I left in good time last night, for a not insignificant journey up to Camden. Mind you, not in time to get the Overground, which would've been cheaper - nope, Tube to Leicester Square and change to the Northern Line to Camden Town. About 45 minutes, in all. It's not a long walk from there to The Forge - you just have to make sure you go the right way, at what is a complicated junction. I tend to orient myself by locating the "Underworld" shop, on my left, and noting that I have to take the second left from there - straight down Camden High Street. Then it's the second right, onto Delancey Street.
The posher amongst us might be a bit phased at this point - The Blues Kitchen, on the corner, is reputed to be a great music venue, but my God it's scruffy! The Forge is a little way past that, on the left - enter by the big glass door, then make your way to the back, past the glass partition. They have a table set up at the entrance to the auditorium, to the right - there's actually no need to print your ticket, although I always do - if nothing else, they do include a map on the tickets, which can be handy. At the venue, they just check your name off the list and stamp your hand. With a "Jack Daniels" stamp, interestingly.
I only arrived about 10 minutes early, but people tended to arrive late to this, and when I got there, there was plenty of space. They had crammed the seats in, though - the rows of linked chairs were so close together that it was actually difficult to squeeze in. I took a seat by the wall, figuring - correctly, as it turned out - that this would be a sell-out. Storytelling isn't that common, and these events are very popular. In due course, both the ground floor and balcony were full.
The event was, as ever, hosted by the (other!) man in the hat.. with black hat and black overcoat, he took the stage and explained - again - the rules of the club. He says "Crick", we say "Crack" (and vice versa), he says "Honour", we say "Respect". And then he turned the stage over to Nick Hennessy, of Irish descent, who was going to regale us with Irish folklore.
To assist him in his task, he had on stage a harp, on a stand, and a bodhrán. And indeed, music was peppered through the performance, which he began with the first verse of "The Cross of Spancilhill". Said he couldn't remember any more. I could've helped - I'm from very near there (it's a real place). Anyway, he moved on to thrill us with the most ethereal folk tales, culminating in the encounter that a young man on a mission had in the titular "ruined house of skin". Beautiful tales of magic, of curses, of the threefold story of birth, life, and death.
It occurred to me that this fellow is a little let down, just by having an English accent. Apparently he has affected an Irish one on occasion, he told us.. Anyway, it just does occur to me that he'd be more popular with an Irish accent - it'd suit the material. The night was excellent - although I'd had the impression that it would only last for an hour, whereas it turned out to be two halves of 45 minutes each, with a 15-minute interval! Ah well, I was just home a bit later than anticipated.
It was so cold when I left the building that I was very glad to be taking the Tube, which was closer. Stopped off in Waitrose, which I passed on the way, to get something for dinner, and shivered my way home - it's damn cold, these nights! Hopefully I survive tonight, when I'm headed - with the London European Club - to Allegri - Miserere Mei Deus, in St. Martin-in-the-Fields.
Part of their Brandenburg Choral Festival. It doesn't start until 9:30, but we're meeting in the crypt cafe beforehand.
Tomorrow, I'm back to Dublin
for my final U2 concerts of the year, flying back on Sunday - I hope to
get the keys to my new place that evening, so I'm not bothered about
going out that night. On Monday though, I'm headed to The Homecoming by Harold Pinter, at Trafalgar Studios. Stars Gemma Chan, Gary Kemp, John Macmillan, and Jon Simm. And the good old London Dramatic Art group
has tickets (well, one left now!) for cheaper than I can get them
anywhere else! Premium, front row seats too. Excellent - and I'll be
glad to meet them again, it's been months! Finally (for now), on Tuesday
I'm joining the Kensington Classical Music group, who have the cheapest tickets I can find for a performance of the pianist, Lang Lang, with the Philharmonia, at the Royal Festival Hall. Features my two favourite classical composers - Mozart and Beethoven. Cool..
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