalls, for once - they haven't even opened the Second Circle, where we normally are! So, no stairs, for a change!

On the 18th, I've booked for Iphigenia in Splott, in the Lyric Hammersmith.

On the 19th, supposed to have drinks with Ivan! Might go to O' Neill's, we could do worse.

On the 20th, back with CL for dinner at Le Sacré Coeur. Always good.

On the 21st, back to Ireland again - and the following Monday, it's my mother's birthday, so I'm staying in Ireland for that and flying back on Tuesday 25th. I've already cleared it with work.

And on the 26th, I've booked with UITCS again - for Mary, at Hampstead Theatre again. Political machinations in the court of Mary, Queen of Scots. Funny thing - there were two seats in the main seating section at the cheapest price, but the site objected to me just booking one of them. No problem booking an equivalent seat in a higher price bracket, though! So I booked one of the high seats, at the back, instead. At the lower price.

Play: The Father and the Assassin

Headed off today to rescue the last of the stuff from my old place. Things took longer than expected, and what with having to run back to the new place first with my case, it was a rush to get to this evening's event! Tonight, I was headed to The Father and the Assassin, at the National. Based on the story of the man who murdered Ghandhi, I'd heard excellent reports! I was actually originally booked to go to this last Wednesday, but then of course, Civilised London advertised a dinner, and I changed my plans! Happily, the National lets you exchange tickets for credit, so I used mine to rebook for tonight. I see CT now has tickets for this, too - but they wouldn't have been so accommodating! Now, the new office is a hop skip and jump from there, so it would have made sense to head in today. But then it occurred to me that if I did, it wouldn't be as easy to head back to my old place to rescue my remaining stuff. So I'm still waitnig to visit the office..

I discovered I could take three different buses - and as I approached the stop, so did each of the three! As I jogged up to them, two managed to escape, but I caught the third. It's a really quick trip, a very straight run, and I was at the theatre in no time. As I headed for the entrance, I came across a food court, just outside! Haven't seen one of those here before - and what a shame I didn't have time to explore. Popped into the lift and pretty much straight into the theatre, just stopping for a bar of ridiculously overpriced chocolate.

And wasn't I lovely and close?! Row C, third from the front. Slightly cramped seats though, both in terms of legroom and in having no armrests - but that's what you get for budget. Note the backdrop, reminiscent of cloth on a loom - obviously a nod to Ghandhi and his idea that Indians should make their own clothes, rather than buying British. Also note the oversized bullets, hanging from the ceiling.

This is told from the assassin's perspective, and he is a charming chap. A brilliant comic actor, he interacts with the audience, tells the story in a humourous way - and with a script that sparkles. Honestly, he's more personally engaging than the fellow playing Ghandhi. Now, I got chatting to the lady beside me, and asked her at the interval what she thought. She wasn't terribly impressed - said it seemed very "worthy", and felt like a history lesson. To be fair, as I remarked, doesn't it have to be, to explain the assassin's motives? After all, this was a political act.

There were several points at which I felt like I was watching the Ghandhi film again. It manages to convey successfully the impression of large crowds, without having so many people on stage. And yes, the first half pretty much describes the energising effect that he had on the people, including our protagonist, who hero-worhipped him. I was left wondering what it was that so changed his mind!

Wait for the second half, though - it soon becomes a familiar story of a young, idealistic man whose hero lets him down, so he finally becomes radicalised to a much more violent solution. In fact, the transformation is disturbing - and just you wait for his final words, at the end, which are chilling. The lady beside me isn't a huge fan of Ghandhi, it transpired - she found the hero-worship of him in the first half irritating, but I think that was necessary, to show us what the young rebel was initially seduced by, and ended up bitterly opposed to. If you don't understand the effect that Ghandhi had on people, then you can't understand what made this young man do such a terrible thing.

This topic, of radicalisation, suspicion of "the other", is highly topical today.. and this play provides a valuable lesson that it didn't start with the extremists of recent years. But it's so much more than that - with the comedy, with the audience interaction, it's hugely entertaining, and very engrossing. Beautiful Indian music plays in the background throughout, getting us in the right mindset. I adored it. Runs until the 18th - highly recommended!

