Performance: Loch na hEala

I thought this sounded interesting when the London European Club advertised it - and goodness knows, I always jump at the chance to go to Sadler's Wells. So I booked - up in the gods, as usual, the cheapest and best sited non-restricted view seat that I could find.

Looking up directions today - first time I'd have travelled there from Clapham Junction - it turned out to be another of those places that takes over an hour to get to if you restrict yourself to bus. So I determined on train to Waterloo, then bus - the 341 goes straight to Sadler's Wells from Stop F. Which, as I suspected, turns out to be just down from Stop C - however that logic works. So, take the exit for Waterloo Road, and outside, hang a left.

Wouldn't you know it, a 341 happened along just as I did, and of course, as I know well, the destination stop is right outside the theatre. Went in, collected my ticket - unusually, they didn't seem to have a Print at Home option for this show. I'd forgotten that I'd also ordered a programme voucher, given the unusual description we had of what it entailed.

Met the one person I knew that was coming tonight, and we chatted happily between ourselves as the foyer filled. We were a bit early, but no sign could we see of the organiser (whom neither of us knew anyway). Finally, with the foyer becoming uncomfortably crowded, I left her to it - she was in the stalls, I was on the top floor. And let me tell you, after climbing to the next floor, I had something of a funny turn.. something of a combination of too much wine earlier, I think, and too little exercise, with all this driving to Guildford. Something I hope to remedy, now that that's no longer an issue, and I can start taking better care of myself.. more exercise, more food, more sleep. Heavens, I already feel better.

Anyway, I leaned on the bar for a bit, then climbed all the way to the top - strangely, without dying - and managed to grab a chair for a bit of a sit. Felt much better after a couple of minutes, and now they were going in - mercifully, my row was at the same level as the door. Good view of the stage, where Mikel Murfi was pacing, dressed only in briefs, tethered by a white rope around the neck, whose other end was fastened to a breeze block.

"Loch na hEala" is the Irish for "Swan Lake", but that's as close as we got to the famous ballet in this innovative production. In fact, the name was the only thing they had in common. It owed a little more, as I'd thought it might, to the legend of the Children of Lir - in that it featured Fionnuala and her three younger siblings, who were turned, by means of black magic, into swans, to haunt the local lake - the "Swan Lake" of the title.

I spent much of the beginning of the show wondering what on earth they were at. Mikel was duly freed, and dressed, and proceeded to narrate the story. After he got a cup of tea, ready to be served, over the side. Very Irish. Anyway, the story that he narrated related to one Jimmy, a resident of a rural part of Longford (well, you'd struggle to name a part of Longford that didn't fit that description).

It soon became apparent that Jimmy, like so many young men stuck in rural areas, had problems - particularly after his father died. And when he inherited his father's shotgun - well, some people started worrying. We've heard sad cases where these sorts of fears have come to fruition. And this all made sense, suddenly, of the eloquent prologue to the programme, which made it worth buying - speaking, as it did, of darkness and depression.

So, another sad tale of a young life gone astray in rural Ireland. Except.. for the four young women in white, who stalked the edge of the stage from the beginning, gradually taking a more prominent role. Who ultimately donned swans' wings.. and so it was, that a sad story of modern Irish life merged with an ancient tale from Ireland's dim and distant past, to bring some magic into a grey present-day. The end of Jimmy's story was truly memorable. And - do you know - they went a little bit wild onstage, once the storytelling was all done. The stage was covered with - feathers, I guess, it was hard to see from as high as I was - and they made it their mission to, em, shower the front two rows of the stalls with as many of them as they possibly could. They had a ball, even knocking off one of the stage lights in the process! Pity the poor audience member, who started to cough, with all this descending upon them, and had to leave.

An innovative and anarchic night. Not to everyone's taste - I saw a couple of folks leave early, including the lady beside me (which just gave me more room) - but I loved the dance, the imagination, and the truly haunting music, played live on stage. And I joined in with those who gave them a standing ovation. Pity that was the last night.. do keep an eye out for it, for a truly different take on "Swan Lake".

Afterwards, there was no sign of my companion, and I made my way home, darting among traffic to the bus stop across the road - well, they must know to drive carefully around this theatre at letting-out time! I had a choice of buses to Victoria or Waterloo - was all set to get the one to Victoria until the one to Waterloo pulled up right behind it, and I do prefer Waterloo, it's more logical. And wouldn't you know it, we were dropped off at the very stop outside Waterloo from where I get my bus home! Well, as we'd got there so fast, it seemed a shame not just to wait for the 77, and bus it the rest of the way - and that's what I did. Some amusement was provided when an out-of-service 77 passed - without stopping, of course - and when it stopped in traffic just down the road, coincidentally in front of another bus stop, a whole bunch of people decided it was stopping there instead, and tore off after it. Only to see it pull away again before they got there. Hey-ho, I'm sure the run did them good.

Tomorrow, I'm back with the London European Club, for a concert by Sondorgo and Maarja Nuut, at Jerwood Hall. There's someone I know signed up for that as well - and this time, a pub gathering has been mooted. So it might be a bit more sociable.

On Monday, nothing much appealed on Meetup, when I checked. Well, there was a walk - Carpe Diem is following the route of the Circle Line overground. But they're not due to finish until four, and - you heard it here first - I have an interview at 3! Wish me luck.. no, instead of the walk, I had a look to see what cheap tickets were available, and have booked one to a show at the Drayton Arms that evening, purely because it was the closest advertised. It's called I'm Doing This For You, and apparently we get served vodka and cupcakes. I can live with this. I might need a distraction, that evening.

On Tuesday, I was signed up for the proverbial free comedy in Hammersmith - with the usual suspects: Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, London Live Comedy, and London for a Tenner or Less (one of the Funzing Meetup groups, although I see Funzing now have their own Meetup group!). But you know, I only use that free comedy gig as a placeholder - I'm happy to go, but equally happy to cancel if something better comes along. And now that I've checked, I see something has! Walk About London is doing a Christmas Lights Walk (aww!). Never actually done one of these - and this turns out to be the only date I can make! Well now, not missing that. Booked through Eventbrite, with a discount if you mention Meetup. Excellent!

Not changing what I'm booked for on Wednesday - back with the Man with the Hat (it'll have been two whole weeks!). With tickets exactly on the £10 border, he's taking both his groups (London for Less Than a Tenner - not to be confused with the one mentioned above - and Let's Do London - for less!) to Southwark Playhouse, where we're going to see Licensed to Ill - a musical about The Beastie Boys (woo-hoo!). The title is taken from their first album, apparently.

On Thursday, I'm back with Kensington Classical Music, for a concert at the 1901 Arts Club, to start off December. New venue for me, but nice and near Waterloo, so should be easy for me to get to.

Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend - flights booked up to February at this stage, but I'm not booking any more for now until I know what I'm doing long-term - and on Saturday, we're off to the UL Orchestra's Christmas concert.