Tonight, yes, once again I'd booked for free comedy in Hammersmith - with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, and Random London. Also advertised by London Live Comedy, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, and Discover LDN.UK (twice, as usual). But then I booked to go with the London European Club (LEC) to a talk on the relationship between Britain and France, at the LSE. Would've been interesting, but sod it, I then realised I had a late meeting today, and with the talk starting quite early, it was a non-starter. Didn't want to rebook the comedy, having cancelled it. So I had a look at what else was on Meetup - and discovered something interesting. I hadn't been getting a wide variety of things on the main Meetup site - but they've mercifully improved the app. Which is what I happened to consult when I realised I'd have to cancel the talk, since I didn't have a laptop to hand. And lo, the app had LOADS more events. Seriously, there's a real disconnect between the app and the main website. Tons of interesting stuff. And on the app - well, a group called Ealing Ladies Social Group was headed to Terror, at the Lyric Hammersmith. Which sounded the most interesting of all. Not the group, mind, which has far too many rules and regulations for my liking - and they're closed to new members anyway. Nothing to stop me going myself, though..
Wouldn't you know it, the meeting was cancelled. Too late for me to go with the LEC anyway - and besides, I'd booked a ticket for the other. Well, I left in time to take the bus(es) - it would've take too long for a direct one, but I had a choice of two I could change with: and one came in perfect time. Crikey though, I was despairing of the next one! First the display wasn't working, so I couldn't tell when it was due.. then when one finally came, it stopped before the stop, and when I made to walk towards it, the driver made a sign with his hands to say they were full. Then the display started working again - and while I was checking it, my bus sailed by, empty! I think it may not have been in service though, because the one after it was packed again.
Happily, that was the very one I needed to catch - and I got there at the projected time. It's not on the blog, but I was at the Lyric once before, back when I lived out this direction, and, wanting to explore the locality, favoured stuff that was local. And you know, you can see the Lyric from a way in the distance - it peeks over the adjoining rooftops, and they've thoughtfully put the name near the roof. It's the tall, white building on King Street. Harder is finding the actual entrance, on Lyric Square - patience, have a little look, you'll see the name on the glass doors, to the right as you come off the street. Got my ticket from the box office, headed upstairs. A couple of Irish ladies asked me as I came in whether the stalls were up the next set of stairs - "I hope so!", I said. Well, "Main House" did point in that direction - as I say, I've only been here once before, and didn't remember the geography at all.
Yep, it's upstairs again (they do have lifts, BTW). And when I found my seat (in the back row of the stalls), weren't the Irish ladies right beside me! And we had great fun finding our little keypads - one per seat - and trying to figure out how the voting would go. Because, you see, this is a trial, in which the audience get to vote for the guilt or innocence of the defendant.
Originating in Germany, where it's set, it's a well-balanced piece, both arguments presented persuasively. The story goes as follows: the defendant is a fighter jet pilot, who has shot down a hijacked passenger plane that was en route to crash into a packed stadium, where people were watching a match. In doing so, he disobeyed orders, contravened the law as determined by the highest court in the land - and killed a planeload of people. His argument - he saved many, many more lives. Your verdict..?
The arguments on both sides are varied. The prosecution points out that this was the law, and why: brings on the anguished young widow of one of the passengers, and quotes Kant, yet! The defence has something to say about Kant, too.. Honestly, I made my decision early - for reasons I won't go into - but it was a fascinating exercise; as others have mentioned, the play is less about terror, and more about the idea of personal responsibility as opposed to following the dictats of the state.
After arguments were finished, we were let out to "deliberate" - which raised a laugh. My deliberation extended to the fact that the queue at the bar was too long, and I would love an ice cream. And they had mint chocolate chip! 15 minutes later, the bell rang for us to go back in, and it was explained to us that we should vote "1" for guilty, "2" for not. Oh, and not to fear if we made a mistake, or changed our minds - the last entry was the one that would be counted. We only had 30 seconds, though!
How did I vote? Same as the Irish beside me! How did we all vote? Mind your business!! How did the audience as a whole vote..?
195 to 95, actually.. but rounding off, that is what you get. Interestingly, there's a website that shows how this has been going; Japan is mentioned as somewhere where the poor chap got a guilty verdict!
Tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again! Not usual for me to go two weeks in a row.. more details below. On Monday, London Dramatic Arts is off to see The Mentor, at the Vaudeville Theatre. Expensively, as usual. I'm going as well - cheaply, courtesy of Amazon Tickets. Sat in the Grand Circle, I should be able to avoid them- well, they don't approve of members buying separate tickets!
On Tuesday, I cancelled more free comedy in Hammersmith (Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, London Live Comedy, and Discover LDN.UK) for another Funzing talk - The Psychology of Dreams. As advertised by London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night. Cancellable, but I'm so far unlikely to do so. (As ever, WELLBEING30 was still giving 30% off most talks, last I looked.)
On Wednesday, back with the LEC, for a concert of Greek music at Sands Films. Looking forward to that - I love the venue, but haven't fancied the last couple of concerts they've had there.