And so home, on another of the three buses.. and was reading in the paper - which I'd forgotten to read at the interval - about how Johnny Depp has been apparently flaunting his recent court win on social media. And as I finished and turned the page, the lady beside me started opining about how she thinks he was guilty. Anyway, turned into an interesting chat - once I managed to deflect her from that topic! Ah, buses are the most sociable way to travel..

Tomorrow, heading to Britannicus at the Lyric Hammersmith (and damned if CT doesn't now have tickets for this as well!). A political thriller, set in modern-day Rome. Thought I might make my initial office trip tomorrow, it'd shorten the journey. But then, I'll be wanting to change clothes, so it'd be handier to be at home.. and anyway, I'd have to be up half an hour earlier! So..

Then back to Ireland for the weekend. And with a couple of films showing that I'd be interested in seeing, the higher rated is a horror film (yay!) called Men, in which Jessie Buckley decides to take a trip on her own through the English countryside, following her ex-husband's suicide. She rents a country manor from an odd chap, played by Rory Kinnear - and he ain't the only odd man she meets! England can be a rich trove of horror stories - certainly, the books are hardcore. Let's hope the film is as well. Written and directed by Alex Garland, who has an impressive pedigree as a writer. Has a slightly earlier showing in the Omniplex, so I'll think about heading there.

On Monday, I've booked for Tony! The Tony Blair Musical, at the Park Theatre.

On Tuesday, booked for Girl on an Altar, at the Kiln Theatre. This is the story of Clytemnestra and her husband, Agamemnon, following his sacrifice of their daughter to the gods.

Next Wednesday, I'm going to a concert in the City Churches Music series. This is Brilliant Brass, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Brass Quintet in the church of St. Stephen Walbrook. This day has tied with the following day as the preferred day for our work dinner - I got my ticket for the concert from CT, though, and would rather not blot my copybook with them by cancelling - they're very picky about that sort of thing.

On the 16th, headed to Mad House at the Ambassadors Theatre. Unless I'm not..

On the 17th, back with the Crick Crack Club! for The Nine Muses of Queen's Crescent, at Rich Mix. Courtesy of my favourite storyteller, Clare Murphy, whom I haven't seen in an age!

On the 18th, I had booked with TAC for Haydn's Creation at St. Pancras Church, Euston. And then I saw that Bucket List London had booked something for that afternoon! specifically, a trip to Greenwich Royal Observatory and/or the Ranger's House. Ah well now, I haven't been out with this group since January! Ironically, that's where I first met Laurence, on so many of whose walks I've subsequently been - and who knows when I'll see him again?! since he seems only to run walks on weekdays, now. I seem to be swapping one for the other.. So anyway, I'm now going to all of the above. One of those busy days.

On the 19th, back with London Guided Walks - but, armed with the information that they now advertise through TAC, I've booked through them instead! This is the Secrets of St. James Walk, and given how I booked, I must remember to bring £3 cash on the day. I have to admit, the standard of these walks is excellent.

On the 20th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Jitney, at The Old Vic. I didn't fancy the cheapest seats - but gee, SFF had seats in all but the most expensive price bands, for very little more! So I now find myself in the central Stalls for this..

And on the 21st, I'm at the Royal Court for That Is Not Who I Am, a play about identity theft, from a mysterious writer about whom we have few details, except that he has worked most of his life in the security industry. Ooh..

Play: Middle

Back to Ireland for the weekend..

And not much happened, apart from a laudable (but rather inexplicable) performance from the UK in the Eurovision! Couldn't see the appeal in the song myself, but there you are. That was the excitement of the weekend - and so back to London, and the unwelcome news that there was yet another blasted rail replacement bus for half the journey to London! Hell, when I know in advance, I just get the bus the whole way instead of chopping and changing - the last time I flew, this was the case. The next time I fly, this will be the case. But I wasn't expecting it this weekend as well! And I'm dead right to do so - it took us an hour just to get to Broxbourne, where we hopped on a train that took another half hour. Not to mention the WiFi wasn't working.. much faster just to get the bus the whole way.

