Talk: The Science of Psychadelics

Here I am, living in the centre of town, and this was the second night in a row I had to hop on the Central Line! Hey-ho, I'll have enough nights when I shan't have to. Anyway, a brief pitstop at home coincided with a flurry of invitations from the Man with the Hat, who's planning his Spring schedule at the Royal Opera House, so I was slightly delayed in accepting them all. Still, I left in enough time to make it to Shoreditch for 7.

Google Maps suggested I head for Oxford Circus. When I got there, however..

These people are not moving. Everyone in this picture is in the queue to get into the Underground station. And the sign reads that the station is closed, due to overcrowding. Huh. Reminder to self: do not take Tube from Oxford Circus again at 6:30 on a weeknight! 

Well, there was no way I'd make it now, so I came home and am cooking dinner. Tomorrow, free comedy in Hammersmith, with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, and London Live Comedy.

On Friday, I'm finally headed to The Comedy About a Bank Robbery, at the Criterion Theatre. Same team that did The Play That Goes Wrong - which is excellent - so I'm looking forward to this. Best value tickets from the venue.

On Saturday, I'm out with the Man with the Hat again, after an unusually long break - this time, it's Woolf Works, a Wayne McGregor triptych, inspired by the works of Virginia Woolf and showing at the Royal Opera House. Both his groups are going: London for Less Than a Tenner, and Let's Do London - for less! As usual, I have a cheap seat.


On Sunday, the ever-busy Man with the Hat is headed (with Let's Do London - for less!) to a dance production - at Sadler's Wells, unusually for him. The Red Shoes, choreographed by Matthew Bourne, is completely sold out for its whole run. Our Man with the Hat has tickets, though.. but he held them back (under his hat, as you might say), with sales starting at 11am on New Year's Day. They sold out in 15 minutes - I checked. That's the speed of U2's ticket sales.. of course, being a seasoned purchaser of U2 tickets, I managed to get one. All he needs now are a stetson and some glasses.. (Mind you, I think U2 broke records this year for speed of selling out. U2 are touring, you see, and I have tickets. Purchasing still in progress. Watch this space..)

On Monday, I've provisionally agreed to go 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 the rough plan, as it stands.

Tuesday 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, London for Less Than a Tenner is back at Top Secret.

On Thursday 26, I'm back with the Crick Crack Club at last, at the Art House Crouch End. First meeting of the year, and not actually advertised on Meetup! I saw it on their flier for Crouch End, and booked. 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 that weekend, and on Monday 30, 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..