Comedy: Trevor Noah

When I was looking for something to do today, and came across this Trevor Noah gig in the Hammersmith Apollo, I honestly had no idea who he was. Checked him out on YouTube though, and he looked ok. The venue only had standing tickets left, so I splashed out about three times face value on StubHub. Well, he did seem funny, it is Christmas week, and I have been good.

StubHub is a terrible site to sell with - I was trying to flog a spare ticket a few months back, and their fees are literally five times those of Viagogo! However, I can't fault them as a buyer - I had my ticket in the post ages ago.. which was something of a hassle to mind, while moving flat. But mind it I did, and even remembered to bring it with me today. I managed to get finished early enough to have a hurried dinner - including most of a bottle of wine (well, it was that or ultimately have to carry it to Clapham..)

Interestingly Google Maps suggested I take the Tube there, and a bus back - there isn't much difference in travel time. Who am I to argue? So I took the District Line to Earl's Court, where I changed to the Piccadilly Line - there's one stop less on that line, headed west to Hammersmith, than on the District Line. Mind you, I turned, out of habit, onto the eastbound platform, headed into town.. it wasn't until the train was pulling in that I suddenly realised my mistake! Luckily, the platform headed in the other direction is just along the corridor.

At Hammersmith Broadway, I followed the sign for the "Carling Apollo". For goodness' sake, how many names does this place have?! Anyway, I've been here a few times before, and had no trouble finding it - it's just across the road. I made it within five minutes of the stated start time (on the website) of 7pm. Took my seat in a deserted auditorium - wonderful, I could've relaxed! I occupied myself by reading the paper I'd brought - I had to use the light from my phone, the lighting was so dim. And I went to the toilet twice..

It was after 8 when the star appeared, and the house was packed. He entertained us for a good two hours (plus interval, which he seemed perplexed by the need for - and I agree). As he said, he was told it was because people might need to pee. His response was - comedy is like sex, and frankly, if you need to pee, you should go beforehand, or hold it!

Despite this rude interruption to proceedings, we had an absolute ball. The ticket price was well worth it - he has a well honed, sharp act, with a real eye for detail that is the hallmark of so many great comedians. A black South African, he builds most of his comedy around racial politics - which he can get away with. He's hilarious - drifting from colonialism to airport profiling to peoples' assumptions about accents. For me, the high point was his extended analysis of the Oscar Pistorius trial, which had us all howling with laughter! Really, this guy is worth the effort of going to see, and I'm glad I did.

As we queued to get out, it occurred to several people - including me - that it'd be much faster to get out the back. So back we went, passing on the way the disapproving woman who thought we should just have patience. We were right, though. Crossing the road, great swarms of people crowded into Hammersmith Broadway. I was looking for bus stop M, and remembered catching the bus inside the building before - oddly, upstairs! So, up I went - but no sign of the stop. The maps were no help, either.

The destination finder said Stop C would do just as well, and that was just behind me - with a 190 due in two minutes, which would take me to within a couple of minutes' walk of my (soon to be ex-) home. (Stop M turned out to be the next along, on the main road.) And I was home within half an hour of the show finishing - which is quite good, for London!

Tomorrow, we have a free Christmas lunch in the local Thai, followed by our last drinks session near the (soon to be ex-) office. But I'll have to duck out early - I booked to see the new Star Wars film in Clapham Picturehouse (to be close to the new place) tomorrow evening. Getting excited about that now. And the day after, I fly back to Ireland for Christmas.. exhausted..