Well, at least I got back in time for a meal at Cote. Had my usual steak frites - and the waiter that crouches down to take orders. As he waited for the diners at the next table to decide, and I was about to tuck into my steak, he turned and remarked, with a twinkle in his eye, "Quick, wasn't it? I had ordered it, I think they gave you mine.." Mind you now, I'm becoming rather unenamoured with the steak frites here - the steak always seems a bit tough. Never used to be. Ah well, might have to change my usual.. the chocolate ice cream, and the wine, were excellent as ever.

Tonight, headed to Middle, at the National. I headed off in nice time for a bite to eat at The Archduke - again, no problem getting a table. This is the place that does carafes, so I had another excellent carafe of white - and this time, I thought I'd go for the beef bourgignon. Which, I have to say, came extremely quickly, and was lovely - if not quite at the spectacular heights of the chicken! And I had time for another excellent ice cream sundae.. really recommend this spot, also for the ease of getting seated.

A short trot to the theatre then - queueing at the bar took longer. Now, they never did send my e-ticket for this, but the box office today assured me that my confirmation email, complete with seat number, should be fine - and so it proved.

Pretty packed house for this story of the "middle" of a marriage. They have one daughter, who's now of school-going age, and sure enough, the mum is beginning to question her life, and her love for her husband. Gets up in the middle of the night and comes down to the kitchen, makes herself a hot, milky drink. He wakes and goes to see what she's at, and lots of stuff gets said.

It's all very real, very believable. And in parts, very moving. Nothing too dramatic, just the lives of people just like us - or like people we know. The whole story rests on how we never say what needs to be said, until it's too late - bottle it all up, and it explodes and makes a mess. So, here we have a husband who always figured that his job was to work and provide, a wife who wanted more - and a husband left wondering what it was that was missing. The value of talking it out, eh? Come see this and try and figure out whether they've reached an end - or will go forward from here.. Runs till the 18th of next month. And with no interval, it's over nice and early!

Tomorrow, back with Civilised London for a meal at last - this one is at Mestizo (Mexican). Not usually my favourite, but I'll give it a shot. Meeting beforehand at the Crown & Anchor.

On Wednesday - well, I saw on Meetup that a group called Get a Tech Developer Job has a free webinar, Learn Web Scraping with Python! Now, we're expected to use Python in my new job, and I never have - so this could be very handy indeed.

On Thursday, I'm headed to the Crick Crack Club again, for Astray, at Rich Mix. A storytelling double bill, both Irish ladies telling Irish myths!

On Friday, headed to Marys Seacole, at Donmar Warehouse. Based on a true story. I've heard mixed reviews - we shall see.

And on Saturday - well Lordy, I've booked for the Roman London Walk, with Walk About London (also advertised on Walks, Talks & Treasure Hunts - both linked to London Guided Walks). Now, I missed the last two I was booked on with this company - third time lucky?

Play: The Corn is Green

Good to be back in London - for flat-hunting as much as for anything else. However, I returned to a malfunctioning fire alarm in our flat, making the most atrocious racket. Mercifully, my bedroom door blocked most of it, and my earplugs some more - but I could still hear it, and it contributed to me being awake at 4am. Now, I'd left my phone on to charge - and when I do that, I don't switch it off, as I normally do at night. I forget why - I think it might be harder to turn on if it's charging. Anyway, while it and I were awake, a message came through from someone I'd contacted about a room! So, in the wee small hours, I arranged a viewing for yesterday evening. Up in the direction of King's Cross, just at the border of what I'd consider walking distance from the office.

I got up really early - wasn't really able to go back to sleep once I was awake, anyway - so I decided to finish early as well, and eat in that area before the viewing. Headed for the Indian Lounge again - I was surprised that the over-enthusiastic staff member (who practically chases people down the road if they show an interest) didn't come out while I was studying the menu! But no, I was left to come in of my own accord, and the friendly manager showed me to a table. Dunno why I bothered looking at the menu, inside or outside the door, considering I had my usual! The tv projector wasn't on, this time:

The food was generally lovely, and the pulau rice I found particularly nice! The peshwari naan was also very tasty. And it's nice that they provide large glasses of wine, which many Asian restaurants don't. I have to say though, the butter chicken was rather salty! Might not have that if I'm here again. But as I remarked on leaving - I felt I had to explain my unfinished meal - I had to rush somewhere. I made sure to avail of the free shot they gave me with my bill, mind..