Next Thursday, I was booked for free comedy in Hammersmith (!) with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, London Live Comedy, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, and Discover LDN.UK. Did you think I'd actually go? ;-) Well, I'm not - but the reason is an unusual one. My new company is very nice indeed - and they have an annual volunteering day: gardening. I hate gardening. And it's that day. For the whole day, they're at it. And last Monday, the office manager kindly informed us that it was compulsory unless we were on holiday. Huh! Well now, I hate being told what to do. So I've suddenly decided to be on holiday that day - and as it's a Thursday, the next too.
Then comes a weekend I've been looking forward to for a while. Long-anticipated, the European leg of U2's 30th anniversary tour of The Joshua Tree kicks off in Twickenham on the 8th & 9th. 'Mare of a place to see them - after I saw them there in 2005, I swore - never again. Happily, I now know someone living down that direction! :-) Helen is also coming with me to the first concert, and I'm staying with her for the weekend (now starting on Thursday, as she kindly offered). Which sorts transport for the first night - she'll drive. The second night, I'll head back by bus - the train is an absolute nightmare. Anyway, this would have been a weekend in Ireland - hence the trips back two weekends in a row, preceding it.
On the 10th, nothing had been appealing - until I tried the app again on Saturday, and came across a Meetup group called, attractively, Let's Do This! Quite new - anyway, they have organised a trip to see La Voix Humaine, a 40-minute solo opera, performed in English by Opera Up Close. Unassigned seating, but with no booking fee I booked anyway - it's in King's Place, which I love. I'd already found it by the time the Man with the Hat took us there, but it was with him I went the last two times: so this'll be bittersweet. Now, I've booked on my own - and lordy if I didn't discover last night that it's co-run by another couple of the Man with the Hat's old members! I've applied for membership, which has yet to be approved. Great to see the Man with the Hat has left a classical legacy - there are very few Meetup groups doing this sort of thing.
The 11th started out with yet more free comedy in Hammersmith - the same five groups. But then Funzing (the same two groups) rocked up and saved me, with a talk on Blitzed - Drugs in Nazi Germany. Has to be better, frankly.
The 12th, I'm currently still looking at free comedy in Greenwich, with London Live Comedy, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, and Random London.
The 13th, more of the same - in Hammersmith - with the Famous Five (aforementioned) groups - Discover LDN.UK twice, as before. At least the headliner that night is John Hastings, who's guaranteed to be good - and it's a lovely, small venue to see him in. Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend.
On the 17th, more comedy - for £3.60, this time. Tez Ilyas is performing at the Pleasaunce, and I know he's good - saw him in Top Secret once, for free..
The 18th, the U2 tour continues - I fly to Barcelona that day, to see them that night! One of their crazy, one-night-only appearances, on what is a very limited tour.
I fly back on the 19th, and that night am - provisionally - booked for more free comedy (quelle surprise). Greenwich, the above three groups. There are some interesting Funzing talks that night, but I've already seen them.
The 20th, I booked another Funzing talk (the above two groups). This is a talk about serial killers, as given by a forensic psychologist that works with the police, and who also gives terrific talks about psychopaths. Highly recommended! She's a terrifically engaging speaker, and looks far too young to be working in such a murky area. Unfortunately, now I've had to cancel - turns out that the much-anticipated first Meetup of Love London for Less is happening that night, so of course I'm headed to that - we're going to the Icebar, where I've never been. Should be interesting. Just a pity the only other instance of that talk I'm missing is sold out - I've added myself to the watchlist.
Then I'm back to Ireland for a long weekend - first to Dublin (from London City airport, a first for me), for U2's (one-and-only!) concert there.. then down to see my mother for a couple of days, flying back on Tuesday. On the Wednesday.. and Thursday.. free comedy!! First Greenwich, then Hammersmith - the usual groups, on both occasions.
So, that brings us to Friday 28th July, and it's off to Amsterdam, for my final two U2 concerts of the year (sniff). On Saturday and Sunday. Really, you have no idea of the organisation that went into all of this, back in January..!
Last night, I had booked with Random London, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich and London Live Comedy (again) for free comedy in Greenwich (again). And then I switched to West London Improvised Comedy Nights, who have a show at The Lillie Langtry, which is closer - indeed, very close to where I've lived longest in London. However, some folks I haven't seen in a while - a couple of members of the Man with the Hat's old groups - were headed to a concert at the Royal Academy of Music, with London Social Detours. So I booked that instead.
Made my way by bus, again - very similar to Monday night's journey, I took the 29 (which was obliging enough to arrive just as I did) to the top of Tottenham Court Road. Now, Google Maps wanted me to carry on to the next stop,at the other side of the crossroads, then cross the road for a bus to carry me back around the corner, down Euston Road to where I was headed. But the traffic was like treacle, and I reasoned - correctly - that I'd never make it to the next stop in time. Instead, I got off a stop early and rounded the corner just in time to catch any one of a number of buses going my way.
