Late night on Saturday, of course, and even later, what with blogging. So I only just dragged myself out of it in time to nip down to Westminster - a little early, to scavenge for breakfast, having no food in the house. Well, the 88 dropped me just across the road from the Methodist Central Hall - you really can't miss it, it's the enormous stone pile, just across from the Abbey, that says "Methodist Central Hall" across the top, in gold.
More photos here. Unfortunately, I didn't find anything that suited in the cafe downstairs in the Hall - apart from hot food I wouldn't have had time to eat - and pickings are slim around those parts for quick bites. So brunch ended up being a bag of clotted cream fudge from the Abbey gift shop. Plenty of sweets just in front of the cash registers, if you're looking.
I ran into the first of the others as I was making my way up the impressive, marble staircase, and we entered the main hall (third floor, phew!). Now, our organiser had thought it was free, but it turned out to be £5, which we duly paid - it did come with a programme. Inside, an mc introduced the two French performers, one of whom would play the organ, the other sing. The programme was also entirely French.
..Now, to be honest, the organ is not my favourite instrument. But it was very.. peaceful. The organiser, sat beside me, suggested I give him a nudge if he dropped off - he'd been playing beach volleyball that morning. And there were two of us in it - I was drowsy after the night before. And the music was so soothing that there was a fair chance of that happening. Anyway, we managed to stay awake, and highlights included Passepied by Debussy. A well-timed blast by Bizet got us nicely awake in time for the end of the concert.
We eschewed the refreshments on offer.. tea and coffee, served at long folding tables at the end of the landing.. and instead the decision was made to hunt for a decent cafe. Someone wanted to head towards Victoria, so that's what we did - me slightly dubiously, given that I would soon have to head in the other direction. Unfortunately, with no definite idea of where to go, and it being Sunday afternoon, it took us quite a while, before we happened upon a Caffe Nero near Westminster Cathedral. Fine by me, and I swooped on my standard meal there - a chocolate Milano (King of Hot Chocolates), accompanied by some of the best chocolate fudge cake you'll find anywhere, and a piece of gianduja - 35p each, temptingly nuzzled just by the till. So I guess that was my afternoon tea. Caffe Nero does good chocolate..
Hated to rush out on them, but I had things to see and people to do, as they say. Much jealousy ensued when they heard what I was off to - "Oh, that's my favourite opera!" as one exclaimed. I did finally make it to the bus stop, where I had a choice of a couple of buses to take me to Trafalgar Square.
Heavy traffic around both Parliament Square and Trafalgar Square, but I did make it in due course, and down to Charing Cross Theatre. Easy really - just head along Villiers Street, turn down the passageway marked The Arches, and you'll see the sign on your left. The Man with the Hat was typically easy to find, the bar crowded, and we spread out through it. I grabbed a glass of wine - in plastic, by that stage, and when it was time, we headed downstairs to the theatre.
These are some of the comfier theatre seats you'll find - the only quibble I had was that, that far back, it was a teeny squint to read the subtitles. Just a teeny bit. But we were soon into the fun - and fun it was! Really, I love pop-up opera - those who don't know it don't know what they're missing. As someone astutely remarked afterwards, this was how it was supposed to be - in a comedy written so long ago, sometimes the humour can be lost on modern audiences: but pop-up opera has found a way to inject the fun back in. So you get the real opera, beautifully sung - but they're in modern clothes (and I do think a tracksuit suits Figaro so much better). And you get the most marvellous subtitles - slightly irreverent, very descriptive, very up-to-date. Written by the guy in the boater, to be seen beforehand distributing programmes. Keep an eye out for the constantly grumbling maid, who constantly steals the show. And expect them, literally, to pop up all over the place..
This is how comic opera should be. Sadly, that was the last performance of this, this year - unless you want to go see them in Corfu in September (and why not?!). Last night's performance was sponsored by the Corfu Arts Foundation.. but they have a couple of other productions in store - check out the website.
Afterwards, round the corner and back onto Villiers Street, to All Bar One, where they put tables together for us upstairs. Never been to All Bar One before, imagine! Anyhoo, this was the scene for my one proper meal of the day - I fancied chicken and chips, and that's what I had, and lovely it was - although the "piri-piri" chicken doesn't actually taste of much. It went down well, and we stayed for a lively chat.. I did get home earlier than Saturday, but not really early enough to blog. Rather sad I shan't see them again for a week.
Today is the only day I have free to use my Wowcher before it expires - it's for the Magic Lantern festival.
Tomorrow, unusually, LEC is taking us to some storytelling - up in Cambridge Heath! Now, on Friday my boss rescheduled our weekly Tuesday evening meeting for this week to 6-6:45pm (most of the team is based in California, you see). She has some hope - I have to be in Cambridge Heath by 7! I've told her I'll come, but have to duck out before 6:30..
Wednesday, I'm headed, with London Dramatic Arts (LDAM), to The Cherry Orchard, at the Arcola. And I caught an interesting conversation in relation to that evening - seems someone who's booked can't go, and posted in case anyone wanted his ticket. Whereupon the organiser was right on to him to explain that that's against the rules. Yes, ok, he doesn't get a refund if the ticket isn't sold on, and he can't sell on the ticket directly - I get that. But me oh my, it seems her anti-blogging page isn't the only page of rules she - or someone she knows - has come up with - take a read of the rules against reselling. I mean seriously - the ticket can't be passed on until the day of the event? And forget about a refund - at best, you can get credit. You have been warned..
Thursday, the Crick Crack Club is back at Crouch End, with The Fate We Bring Ourselves - finally advertised on 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.
Next Monday, the Man with the Hat and London for Less Than a Tenner are 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.
Friday 3rd, again, Crick Crack is telling stories - Daniel Morden and Hugh Lupton are performing Metamorphoses at Rich Mix. However, the Rich Mix website doesn't 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. And now that the link is available, their Meetup group is advertising it too.
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. Amphitheatre, 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 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, that rescheduled talk on Brexit Vs. Trump from last Tuesday is on Tuesday 14th. Unless I decide to go to a film instead - being Funzing, I can get my money back if I cancel at least 48 hours in advance.
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