I then had a trot up the road to the flat viewing. Got myself most of the way, and found myself in an estate at the back of the station. Had a little trouble finding the right number, but a flatmate was showing me around, and helped me with directions. And ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! Big room, plenty of storage - not to mention the large empty space at the rear of the wardrobe that I could use as a walk-in wardrobe! and a decent-sized, private balcony. Plus, fewer stairs than I have now, not so much extra to pay, available immediately (although he did suggest that I wait a few weeks to move in, because it's going to be painted), and it faces away from the road! How different from where I am now. Oh, and he said references would be "nice", which bodes well. Fingers crossed I don't have this one snatched away from me as well.. I've sent him everything I can, and contacted work and my landlord for references, but no word back from him yet; I suppose he has to run it past his landlord. And perhaps they're waiting to see whether a better candidate comes along. Here's hoping..

Anyway, it was in a good mood that I headed off for my evening's entertainment. I was off to The Corn is Green, at the National. I see this was also a film, which I remember seeing on tv, years ago.. Bette Davis played a teacher in a deprived area in the 1930s, who had one promising student whose lot in life she sought to improve, despite his humble circumstances.. I was lucky enough to get to the loo before the rush, then got a celebratory drink on the way in, in plastic so I could take it into the auditorium and wouldn't have to gulp it. This also has the advantage that you can get a seat, as soon as the house opens - the lobby was crammed, so I started off by wandering around while drinking..

On the way in, I noted the warning notice that this is set in the early years of the last century, with "different attitudes" from now. Jeez, talk about hand-holding. I was in the Stalls for once, of the Lyttleton. Row V, the very back row. But it was unfortunate that my seat number led me to enter by the left-hand door.. because it turns out the mixing desk is on that side, blocking access to the back row, so I had to schlep all the way across the row in front (happily, empty at that point) to get to where I needed to be! I wasn't the only one, of course. Still, excellent view:

I knew the story - but the staging of this is excellent! The author (as we discover he is) starts by attending a swanky ball in the 1920s - but is lured away by this story, and finds himself back in a small Welsh mining village, some years before. Interestingly, the first half of the play takes place on a bare stage, the surrounds suggested by the author, who weaves through and around the onstage action. This contrasts vividly with the second half, where the set is fully built around them! I suppose this is meant to suggest the unfinished nature of the school at the beginning of the story, which is quite well-established by the end. More striking still about the production is the near-constant presence of a male voice choir, their beautiful singing providing a soundtrack evocative of the Welsh valleys.

So, I loved it. The singing is sublime, the acting spot-on, and in particular, Nicola Walker as the inspirational teacher is a pleasure to watch. It's funny, the story is gripping.. go see! Runs till the 11th June, highly recommended.

Last night, it ran too late to blog - I had to be up for a meeting this morning. Tonight is film - with a few Indian films at the top of the list looking unappealing, I rejected them when I checked out the trailers. Which left CODA! Winner of best picture, best supporting actor, and best adapted screenplay at the Oscars, this was actually showing a while ago and is no longer on general release. I missed it at the time, and am lucky that Riverside Studios decided to re-release it, on foot of its Oscar success, for just two days, today and tomorrow. There's only one showing each day though, and early enough, so I'll have to hustle to make it all the way out there in time! Not booking out, so I haven't booked. "CODA" stands for "Child Of Deaf Adults", and focuses on the hearing child of deaf parents, who kind of deserts them when she decides that she actually wants to pursue a career they can have no real appreciation of - singing, of all things! Marlee Matlin plays the mother.

Tomorrow, I have another flat viewing scheduled - with no word about the last one, I think I'd better attend. It is slightly closer to the office, you never know, it might suit better. For the evening, I was without anything in particular to do for a while - unusually for a Wednesday! Of course, Meetup annoyingly doesn't always show everything running on a particular day - not even for your own groups. So it was only last week that it reminded me that Up in the Cheap Seats had an event on! They're going to see The Misfortune of the English, at the Orange Tree, and I got the last cheap ticket in the front row. It's based on the true story of a group of English schoolboys who arrived in Nazi Germany in 1938 to go on a walking tour in the Black Forest - just as a blizzard kicked in. And it'll be lovely to see some folks I haven't seen in ages! My only social event of the week, too. Delighted I caught this.