Got off at Baker Street - instructions were to meet at the Sherlock Holmes statue. I had to cross the road to it - and with all the trees, couldn't see it at all. Google Maps, as usual, proved my saviour, and when you finally see it, you can't mistake it:
And there they were, clustered around the base. Some familiar faces, and we had a lovely chat before the organiser decided not to wait for any more no-shows, and to make our way to the Royal Academy, where we picked up some free programmes on the way in and sat ourselves at the front row of the gallery:
This was the finale of the Academy's annual Summer Piano Festival, with the performers all final-year students, and the standard was predictably impeccable. The first half saw the Polish Bukolika Trio, interestingly in navy dresses rather than the more conventional black, entertain us with first a Polish composer, Roxanna Panufnik, then a beautiful Rachmaninoff piece, finishing with a trio on popular Irish folk tunes. Apparently, the person who commissioned these was an aficionado of Irish music, but the composer picked such obscure pieces - and mangled them so much - that the person who'd commissioned them cancelled the commission! I had great fun trying to identify them; the first completely stumped me, but I do believe the second was The Raggle-Taggle Gypsy, and the third might have been Lanigan's Ball.
At the interval, I needed the loo, and most of us fancied the bar. Both were in the same direction, but I missed the toilet on the first pass and had to retrace my steps. When I got back to the bar, would you believe, my companions were no further along.. we spent forever in the queue! Apparently, the barman is notorious for it.. As it was, we gulped our drinks, and were still late heading back up and made to send outside for the first piece. Which we could hear just fine from the hall. And I wasn't so pushed about missing Hallelujah Junction anyway - it sounded like a positively violent piece, frankly! And we had great fun out in the hall. When we were finally let in, we saw that the second piano on stage had now been brought into play, aligned with the first, as we now had two pianists - Joseph Havlat and Thomas Ang. I was much happier with the final piece - a Fantasy on Porgy and Bess.
Afterwards, most of us repaired back the way we'd come, to Wetherspoon's. A typically huge building, and we managed to grab a couple of tables, shoved together, near the back. It was really busy, and they mixed up a couple of orders - but when we did get what we'd ordered, it was delicious! And we greatly appreciated the orders that came with a drink included - the wine, as usual here, came on tap.
It was a great night, with a really friendly bunch, and I was so glad I'd come! Just a pity so many of their events are on during the day, and I can't make them. Ah well.. roll on the next. (Although all their upcoming scheduled events are scheduled on weekends I'm away - never mind.) I was close enough to walk home, and yes, forgot the paper I'd brought with me, just as I'd predicted. Never mind, they're free, and I picked up another on the walk.
Tonight, yes, once again I'd booked for free comedy in Hammersmith - with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, and Random London. Also advertised by London Live Comedy, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, and Discover LDN.UK (twice, as usual). But then I booked to go with the London European Club (LEC) to a talk on the relationship between Britain and France, at the LSE. Would've been interesting, but sod it, I then realised I have a late meeting today, and with the talk starting quite early, it's a non-starter. Didn't want to rebook the comedy, having cancelled it. So I had a look at what else was on Meetup - and discovered something interesting. I hadn't been getting a wide variety of things on the main Meetup site - but they've mercifully improved the app. Which is what I happened to consult when I realised I'd have to cancel the talk, since I didn't have a laptop to hand. And lo, the app had LOADS more events. Seriously, there's a real disconnect between the app and the main website. Tons of interesting stuff. And on the app - well, a group called Ealing Ladies Social Group was headed to Terror, at the Lyric Hammersmith. Which sounded the most interesting of all. Not the group, mind, which has far too many rules and regulations for my liking - and they're closed to new members anyway. Nothing to stop me going myself, though..
Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again! Not usual for me to go two weeks in a row.. more details below. On Monday, London Dramatic Arts is off to see The Mentor, at the Vaudeville Theatre. Expensively, as usual. I'm going as well - cheaply, courtesy of Amazon Tickets. Sat in the Grand Circle, I should be able to avoid them- well, they don't approve of members buying separate tickets!
On Tuesday, I cancelled more free comedy in Hammersmith (Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, London Live Comedy, and Discover LDN.UK) for another Funzing talk - The Psychology of Dreams. As advertised by London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night. Cancellable, but I'm so far unlikely to do so. (As ever, WELLBEING30 was still giving 30% off most talks, last I looked.)
On Wednesday, back with the LEC, for a concert of Greek music at Sands Films. Looking forward to that - I love the venue, but haven't fancied the last couple of concerts they've had there.
Next Thursday, I was booked for free comedy in Hammersmith (!) with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, London Live Comedy, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, and Discover LDN.UK. Did you think I'd actually go? ;-) Well, I'm not - but the reason is an unusual one. My new company is very nice indeed - and they have an annual volunteering day: gardening. I hate gardening. And it's that day. For the whole day, they're at it. And last Monday, the office manager kindly informed us that it was compulsory unless we were on holiday. Huh! Well now, I hate being told what to do. So I've suddenly decided to be on holiday that day - and as it's a Thursday, the next too.
