Anyway, I spent most of yesterday all on my lonesome in the office. Free WiFi, free food.. Pity me not, I had a great time. Researched my route to Sadler's Wells - it'd take just over half an hour to walk, so I decided to take the bus. Except when I left the building, ready to catch the bus - I suddenly realised I'd left my Oyster card at home! There wasn't time to get it - so I said sod it, and set off on foot.
A cold night, but not as cold, I think, as previous ones. A long walk - especially when I got to Rosebery Avenue, and got optimistic about reaching my destination soon: I'd forgotten how long Rosebery Avenue is. Finally, I saw something bright red ahead - and sure enough, there it was. It was now 15 minutes to showtime, and the lobby was crammed - the Man with the Hat had told us where he'd be, to the right in the lobby, and there he was - but the crowd was so large that it did take me a little time to find him. Got my ticket and he shooed me upstairs.
Seems like every time I come here, I end up breathless from climbing stairs. Took a small break at the mezzanine, where they had show-specific decoration:
I was pleasantly surprised with my seat - second circle yes (where I usually am), but further forward than I usually am. Nice view.. I've always been further back, so really appreciated this.
Well, I've been a fan of Matthew Bourne since the very first production of his I saw, Sleeping Beauty. So I knew this was going to be good. As stated by David Suchet, Matthew Bourne has redefined ballet. Not a hope of not understanding this, as with so much modern dance - he has a real appreciation of his audience, and in this adaptation of the popular film, he is deliberately cinematic - in the staging as well as the score. This story of the girl who wanted to do nothing so much as dance is told with passion and style, and moves from comic scenes to dreamlike ones as the audience watches, enthralled. An interesting sequence has the audience clapping enthusiastically along as the soundtrack of a clapping audience is also played. In common with the frequent switching, on stage, from the front of house view to the backstage view, it makes for an immersive experience.
Gorgeous dancing, an evocative score. We were suitably blown away. And I'm not at all surprised that it had sold out for its entire run by the time the Man with the Hat let us in on the secret that he had tickets. Runs until the 29th, and if you can get a ticket at all, jump at the chance!
Afterwards, when we'd managed to collect everyone from the milling crowds, we looked for a suitable pub. Funny, most group organisers I've met wait punctiliously for the green man when taking a group across the road - the Man with the Hat adopts the strategy of parting the traffic for us. Now, it takes a rare talent to make a BMW driver stop. Anyway, our journey came to an end at the Old Red Lion, where we took a couple of tables inside the door. An interesting venue, with bench seats you need to be careful not to sink into, decently priced drinks, and an inquisitive canine resident. We had a fine old time until we decamped back out into the cold, and I had that long walk home..
Tonight, I'm going to Cineworld with Mary. She won a couple of Cineworld vouchers in a raffle, you see, and has very kindly offered me one! The nearest to me are the cinemas in Leicester Square and Haymarket, and the best showing in them is La La Land, so that's what we're off to.
Tomorrow sees me at the Royal Society, for a talk on "Can our immune systems fight cancer?", a Meetup organised by the London European Club.
Wednesday, the Man with the Hat's other group, London for Less Than a Tenner, is back at Top Secret.
On Thursday, I'm back with the Crick Crack Club at last, at the Art House Crouch End. First meeting of the year, and finally today advertised on Meetup! I saw it on their flier for Crouch End, and booked ages ago. Anyway, the title is Rebranding Beelzebub, which is certainly enough to get me there! And I now live closer to it than I did the last time I was there.
Back to Ireland at the weekend, and next Monday, I'm back with Funzing UK for Eat Zagi - an immersive dining & theatre experience. I had some fun booking it, when the bank thought it was a fraud and kindly stopped my card, so I had to ring them at 2am.. in the meantime, I did find a discount code, so it wasn't all bad. Try "EnjoyFunzing5". Actually, why not try "EnjoyFunzing10"? That's a code too. Anyway, again, I'm closer to this venue in Finsbury Park than I was before..
Tuesday 31, I'm headed for Sex with Strangers at Hampstead Theatre. First Meetup of the year with London Dramatic Arts. Dunno, I think it was that she had seats at both levels of the theatre, so it would've been too hard to avoid them..
Wednesday 1, the Man with the Hat is starting the month again. Let's Do London - for less! is off to the Opera House for La Traviata.
Thursday 2, he's taking both groups to Cadogan Hall for a concert involving the works of Brahms and Elgar, among others.
Friday 3 promises to be unusual.. the Crick Crack Club is hosting a late-night storytelling event at the Wellcome Collection. Mustn't forget to book tickets for the actual storytelling - they go on sale on the 27th.
And finally, Saturday 4, I'm finally going to the much-advertised British Museum Tour - Ideas That Made our World. A Funzing event, as advertised by two of their Meetup groups - London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night. So I booked with both..
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