On Thursday, back to Riverside, for a rescheduled concert. Liza Pulman - The Heart of It was supposed to happen over lockdown. She'll be singing popular show songs.

Then back to Ireland for the weekend. Yes, almost every weekend this month - it just worked out that way. I'd normally have been in London last weekend you see, except for staying in Ireland to see my friend. And this trip for the upcoming weekend was already booked when that was organised. Now, it's a long weekend, so I have an extra day there - can see two films! The Arc Cinema now being the cheapest around, I'm concentrating on that - there isn't anything special showing in Limerick anyway. Higher rated is The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, a comedy where the versatile Nicholas Cage plays a version of himself, apparently sending up his iconic characters. I'll have to see how many I recognise - I'm not the most dedicated follower of his work! So, thinking of that for Saturday.

And for Sunday, it's looking like Downton Abbey: A New Era. Like the tv series, the films focus on an aristocratic English family: Dame Maggie Smith as the dowager Countess, Hugh Bonneville as the Earl, Brendan Coyle as his valet, Laura Carmichael as one of his daughters, Jim Carter as the butler, Penelope Wilton as a cousin, and friend of the dowager Countess, whose son is heir to the earldom, as the Earl and Countess have no sons. I was never a fan of the tv series, and didn't see the first film, but hey, it should be watchable. Apparently, in this one, a film crew arrives at the stately home - the real-life Highclere Castle.

Back then on Monday, and next Tuesday, a revamped version of Oklahoma at the Young Vic!

On the 4th (Star Wars Day - May the fourth be with you), I'm at last back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners! Ah, it's been too long.. someone suggested that I skip off work for a couple of hours during the day to go on the walks, but seriously, every time I checked when his walks were, I had a meeting that clashed! So, not an option. Anyway, this is the Cool Camden Pub Walk! It was actually rescheduled - was originally supposed to happen tomorrow, which was why I was left with nothing to do tomorrow. Unfortunately, on the 4th, it clashes with a couple of other things - a Civilised London (CL) meal I was actually booked on (happily, he gave me a refund of my deposit), and leaving drinks for my favourite ex-boss from my last company. Tarnation. Well, can't be helped - this is a pub tour I really want to go on. I was originally booked for an online talk that night - Fight Them on the Beaches is a talk about the greatest speeches in parliament. Courtesy of Guided Walking Tours in Brighton and Sussex. But they record the talks, so I can catch it afterwards. True, isn't it - everything happens on Wednesdays!

On the 5th, I'm off to Scandaltown, at the Lyric. Yet another play by the prolific Mike Bartlett, this is a revamped Restoration comedy, set in modern-day, debauched London. As always, love his stuff and am really looking forward to this. But wouldn't you know it, now CT has tickets.. ah well..

Just as well I had the 6th free when another ex-boss, Ivan, asked when we could do drinks again! He also suggested we try to find somewhere quieter than the last place - not an easy ask, for a central venue on a Friday night. Ah, but I have contacts.. the organiser of CL once recommended to me a pub just off Charing Cross Road, which he knows as quieter than the usual - I couldn't remember the name, but he reminded me it's the Round Table. I'd have booked, but they seem not to take bookings on Fridays. Our ex-colleague is coming, and for the first time, my aforementioned ex-boss from my last company! Should be cool.

On the 7th, back with Laurence and the 45+s - this time, it's a walk called Red Lights, Rabble Rousers & RocknRollers, around Soho. And Helen is coming up for it! So, a highly sociable week!

And on the 8th, back with the Crick Crack Club. This is The Origins of Life and Death, with Jan Blake, at the British Museum, which I missed in January. Limited availability at time of writing, as they have socially distanced seating.

Play: Wuthering Heights

Tonight, I was back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for a new version of Wuthering Heights, at the National. Well, this was my favourite book for a long time - it'd be interesting to see what they've done to it!