Then comes a weekend I've been looking forward to for a while. Long-anticipated, the European leg of U2's 30th anniversary tour of The Joshua Tree kicks off in Twickenham on the 8th & 9th. 'Mare of a place to see them - after I saw them there in 2005, I swore - never again. Happily, I now know someone living down that direction! :-) Helen is also coming with me to the first concert, and I'm staying with her for the weekend (now starting on Thursday, as she kindly offered). Which sorts transport for the first night - she'll drive. The second night, I'll head back by bus - the train is an absolute nightmare. Anyway, this would have been a weekend in Ireland - hence the trips back two weekends in a row, preceding it.
On the 10th, nothing had been appealing - until I tried the app again on Saturday, and came across a Meetup group called, attractively, Let's Do This! Quite new - anyway, they have organised a trip to see La Voix Humaine, a 40-minute solo opera, performed in English by Opera Up Close. Unassigned seating, but with no booking fee I booked anyway - it's in King's Place, which I love. I'd already found it by the time the Man with the Hat took us there, but it was with him I went the last two times: so this'll be bittersweet. Now, I've booked on my own - and lordy if I didn't discover last night that it's co-run by another couple of the Man with the Hat's old members! I've applied for membership, which has yet to be approved. Great to see the Man with the Hat has left a classical legacy - there are very few Meetup groups doing this sort of thing.
The 11th started out with yet more free comedy in Hammersmith - the same five groups. But then Funzing (the same two groups) rocked up and saved me, with a talk on Blitzed - Drugs in Nazi Germany. Has to be better, frankly.
The 12th, I'm currently still looking at free comedy in Greenwich, with London Live Comedy, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, and Random London.
The 13th, more of the same - in Hammersmith - with the Famous Five (aforementioned) groups - Discover LDN.UK twice, as before. At least the headliner that night is John Hastings, who's guaranteed to be good - and it's a lovely, small venue to see him in. Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend.
On the 17th, more comedy - for £3.60, this time. Tez Ilyas is performing at the Pleasaunce, and I know he's good - saw him in Top Secret once, for free..
The 18th, the U2 tour continues - I fly to Barcelona that day, to see them that night! One of their crazy, one-night-only appearances, on what is a very limited tour.
I fly back on the 19th, and that night am - provisionally - booked for more free comedy (quelle surprise). Greenwich, the above three groups. There are some interesting Funzing talks that night, but I've already seen them.
The 20th, I booked another Funzing talk (the above two groups). This is a talk about serial killers, as given by a forensic psychologist that works with the police, and who also gives terrific talks about psychopaths. Highly recommended! She's a terrifically engaging speaker, and looks far too young to be working in such a murky area. Unfortunately, now I've had to cancel - turns out that the much-anticipated first Meetup of Love London for Less is happening that night, so of course I'm headed to that - we're going to the Icebar, where I've never been. Should be interesting. Just a pity the only other instance of that talk I'm missing is sold out - I've added myself to the watchlist.
Then I'm back to Ireland for a long weekend - first to Dublin (from London City airport, a first for me), for U2's (one-and-only!) concert there.. then down to see my mother for a couple of days, flying back on Tuesday. On the Wednesday.. and Thursday.. free comedy!! First Greenwich, then Hammersmith - the usual groups, on both occasions.
So, that brings us to Friday 28th July, and it's off to Amsterdam, for my final two U2 concerts of the year (sniff). On Saturday and Sunday. Really, you have no idea of the organisation that went into all of this, back in January..!
Last night, I was back with the London European Club (LEC) at last - an evening of Welsh stories and writing at the London Welsh Centre. And my, wasn't it great I could walk there, for once! (Under half an hour from both office and home.) And how ironic that it was also the one day of rain to hit London in I don't know how long. Torrential, in the afternoon - luckily, it had lightened considerably by the time I set out.
A bit soggy, I arrived on Gray's Inn Road some time after 6 - our organiser had said he'd be there from about 6, with the event due to start at 7:30. Not hard to spot, the Welsh Centre has a Welsh flag over it - all wrapped around the pole when I got there. It's a lovely, Tudor-style building, lots of oak panelling, large, lead-lined windows - I should really have snapped a picture while we were waiting downstairs, for the upstairs bar to be free. Anyway, the lady at the desk checked that we already had tickets, and stamped us, before setting up a stand to sell more - I think most people actually paid on the door.
Upstairs was a large, raftered, function room with bar, booths, upholstered seats, and lots of plastic seats that had been set up for the occasion (and a slightly musty smell that probably comes as standard):
- that's the stage, at the far end. And it was lovely to see old faces - including a couple of the Man with the Hat's erstwhile flock - in my first proper Meetup since the 16th! Well, on our way in, we'd picked up programmes, feedback forms, and voting cards - turned out this was a competition for Welsh playwrights; the evening would see eight short plays, we got to vote, the top four would get sent to Cardiff for a larger competition, the overall winner would get their name inscribed on a plaque. As usual, I came unprepared, like all of us - not a pen amongst us. Free pens were rumoured, but there was no sign when we looked. 'Tis the way with free stuff.
