We considered eating elsewhere, but in the end went back to the Castletroy Park. It's just so convenient. And though we had the same, I have to wonder whether they've been reading my blog; my stir fry was much less salty, with a more manageable portion of noodles.. much better. More chicken, too. We tried the sauvignon blanc for a change, which was lovely, and I had the ice cream without the sauce - much less slosh. Very satisfying, in all!
We arrived early at the concert hall, and took our seats:
On a bitterly cold night, the hall was cold to begin with, but it soon warmed up as the hall filled, the last audience members arriving to the opening strains of the overture. And I have to say, I can't remember a more dramatic production. Sadly, many of the soloists were drowned out by the orchestra.. until Aida herself took the stage and blew the rest off of it. Performer of the night, definitely - a French soprano, Olga Perrier. Suitably dusky, as befits her Ethiopian character.
No actual fighting in this, of course, but plenty of talk about it, which gives them ample opportunity for toe-tappingly patriotic music. Which might be why someone in our row was jiggling so much. The kids that are essential to every Ellen Kent production made their appearance at the start of the second act, performing some very non-Egyptian dance in the princess' chamber. But you know, you get used to it. Oh, and there was a fire juggler - close enough to the back of the orchestra that one musician, in particular, looked very nervous, checking to see just how close he was..
A good night, then, although it lagged for me when Aida wasn't on stage, and I felt that the ending lacked pathos. The lift took so long to come up from the floor below that we thought it wouldn't come at all, and as we prepared to leave the building, the only rain of the day decided to douse us. Just until we were in the car.
On Monday, I've booked for a talk given by a new group, Org London, whose theme is Digital Dystopias: Orwell's 1984 and the Internet Age. Or I might go to a film - we'll see. Need to get that film list done - I've only just done the Ls.
Tuesday, yippee, I'm back with free comedy in Hammersmith! (so far). Only with three groups so far - Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, London Live Comedy, and London for a Tenner or Less (just the once).
Wednesday is back with the Man with the Hat, who's taking Let's Do London - for less! to Southwark Playhouse, to see Orca.
Thursday - yes, you guessed it, free comedy in Hammersmith! Think of it as a placeholder. Funnily enough, I'd just booked with London for a Tenner or Less, and only just noticed that Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, and London Live Comedy, were also advertising. Again. So I've booked. Again. What the hey, it's free.
Now, on Friday, London Dramatic Arts are off to see King Lear at the Barbican. Haven't seen that since I studied it in school. Well, I'm off to see it too - cheaper, and sat in the very back row! Hopefully, with the maze that the Barbican is, it'll be fairly easy to avoid them.
And I did have something to do on Saturday - or rather, the Man with the Hat did, until hardly anyone booked, so he cancelled! Bah humbug. Might go to the Lord Mayor's show, which is on that day. Or perhaps a film.
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