Omigod, I nearly turned into a block of ice waiting for the bus. (As someone in the group said tonight, isn't it meant to be getting warmer?!) And when he did deign to show, he parked well back - there being a host of other buses in front, it's busy there - and just as I made my way over to him, he closed the door in my face! I suppose he figured he'd waited long enough! Well, there was no way I was waiting for Lord knew how much longer - I guess the expression on my face persuaded him to open the door again. Not that he took us all the way, mind - for reasons best known to himself, he terminated the route at the Royal Courts of Justice. Happily, that's not the only route heading from there to Waterloo, and I was soon on my way again.

I was early, but decided to check out the offerings at the various cafes in the National Theatre. Picked the one near where we were to meet, just past the main entrance, grabbed what turned out to be a very sweet and lovely, but very messy, slice of cake - no napkins in sight. And what was a lovely glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Managed to get a table to myself too - which proved just about right for those who showed up. By the time I'd finished that, people had started to arrive - I excused myself briefly to get more wine (they also have plastic drinks containers that you can take in). But they were out of the wine I'd had first - and my word, the Chardonnay they served me was just plain weird! with a strong colour and an odd taste. Wouldn't have it again.

Anyway, with five minutes or so to spare, off we headed:

Well! That certainly has the look of an old film title, although I've searched and can't find it. Looking at the advertising for this, I certainly didn't expect what it is we got. I expected some sort of a retelling - as someone else said, perhaps with more modern language - definitely cutting the plot. A sort of re-imagining.

Eh, nope. The language is pretty true to the original - not completely. And the entire plot is in there, far as I can tell. Now, they do acknowledge that it can get complicated, so they keep explaining it - which must have been great for the several students that were obviously in the audience, in large groups.

How you react, mind you, might depend on your preconception of Catherine Earnshaw / Linton (Heathcliff's love interest). Now, my image of her has always been close to the Kate Bush song that Gabriel Byrne - who himself once played Heathcliff in a TV version, I'm sure - once remarked strangely captured the essence of the book. And yes, I agree. I think the woman was, frankly, as wild as a March hare - how else would she and Heathcliff have had such an affinity? What, then, attracted the mild-mannered man, Edgar Linton, that she married? Well, it wouldn't be the first time that someone married someone completely unsuited to them!

The addition of a rock band at the back, I think, really adds to it - also terrific use, as usual, of minimal set design. And yes - by God, I think they managed to capture the spirit of the thing. I still adore the story - and was, frankly, in floods of tears at her death scene (spoiler!). If you love the book, you must see this. Hey, someone also thought that this was the best explanation she'd had of what can be a complicated plotline! Runs till the 19th. Off you go.

Have to say, it was lovely to see everyone too! Mercifully, the bus back home came a lot quicker, and didn't terminate early. Funny how my stop is now called Camomile Street instead of Wormwood Street, mind - Camomile Street is actually at the other side, and it's a bit more correct to say Wormwood Street. I suppose they think it sounds better.

Tomorrow, I'm at Anarchy at the Opera, at Hoxton Hall. Courtesy of TAC. Where we're going to hear some lesser known works..

On Wednesday and Thursday, back with London Classical Music and Theatre Group (LCMTG). Wednesday, it's a concert at the Southbank Centre, where Sheku Kanneh-Mason plays Shostakovich. Apart from numerous other accolades, he achieved worldwide renown after playing at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. (And nuts if CT didn't just advertise tickets for this..!)

On Thursday, we're back to the Barbican for a concert of Haydn music by the Academy of Ancient Music.

Now, my new job - after some chasing - did finally send me the paperwork to complete. But as I still don't have it back to them, I figure they surely won't have me up and running by Friday! so I've booked on another of Laurence Summers' walks with the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners - Pubs, Poets & Prostitutes: a Tour of Southwark. Honestly, I think this is my favourite part of London - can't resist. And again, we'll finish fairly close to home for me - because that evening I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again. As I really need a haircut, I bet I won't get to see a film that weekend, either.

Next Monday, more classical music at the Barbican - this time it's with London Baroque Music Lovers, and this is Handel with Les Arts Florissants.