The idea of a "Chippy and Scratch" night is that the props - and rehearsal - are minimal; most actors, for example, were reading from the script. First up was a romantic drama entitled "Love in a Single Brain Cell"- well written, but particularly hard to tell when the scene / time period / stage in the relationship changed. Much more successful was the second - "You Have to Go to Come Back" (or something - I forgot to bring my programme with me today!) The story a simple one about a young Welsh girl moving to London, it was terrifically acted, the lone actor making her way into the audience, grabbing audience members to represent family members, and pushing through rows to represent crowded London buses. The third piece - "Opportunity Knocks" - about a young couple that find a baby on their doorstep - wasn't to everyone's taste, but I loved the twist at the end. "Party Like It's 1985" was a reprise of the AIDS panic at the time.
A short interval - I'd prebooked an interval drink, for the sake of getting over the £10 minimum card limit, under which you have to pay a 50p surcharge. The lady I spoke to at the interval wasn't the one I'd initially booked with, but believed my tale. A trip to the loo, with the incredibly strong hand dryer. And we were off again.
First after the break was the one with the Welsh title, which I won't try to reproduce - the story of a young priest, and starring the night's mc, I'd have loved to have known what happened next in the story. Overall, I thought the standard was better than the first half - my personal favourite, "Cardiff Boy" came next. A soundtrack that mirrors and dictates the mood of the play - and played on old-fashioned cassettes, yet! - as we hear the story of a young man's adventures in nightclubs. Beautifully told. The next was a conversation between two old friends - I've forgotten the name, but loved the pacing. And the night ended with the hilarious "Outside Blisters", which turned out to be a peep into the lives of three young girls standing outside a nightclub. The lady beside me said she'd picked that as her favourite, because it was written from a completely female perspective, which she pointed out is rare.
Voting and feedback were done when we finally got a loan of a pen, and yay! "Cardiff Boy" won the overall prize, with the other three headed to Cardiff being the last two plays of the night, plus that one that ran second, where she came out into the audience. Rare for me to pick the winner; this year, for the first time, I did with Eurovision as well.. must be on a roll. We hung on in the pub for a while before heading our separate ways home - in rain that was now much heavier, goodee. But it was an excellent night!
Tonight, I had booked with Random London, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich and London Live Comedy (again) for free comedy in Greenwich (again). And then I switched to West London Improvised Comedy Nights, who have a show at The Lillie Langtry, which is closer - indeed, very close to where I've lived longest in London. However, some more folks I haven't seen in a while - a couple of members of the Man with the Hat's old groups - are headed to a concert at the Royal Academy of Music, with London Social Detours. The concerts are free, but the group is charging a Meetup fee, so I'd normally just go on my own - but I want to meet these folks, so I'll stump up.
Tomorrow, yes, once again I'd booked for free comedy in Hammersmith - with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, and Random London. Also advertised by London Live Comedy, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, and Discover LDN.UK (twice, as usual). But then I'd booked to go with the LEC to a talk on the relationship between Britain and France, at the LSE. Would've been interesting, but sod it, I then realised I have a late meeting that day, and with the talk starting quite early, it's a non-starter. Didn't want to rebook the comedy, having cancelled it. So I had a look at what else was on Meetup - and discovered something interesting. I hadn't been getting a wide variety of things on the main Meetup site - but they've mercifully improved the app. Which is what I happened to consult when I realised I'd have to cancel the talk, since I didn't have a laptop to hand. And lo, the app had LOADS more events. Seriously, there's a real disconnect between the app and the main website. Tons of interesting stuff. And on the app - well, a group called Ealing Ladies Social Group was headed to Terror, at the Lyric Hammersmith. Which sounded the most interesting of all. Not the group, mind, which has far too many rules and regulations for my liking - and they're closed to new members anyway. Nothing to stop me going myself, though..
Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again! Not usual for me to go two weeks in a row.. more details below. On Monday, London Dramatic Arts is off to see The Mentor, at the Vaudeville Theatre. Expensively, as usual. I'm going as well - cheaply, courtesy of Amazon Tickets. Sat in the Grand Circle, I should be able to avoid them.
On Tuesday, I cancelled more free comedy in Hammersmith (Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, London Live Comedy, and Discover LDN.UK) for another Funzing talk - The Psychology of Dreams. As advertised by London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night. Cancellable, but I'm so far unlikely to do so. (As ever, WELLBEING30 was still giving 30% off most talks, last I looked. And there's a temporary 50% discount for the code 50funzingagain.)
Next Wednesday, back with the LEC, for a concert of Greek music at Sands Films. Looking forward to that - I love the venue, but haven't fancied the last couple of concerts they've had there.
