Comedy: Alasdair Beckett-King

Nothing in Meetup for last night, but I got a cheap ticket to see Alasdair Beckett-King perform, at the Pleasance Theatre. Gosh, I'd completely forgotten I'd ever been there before - it's been over two years, it seems, and I had no memory of the place! Anyway, two years ago I was coming from further away - last night, it seemed that all I had to do was hop on the 29 bus. Which was also the bus I'd have taken from home - so it just made more sense to go straight from the office.

My bus hid itself discreetly behind another at the stop, but I found it - and this early in the journey, it was almost empty. I was to be glad I'd got on there - it got very crowded further on, but had emptied out again, pretty much, by the time I got off, at the fetchingly named Hilldrop Road. From there, Google Maps led me a merry dance through the back roads of housing estates - really, I have to say, it was very inventive. I'd never have found the route without Google's help, and it did seem to be the most direct route. At the end, the Pleasance was just across the road.

Up the stairs, left through the door to the box office. I said I'd booked a ticket, gave my name - was stumped when they asked me what show I'd come to see! Ehh.. what was it called now? One helpfully suggested, "Is it the comedy?" "Yes!" Got my ticket, got a glass of wine at the bar - the house wasn't open yet, and I didn't feel like sitting, so wandered about a bit.

They were quite late in starting - when they finally did, citing a "technical issue" for the delay, we were asked to bring in our drinks in plastic, and fill the rows from the front. I figured that I could get out of being in the front row if I finished my drink first - it was over half gone anyway, so that's what I did.

The show was in the "Stage Space", just around the corridor from the "Main Space" - blue, bench seats, and I ended up just at the end of the second row. The man himself was standing to the side, personally greeting everyone - friendly chap. You can't miss him, he's the one with the Messianic hair. Practically waist-long and a lovely shade of ginger, it took centre stage for the whole show, with him constantly flicking it out of his way, and picking stray strands off himself. Quite mesmerising, really.

The show was advertised as "Work in Progress" - apparently, that's the name of a series they're running here. Himself, he was calling it "Mysteries". And it was a very pleasant evening - under an hour and a half, in the company of a funny bloke. Edinburgh preview, of course. Now, I've seen some of his material before, and saw it again last night - it's a rare comedian that doesn't repeat himself. And when you're a Messianic-looking vegan, well, that's always going to feature. Still, it was fun - well worth the price of admission. And as we decamped into the cold night, we were still chuckling.

There must be a Valentine's curse on today.. tonight, I was supposed to go to a Funzing talk - Brexit Vs. Trump - but it's been bumped to next month. So I booked what you might call an anti-Valentine's walk - Walk About London (and Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts) was going on a walk called My Bloody Valentine. But it's all change - over the weekend, both walks were cancelled, as the guide has, apparently, lost her voice! So I swapped my walk for comedy (again!) - I'm off to TNT Comedy, it's closer to me now than the free comedy in Hammersmith.

Tomorrow sees the Man with the Hat back with London for Less Than a Tenner at Top Secret comedy.

Thursday, he's taking London for Less Than a Tenner to a concert in St. Martin's, where we have gallery seats. And he's sold out his quota, I see.

Friday, I'm back for free comedy in Hammersmith. Courtesy of London Live Comedy, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, and London Art Comedy and Culture Lovers.

Saturday, after lunch with Helen - venue TBD - I'm back with London Dramatic Arts for a production of Hamlet, at the Almeida.

Sunday is shaping up to be a busy day. I'd booked to go to a free organ recital, with the London European Club, at the Methodist Central Hall. Then the Man with the Hat decides that would be the perfect evening to take Let's Do London - for less! to see the Pop-up Opera, with the Barber of Seville, at Charing Cross Theatre! With a 6pm start, I'll have to rush over from Westminster.. have to make my excuses to the London European Club. My, what a busy life!

Monday is the only day I have free to use my Wowcher before it expires - it's for the Magic Lantern festival.

Next Tuesday, unusually, London European Club is taking us to some storytelling - up in Cambridge Heath!

Wednesday 22, I'm headed, with LDAM, to The Cherry Orchard, at the Arcola.

Thursday 23, the Crick Crack Club is back at Crouch End, with The Fate We Bring Ourselves - not that you'd know it from their Meetup page! Ben Haggerty standing in for Claire Muireann Murphy, who's having a knee operation, it seems. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.

Monday 27th, London for Less Than a Tenner is off to Two Man Show at Soho Theatre. I've seen it before, but it's worth seeing again. And so is the group!

Tuesday 28th, Let's Do London - for less! is off to Sleeping Beauty, at the Opera House.

Wednesday 1st March - well lookee that, the same group is off to Roundelay, at Southwark Playhouse. Three in a row for the Man with the Hat - we'll have to carry him off on a stretcher. About time we got back to Southwark though - we've missed it!

Thursday 2nd, I was thinking of free comedy in Hammersmith - this time with London Live Comedy, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, and Random London. But then Walk, Talks and Treasure Hunts (and Walking Victorian London) announced a walk called True Spy Stories! So I thought that sounded more interesting, and booked - they're both the same price, this time.

Friday 3rd, again, Crick Crack is telling stories - Daniel Morden and Hugh Lupton are performing Metamorphoses at Rich Mix. However, neither Crick Crack's Meetup group, nor the Rich Mix website, seem to have heard of this.. The independent Crick Crack Club website now has a link to buy tickets from Rich Mix though, and at the moment they're being sold at a discounted preview price.

Saturday 4th, Let's Do London - for less! is back to see Sleeping Beauty - and so am I. Honestly, this was a mistake on my part - I was booking a lot at the time and forgot I was already going - but hell, I'd rather be doing this anyway than not. Amphiteatre, this time - it's been a while since I was there.

Sunday 5th, London for Less Than a Tenner is advertising "Soho: the Roots of the Swinging Sixties - guided walk"! Now, this confused me, before I read deeper.. I do recall the Man With the Hat saying that, while he was interested in guided walks, he wasn't interested in actually guiding them. Turns out someone else is doing the actual guiding.. Anyway, count me in.

Monday 6th, I'm off to see Russell Howard at the Albert Hall.

Tuesday 7th, jeez, the Man with the Hat is back again! Hard to keep up these days - so as of the last 60 seconds or so, I'm going with Let's Do London - for less! to The Diary of a Teenage Girl at Southwark Playhouse.

Wednesday 8th, I finally get to go to something with the Post-Apocalyptic Book Club - not a book discussion this time, instead they're off to a play called The Machine Stops, at Jacksons Lane Theatre. Suitably post-apocalyptic. Then I'm back to Ireland for a long weekend.

Monday 13th, I'm with LDAM at the Royal Court, for The Kid Stays in the Picture.

And to complete the tally of a month from now (!), that rescheduled talk from tonight is on Tuesday 14th. Unless I decide to go to a film instead - I can get my money back if I cancel at least 48 hours in advance!