On the 15th, headed with UITCS to The Woods, at Southwark Playhouse. Aw man, it's over a year since I last saw a performance from there, and over two years since I was last there in person! And would you believe it, I bought a PAYG subscription from them years ago, and it still entitles me to free tickets. So I used it for this! With the group having snapped up most of the front row, I'm in the row behind..

On the 16th, I'm back with LCMTG - for a play this time! We're seeing Straight Line Crazy, with Ralph Fiennes, at the Bridge. Just as well we booked early - availability is low for that night.

The 17th is, of course, St. Patrick's Day. In Ireland, it's a bank holiday - here, Kíla is playing the London Irish Centre again. A standing gig, this time. Should be mad.

On the 18th, I'm back with London European Club, for 24 Italian Songs & Arias, at Battersea Arts Centre. They're operating a "Pay What You Can" scheme, where you pay what you want, between £5 and £35 - recommended price, £16. They even sent me a survey afterwards to see what I thought!

On the 19th, back with Laurence and the 45+s - this time, it's Highgate: A Very English Village. More hills..

On the 20th.. someone I swore I'd never do a walk with again. Well, we'll see whether she's back on form - Walks, Talks & Treasure Hunts (WTTH) is off on a walk called Secrets of Belgravia. (Courtesy of her company, London Guided Walks.) The code MEETUP3 gets you a £3 discount on all her walks - which does cover the booking fee of £1, not advertised before you come to the point of purchasing the ticket. Well, it'll be a start if she shows up!

On the 21st, I'm at another Zoom talk - Quakers at War is the story of the Quakers and their pacifism. Courtesy of Surrey History Meetup.

On the 22nd.. I'm booked for Dear Evan Hansen, at the Noel Coward Theatre! Finally - I'd booked for this before lockdown, and of course it got cancelled. Cheapest tickets from the official site.

On the 23rd, back with Civilised London (CL) - back at Le Sacré Coeur, meeting beforehand at The Crown, as usual.

On the 24th, back with TAC for Avocado Presents - Improv, at Etcetera Theatre. Eh, I think it's a jazz concert? Anyway, then back to Ireland for the weekend again.

On the 28th, going to see Daddy at the Almeida. Having never seen a bad production here, I have high hopes.

On the 29th, finally going to see Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella! I hear good things.. it's playing at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, which is new to me - Seatplan was invaluable in choosing the best seating option. What's On Stage provided the cheapest price for that seat, though!

On the 30th, back with CL - for a play this time. This is The Fever Syndrome, at Hampstead Theatre.

On the 31st, back with TAC for One Night With Robbie Williams. This is at The Courtyard.

On the 1st, back with the Crick Crack Club (CCC) for - The Grand Annual Lying Contest! at Rich Mix.

On the 2nd, back with WTTH for a Regent's Canal Walk. Different guide.

On the 3rd, the CCC again! Emily Hennessey and Sheema Mukherjee are at the British Museum, with Holy Cow! Tales from the River of Life.

On the 4th, I'm back at the Park Theatre for the first time in nearly three years! This is for Clybourne Park, a comedy about a white family moving into a predominantly black neighbourhood.

On the 5th, I'm headed to But I'm a Cheerleader, a musical comedy at the Turbine Theatre.

On the 6th, back with UITCS at Southwark Playhouse, and another free ticket for me! This time, it's for Anyone Can Whistle, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

On the 7th of next month, Tommy Tiernan is playing at the Eventim Apollo! Now, I failed to get a ticket for this the first time around. Then it was rescheduled because of Covid.. and I got a ticket for the rescheduled event! Then that was rescheduled.. third time lucky?! Love Tommy Tiernan. The show is called Tomfoolery. And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again.

On the 11th of next month, I've booked for The 47th, at The Old Vic. Written by Mike Bartlett, this imagines the American presidential elections of 2024. I am really looking forward to this play..

On the 12th of next month, I'm finally going to Six, the Musical! Based around the story of the six wives of Henry VIII (very loosely, I'd say), it's playing at the Vaudeville and I hear good things. Cheapest tickets from Leicester Square Box Office.

And on the 13th of next month, back with CL, who are off to the opera at the Southbank Centre. The show in question is The Paradis Files.