On the 6th, I was booked for free comedy in Hammersmith (!) with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, London Live Comedy, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, and Discover LDN.UK. Did you think I'd actually go? ;-) Well, I'm not - but the reason is an unusual one. My new company is very nice indeed - and they have an annual volunteering day: gardening. I hate gardening. On the 6th. For the whole day, they're at it. And last Monday, the office manager kindly informed us that it was compulsory unless we were on holiday. Huh! Well now, I hate being told what to do. So I've suddenly decided to be on holiday that day - and as it's a Thursday, the next too.
Then comes a weekend I've been looking forward to for a while. Long-anticipated, the European leg of U2's 30th anniversary tour of The Joshua Tree kicks off in Twickenham on the 8th & 9th. 'Mare of a place to see them - after I saw them there in 2005, I swore - never again. Happily, I now know someone living down that direction! :-) Helen is also coming with me to the first concert, and I'm staying with her for the weekend (now starting on Thursday, as she kindly offered). Which sorts transport for the first night - she'll drive. The second night, I'll head back by bus - the train is an absolute nightmare. Anyway, this would have been a weekend in Ireland - hence the trips back two weekends in a row, preceding it.
On the 10th, nothing had been appealing - until I tried the app again on Saturday, and came across a Meetup group called, attractively, Let's Do This! Quite new - anyway, they have organised a trip to see La Voix Humaine, a 40-minute solo opera, performed in English by Opera Up Close. Unassigned seating, but with no booking fee I booked anyway - it's in King's Place, which I love. I'd already found it by the time the Man with the Hat took us there, but it was with him I went the last two times: so this'll be bittersweet. Now, I've booked on my own - and lordy if I didn't discover last night that it's co-run by another couple of the Man with the Hat's old members! I've applied for membership, which has to be approved.
The 11th started out with yet more free comedy in Hammersmith - the same five groups. But then Funzing (the same two groups) rocked up and saved me, with a talk on Blitzed - Drugs in Nazi Germany. Has to be better, frankly.
The 12th, I'm currently still looking at free comedy in Greenwich, with London Live Comedy, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, and Random London.
The 13th, more of the same - in Hammersmith - with the Famous Five (aforementioned) groups - Discover LDN.UK twice, as before. At least the headliner that night is John Hastings, who's guaranteed to be good - and it's a lovely, small venue to see him in. Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend.
On the 17th, more comedy - for £3.60, this time. Tez Ilyas is performing at the Pleasaunce, and I know he's good - saw him in Top Secret once, for free..
The 18th, the U2 tour continues - I fly to Barcelona that day, to see them that night! One of their crazy, one-night-only appearances, on what is a very limited tour.
I fly back on the 19th, and that night am - provisionally - booked for more free comedy (quelle surprise). Greenwich, the above three groups. There are some interesting Funzing talks that night, but I've already seen them.
The 20th, I booked another Funzing talk (the above two groups). This is a talk about serial killers, as given by a forensic psychologist that works with the police, and who also gives terrific talks about psychopaths. Highly recommended! She's a terrifically engaging speaker, and looks far too young to be working in such a murky area. Unfortunately, now I've had to cancel - turns out that the much-anticipated first Meetup of Love London for Less is happening that night, so of course I'm headed to that - we're going to the Icebar, where I've never been. Should be interesting. Just a pity the only other instance of that talk I'm missing is sold out - I've added myself to the watchlist.
Then I'm back to Ireland for a long weekend - first to Dublin (from London City airport, a first for me), for U2's (one-and-only!) concert there.. then down to see my mother for a couple of days, flying back on Tuesday. On the Wednesday.. and Thursday.. free comedy!! First Greenwich, then Hammersmith - the usual groups, on both occasions.
So, that brings us to Friday 28th July, and it's off to Amsterdam, for my final two U2 concerts of the year (sniff). On Saturday and Sunday. Really, you have no idea of the organisation that went into all of this, back in January..!
No, this wasn't a change in schedule - I just had so much on my mind, I forgot what I'd booked a £3.60 ticket for, tonight! Turns out it wasn't comedy after all - it was a thing called 5 x 15, where five eminent persons give a 15-minute speech each, about whatever.
All the way over in Notting Hill - well, I had time to take a bus. Two, actually - with the Hopper fare, I have that luxury (two journeys for the price of one). And luxury it was, considering that the first just took me to the top of Tottenham Court Road, which I could've walked (slower, of course). The bus had already arrived by the time I rounded the corner, and it's nothing short of a miracle that it waited for me! A good thing though, as I was a bit tight for time - as usual. And the whole way up the road, I had a lady in sunglasses beside me, attached by leash to a small black dog, who (lady, not dog) regaled me with, as she said, her life's story: how she was just back from St. Ives, how much worse the pollution is in London, and how she's going to return her air purifier, which just blows air at her that smells of the cigarette smoke she bought it to recycle. She finally got off (just three stops later) at my home stop! Oh lordy, she's a neighbour of mine..
