Travels With my Aunt

Saw Travels With my Aunt at the Menier Chocolate Factory last night. Not a chocolate factory any more, sadly, but does comprise a gallery and restaurant. This small venue is in the shadow of the Shard, and I haven't been round the area in ages. Tube to London Bridge and a short walk. Sounds easy. Heh. Except of the two entrances I was presented with after the exit barrier, neither let out where I expected. I took the one that seemed to be better, and turning in the direction I thought was correct, saw landmarks that seemed nothing like I expected. Anyway, I headed off that way, in trepidation, and in due course passed the entrance I had been expecting to come out of in the first place. Ugh. Complicated station.

Made it to the venue, which is complicated in itself. I arrived at the gallery end - the theatre is around the other side. Made my way in the back door (yes, that's how you get in) and discovered the box office has been moved. Located it, and they didn't have my ticket printed out. Indeed, there was much confusion, as she asked me how I had booked it. Huh?! She asked hopefully whether I had an email ticket. No, but I did have a confirmation. Finally got the ticket printed out and took my seat. Allocated seats for this performance. For once, no legroom problems, but I missed the comfy seat I had in the Tricycle..

The show is a delightful farce. No, really, you would expect a pleasant time wiith Graham Greene anyway - and there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Four men of a certain age, dressed in similar suits, portray all the characters, and very skilfully. Including the aunt. And the 18-year-old American girl. And the 14-year-old Paraguayan girl, hiding behind a fan. Recommended. Booking advised - it was very nearly full last night, and that a Tuesday. Runs until 29 June.

Coming out, had the most gorgeous view of the Shard, lit up in the darkness. It killed me that I had no way of taking a photo - my camera needs charging, and my phone was in the process of charging, at home.

Off to Merrily We Roll Along (Stephen Sondheim) at the Harold Pinter theatre tonight. Its previous run sold out, but that was at the Menier Chocolate Factory, which is quite small. I'm sure it'll be good, but I do not like the Harold Pinter theatre - still, I'm in the stalls, so legroom should be fairly ok. In an aisle seat in the very back row, to try and avoid those pillars in the middle of the stalls. There aren't many people in the rows in front of me, so I might be moved forward a bit. We'll see.

Star Trek Into Darkness tomorrow night (2D, I couldn't be bothered with 3D). I see it's dropped from 8.4/10 to 8.3/10 on IMDB, but it's still far and away the best rated of the films showing in London that I haven't seen and would like to see. Looking forward to that. Nothing else booked for the immediate future, but finally got a ticket for The Hothouse, in Trafalgar Studios, by Harold Pinter, ironically, on the 28th. Passion Play on the 31st. It was interesting, trying to get the best deal on tickets for that. It's always worth shopping around for tickets for the more popular shows, and this time the competition was between www.lastminute.com and www.londonboxoffice.co.uk. For the date I wanted, www.londonboxoffice.co.uk came up with the better offer - £17 off face value, not bad! And I know what seat I'm sitting in, unlike www.lastminute.com. Finally, booked for The Play That Goes Wrong, also in Trafalgar Studios, for 1 June. I hear good things.