Comedy: Shaken

Change, change, all is change.. can't keep ahead of it, best you can hope for is to keep up! Now that the major life changes of the last six months are settling down, I hope I can get back to normal. Whatever that is.

So, for a start, London Dramatic Arts had scheduled a trip to The Kid Stays in the Picture yesterday - until I got a message yesterday morning to say the event had been cancelled. Not the play, you understand - just the Meetup The organiser was vague, saying she'd explain more (hasn't yet), but there was something about a ticket mix-up, and people from cancelled shows being bumped.. and she'd refund us (hasn't yet), and try to reschedule. Well, if she does reschedule, I only hope, if she picks a day I can't / don't want to make, that I get a refund. She can be funny that way.

Meantime, for Plan B for last night - with nothing on Meetup that appealed - the ever-reliable Soho Theatre turned up trumps, of course, and I booked a show called Shaken. Purely because of the nearness of the venue. A late show start - and a less-than-10-minute-walk - meant I spent an inordinate amount of time in the office. What the hey, it was great not to have to rush! And after I'd picked up my ticket, I was to wish I'd stayed about 10 minutes longer in the office, rather than mooching around in the lobby of the Soho Theatre, trying not to take up space. I didn't even feel like a drink.. jeez, it's so long since I've been here on my own! The last several times, I've been in the company of the Man with the Hat and his band of merry followers..

It was a relief when the house finally opened - the show before this, in the main space, had been Russell Brand, and it took them a while to clear out. For Sarah Kendall, now up, I'd booked a cheap seat on the balcony, and was to discover there was plenty of space. Same for the balcony on the other side. Same for the central section, which was only half full - and with cheaper seats up the back remaining empty, I think the ushers had probably encouraged people to sit as close as possible. Certainly, they came around to suggest that we on the balcony move to the centre section - but you know, just like in the Opera House, I think the side view is a good one; you might have to crane your neck, but you do get closer to the stage.

Lights went down, Sarah came on. This is an hour-long show, mostly taken up with a lie she told in school, with major repercussions. First though, we were treated to a random collection of jokes. Now, I do think she's funny - but I also think she undermines herself by constantly explaining, excusing, and rationalising the jokes she's telling. You know how they say that explaining a joke kills it..? Yeah. Not quite, in this case, but it does dampen the atmosphere.

The story stemming from the lie takes up most of the show, though, and it is a doozy. Really, it's a good enough tale to merit the show price, on its own. She spends some time telling us how she tells the gist of stories, rather than, like, the truth - so I don't know how much of this is verbatim. And I'm not giving it away - it has a twist to rival The Mousetrap. But it's believable - and do't we all love a good yarn? Recommended - last night tonight, though.

Home early, but not via the office, where my laptop now lives, so no blogging last night. Now, that rescheduled talk on Brexit Vs. Trump from a few weeks ago is tonight. But I decided I'd rather go to a film instead - being Funzing, I got my money back because I cancelled by Sunday. Top of the list is Rahm, a Pakistani film premiere, complete with reception and Q+A, based on Shakespeare's Measure for Measure: a girl has to sleep with a corrupt official to save her brother's life - ironically, he's been sentenced to death for getting an unmarried girl pregnant. Part of the London Asian Film Festival, at Regent Street Cinema. Good job I booked - I see it's now sold out! Anyhow, what with this, and the change of plans last night, that'll make four days in a row I'll not have had to use my Oyster card..

Tomorrow, the Man with the Hat is taking London for Less Than a Tenner to Top Secret. Yippee! Let's se whether we can make it a late one!

Thursday, he's back to the Opera House for the opening night of a mixed bill of ballet. As usual, he's in the slips with London for Less Than a Tenner, and in the amphitheatre with Let's Do London - for Less!

Friday, I got a cheap ticket to a very topical version of Twelfth Night, in the Drayton Arms. Ah, I remember when I was walking distance from there..

Saturday, I'm back with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts for an Oliver Twist walk. Back with Hazel, excellent!

Sunday.. not a Man with the Hat event, but one he's advertised. One member of his group plays Spanish guitar, and is giving a concert that night - so I've booked a ticket. Well hey, I do love Spanish music..

Monday, I'm off to a Funzing talk on The Science of Psychedelics. Courtesy of London Speaks Sessions, LDN Talks @ Night, and London for a Tenner or Less (nothing to do with the Man with the Hat). Unless I think of something better up to 48 hours beforehand..

Next Tuesday, I'm with London European Club (LEC) for Carradine's Cockney Singalong, at Hoxton Hall. Had some fun with this a couple of weeks ago, when I noticed another group member had confused it with something at a different venue, and thought it wasn't now happening..

Wednesday 22nd, I'm headed with LEC again - with a different organiser - to see 2 Cellos in concert in the London Palladium. Cool - never seen them before, never been there before, and I can probably walk there!

Thursday 23rd was another Funzing talk, with the same three groups, on The Science of Hypnosis. And then, wouldn't you know it, Henning from the LEC advertised.. Hypnosis - Altering Consciousness! With Pint of Science. (What is it about that day and hypnosis?!) Anyway, I do enjoy events with Henning, and as I say, I can cancel Funzing up to 48 hours in advance without penalty. So I did, and booked the other instead. And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again..