So, off I set from the office again - there wasn't any point in going home first. The No. 8 bus stopped a bit up Shaftesbury Avenue - it and every other bus in the neighbourhood, it seemed. And what fun I had with the LED arrivals board - with all the buses that were due to arrive before the 8, trying to check them against my Maps app to see whether they'd do. And then I was distracted by the scrolling message at the bottom that told of delays - it seemed there was both a "fire incident" on Shaftesbury Avenue (somewhere) and an unexploded WW2 bomb. Oh, and according to the website, I now see that routes were to experience disruption from 8pm this evening, for filming. 'S all going down in London..
As it happened, the 8 was the first of my possible buses to arrive, and I gratefully got on it - it graciously dropped me just past Rich Mix, with about 10 minutes to spare. I walked into chaos - I've never seen the place busier. Most of the crowd milling about the lobby seemed to be heading for the event in the Main Space to the left - N3rdistan, it seemed, who had attracted a whole host of Muslim women in burkhas. Which is probably why the staff straight away clocked that I wasn't there for that - they directed me to take the lifts, to go up to the 4th floor, for the storytelling. Mind you, there was no excuse not for me to know that - it was also clearly posted in the lobby, and we'd got an email from the venue in advance with full instructions.
And once all the women in burkhas crowded out of the lift (they might have been at the "Memory Routes of Moroccan Communities" exhibition, upstairs, just across from the storytelling) - that's what we did. A little desk had been set up on Level 4 for us to get our tickets, which we did without too much trouble, filing into the space. Where I found the best seats were already gone. They'd added two rows of folding chairs in front of the tiered seating, and if I wanted to be fairly central, that was where I'd have to sit. With the front row pretty much full, I ended up in the second. We were a bit squashed together, but took it in good spirits.
And so to our event. Metamorphoses was a series of Greek myths, told by the excellent Daniel Morden and Hugh Lupton, MCed, as usual, by Ben Haggerty. Who explained to us that this year is the 2000th anniversary of the death of Ovid - whose stories were the inspiration for tonight's show. Now, the eagle-eyed amongst you will recognise that Ovid was, in fact, Roman rather than Greek - and in fact, although he did write a set of stories called Metamorphoses, only some were included tonight: and using the Greek names, rather than Roman.
What they did do was to take his idea of transformation.. there was a lot of that tonight. In a performance of two halves - about 45 minutes each, with an interval - they took turns to tell us a story. And it was so obvious that they've done this together before - in fact, it seems they're famous for making the Classics accessible. They segue together perfectly, matching each other's tone, each other's manner.. I could have listened all night, although I don't think there was a single story I hadn't heard before. They just flowed so seamlessly from tale to tale - similar to Sufi legends in that sense, although I found these tales more diverse and interesting.
And they'd both brought singing bowls:
And as one came to the end of his story, the other would sound the singing bowl - which, as the nice lady I met on the bus back remarked, made a lovely, consistent transition from one story to the next.
It also transformed the audience into something of a trancelike state, which is a wonderful way to listen to tales of the Gods of Olympus. This, of course, was a one-off - but as always, I cannot recommend storytelling and the Crick Crack Club highly enough. And what a way this would be to introduce someone to the Classics. Do keep an eye out for these story weavers, and for storytelling in general. It's something magical.
And look! It's the weekend, so I can lie in tomorrow! Not too long though - Let's Do London - for less! is back to see Sleeping Beauty at the Opera House - and so am I. (And it's a matinee.) Honestly, this was a mistake on my part - I was booking a lot at the time and forgot I was already booked for last Tuesday - but hell, little beats an outing with the Man with the Hat. Also high in my list of priorities. Amphitheatre, this time - it's been a while since I was there. Ooh, and I see - at time of writing - that they've released some last-minute tickets for next Friday. Good luck to anyone who wants them! It's definitely worth seeing.
Sunday, London for Less Than a Tenner advertised "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, I booked, but it seems not enough of us did, and he's cancelled the event. The walk is still going ahead though - check out Back in the Day Walks for more details. Me? I might just go to a film - since John Wick Chapter 2 doesn't appeal (still highly rated!), Rogue One: a Star Wars Story is currently looking like it.
Monday, I'm off to see Russell Howard at the Albert Hall.
Tuesday, 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, 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 London Dramatic Arts at the Royal Court, for The Kid Stays in the Picture.
That rescheduled talk on Brexit Vs. Trump from a couple of weeks ago 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.
On Wednesday 15th, the Man with the Hat is taking London for Less Than a Tenner to Top Secret.
Thursday 16th, 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 17th, 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 18th, I'm back with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts for an Oliver Twist walk. Back with Hazel, excellent!
Sunday 19th.. 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 20th, 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..
Tuesday 21st, I'm with London European Club (LEC) for Carradine's Cockney Singalong, at Hoxton Hall. Had some fun with this last week, 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 yesterday, 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..
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