Not that I was getting off there this evening - no, the next stop and around the corner, and just in time for the next bus, which must've been running early. Unfortunately, I ended up in the back row. Happily, it was a slow ride (I might've got a bit sick, else) - and as we passed Harley Street, I wondered how the Man with the Hat is getting on - he works there. Anyway, as we moved out of the centre, we lurched down a hill to Royal Oak, and I got a helpful young Japanese-looking lady to press the button for me - I couldn't reach, and was rather uncertain of being able to keep my balance on the seat, even! And boy, was I glad of Google Maps, without which I'd have been completely lost.
Backwards then, across the bridge, right, and pretty much straight on for 15 minutes or so. I was expecting a church-style building, and was rather confused by the one at the end of the road:
Luckily, I'd already looked up The Tabernacle, and realised it didn't look like that. I'd just passed it:
And I was just in time. In fact, the guy checking names (who gave me a stamp on my arm) thought I was one of the speakers! Turns out that, unusually tonight, they were all women, and I guess they hadn't all arrived yet. Hey-ho, I made my way upstairs into a wide venue, full of round tables with chairs around them - all were occupied, so I took a seat in the rows at the back. Pity they were all those notoriously uncomfortable folding chairs. Anyway.
First up was Catherine Mayer, co-founder of the Women's Equality Party, and author. I've never felt that it was enough of an issue in our society to join the party (lucky me!), but I do respect what they're about, and she told us about some inspirational people. A couple of other things she said resonated with me, about the "snap election" (that snapped back!), and the grossly unfair first-past-the-post electoral system that prevails in this country, which, mind you, I've heard criticised in Ireland since I was a nipper.
Interesting talk. Sadly, the second - not so much, as Erica Wagner summarised for us her book about the architect of the Brooklyn Bridge. I'm glad to see she was fascinated by her subject - I'm afraid I wasn't.
Third up, we had a very interesting talk again, with Plum Sykes, who writes books about socialites - she's just started on murder mysteries. Her talk was a fascinating insight into the subtle sexism of undergraduate life in Oxford in the late 1980s - I could have listened all night, frankly.
But then we had a short interval (enough time to buy drinks), and after, a talk by one Reni Eddo-Lodge, an award-winning young black writer, who lectured us on race relations. She did make one very interesting point, about how we aren't educated about civil rights in Britain. She cited the case of one Paul Stephenson, who fought for racial equality in Bristol in 1963 - quite right, it's shocking that we don't know about this!
To round off the night, we had a fascinating talk by Polly Toynbee, about the state of the nation, and how swingeing Tory cuts have led to increased amputations (fewer preventative checks of diabetics, who tend to have circulatory problems), less tax take (closure of local tax offices, and consequent loss of local knowledge), and loss of social networks (cuts to local bus services - my mother could tell you all about that). Again, I could have listened all night, as she explained, quite rationally, how you can't both maintain public services and cut tax. It's very simple - you could explain it to a four-year-old. All in all, a good night - and the best value yet for my £3.60 ticket - full price for these was £25!
I say she rounded off the night - she didn't. We had a little extra - a chap who'd come straight from C4 studios, where he'd been reading his poem, which he then read again for us. Grenfell is just 15 minutes up the road from here, and had dominated proceedings, with constant mentions. And he'd written a poem about it.
I shed a tear or two. And I had been considering wandering up that way - it isn't often at all that I get to this part of town. So, I did. (Glad I brought my coat - it was getting quite chilly.)
Just a couple of minutes into my walk, I could already see the blackened shell over the rooftops. It was chilling. All the "missing" posters.. (they started in The Tabernacle). I overheard someone say they've still only explored as far as the 11th floor (out of 24).
They still have the site cordoned off, with a police officer on guard - the closest I could get was the local church:
I was a bit self-conscious about taking photos, until I saw someone else doing it. And that's all she wrote. Grenfell, RIP.
Up the (severely overgrown) road again, I caught the first bus to Oxford Circus, and was desperately glad to get out of there - I really don't know how they look at that every day.
Tomorrow, I'm back with the London European Club (LEC) at last - an evening of Welsh stories and writing at the London Welsh Centre. Be lovely to see some familiar faces!
On Wednesday, I had booked with Random London, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich and London Live Comedy (again) for free comedy in Greenwich (again). And then I switched to West London Improvised Comedy Nights, who have a show at The Lillie Langtry, which is closer - indeed, very close to where I've lived longest in London. However, some more folks I haven't seen in a while - a couple of members of the Man with the Hat's old groups - are headed to a concert at the Royal Academy of Music, with London Social Detours. The concerts are free, but the group is charging a Meetup fee, so I'd normally just go on my own - but I want to meet these folks, so I'll stump up.
On Thursday, yes, once again I'd booked for free comedy in Hammersmith - with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, and Random London. Also advertised by London Live Comedy, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, and Discover LDN.UK (twice, as usual). But then I'd booked to go with the LEC to a talk on the relationship between Britain and France, at the LSE. Would've been interesting, but sod it, I then realised I have a late meeting that day, and with the talk starting quite early, it's a non-starter. Didn't want to rebook the comedy, having cancelled it. So I had a look at what else was on Meetup - and discovered something interesting. I hadn't been getting a wide variety of things on the main Meetup site - but they've mercifully improved the app. Which is what I happened to consult when I realised I'd have to cancel the talk, since I didn't have a laptop to hand. And lo, the app had LOADS more events. Seriously, there's a real disconnect between the app and the main website. Tons of interesting stuff. And on the app - well, a group called Ealing Ladies Social Group was headed to Terror, at the Lyric Hammersmith. Which sounded the most interesting of all. Not the group, mind, which has far too many rules and regulations for my liking - and they're closed to new members anyway. Nothing to stop me going myself, though..
Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again! Not usual for me to go two weeks in a row.. more details below. Next Monday, London Dramatic Arts is off to see The Mentor, at the Vaudeville Theatre. Expensively, as usual. I'm going as well - cheaply, courtesy of Amazon Tickets. Sat in the Grand Circle, I should be able to avoid them.
On the 4th, I cancelled more free comedy in Hammersmith (Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, London Live Comedy, and Discover LDN.UK) for another Funzing talk - The Psychology of Dreams. As advertised by London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night. Cancellable, but I'm so far unlikely to do so. (As ever, WELLBEING30 was still giving 30% off most talks, last I looked.)
On the 5th, back with the LEC, for a concert of Greek music at Sands Films. Looking forward to that - I love the venue, but haven't fancied the last couple of concerts they've had there.
On the 6th, I was booked for free comedy in Hammersmith (!) with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, London Live Comedy, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, and Discover LDN.UK. Did you think I'd actually go? ;-) Well, I'm not - but the reason is an unusual one. My new company is very nice indeed - and they have an annual volunteering day: gardening. I hate gardening. On the 6th. For the whole day, they're at it. And last Monday, the office manager kindly informed us that it was compulsory unless we were on holiday. Huh! Well now, I hate being told what to do. So I've suddenly decided to be on holiday that day - and as it's a Thursday, the next too.
Then comes a weekend I've been looking forward to for a while. Long-anticipated, the European leg of U2's 30th anniversary tour of The Joshua Tree kicks off in Twickenham on the 8th & 9th. 'Mare of a place to see them - after I saw them there in 2005, I swore - never again. Happily, I now know someone living down that direction! :-) Helen is also coming with me to the first concert, and I'm staying with her for the weekend (now starting on Thursday, as she kindly offered). Which sorts transport for the first night - she'll drive. The second night, I'll head back by bus - the train is an absolute nightmare. Anyway, this would have been a weekend in Ireland - hence the trips back two weekends in a row, preceding it.
On the 10th, nothing had been appealing - until I tried the app again on Saturday, and came across a Meetup group called, attractively, Let's Do This! Quite new - I don't think I'll be "doing this" with them, what with their fee per event (I have been known to pay this, but it has to be worth it to me, i.e. I need to know the people): anyway, they have organised a trip to see La Voix Humaine, a 40-minute solo opera, performed in English by Opera Up Close. Unassigned seating, but with no booking fee I booked anyway - it's in King's Place, which I love. I'd already found it by the time the Man with the Hat took us there, but it was with him I went the last two times: so this'll be bittersweet.
The 11th started out with yet more free comedy in Hammersmith - the same five groups. But then Funzing (the same two groups) rocked up and saved me, with a talk on Blitzed - Drugs in Nazi Germany. Has to be better, frankly.
The 12th, I'm currently still looking at free comedy in Greenwich, with London Live Comedy, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, and Random London.
The 13th, more of the same - in Hammersmith - with the Famous Five (aforementioned) groups - Discover LDN.UK twice, as before. At least the headliner that night is John Hastings, who's guaranteed to be good - and it's a lovely, small venue to see him in. Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend.
On the 17th, more comedy - for £3.60, this time. Tez Ilyas is performing at the Pleasaunce, and I know he's good - saw him in Top Secret once, for free..
The 18th, the U2 tour continues - I fly to Barcelona that day, to see them that night! One of their crazy, one-night-only appearances, on what is a very limited tour.
I fly back on the 19th, and that night am - provisionally - booked for more free comedy (quelle surprise). Greenwich, the above three groups. There are some interesting Funzing talks that night, but I've already seen them.
The 20th, another Funzing talk (the above two groups). This is a talk about serial killers, as given by a forensic psychologist that works with the police, and who also gives terrific talks about psychopaths. Highly recommended! She's a terrifically engaging speaker, and looks far too young to be working in such a murky area.
Then I'm back to Ireland for a long weekend - first to Dublin (from London City airport, a first for me), for U2's (one-and-only!) concert there.. then down to see my mother for a couple of days, flying back on Tuesday. On the Wednesday.. and Thursday.. free comedy!! First Greenwich, then Hammersmith - the usual groups, on both occasions.
So, that brings us to Friday 28th July, and it's off to Amsterdam, for my final two U2 concerts of the year (sniff). On Saturday and Sunday. Really, you have no idea of the organisation that went into all of this, back in January..!
Well, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend, in the glorious cool. This evening, my mother and had booked for the Limerick Sings International Choral Festival - always worth a look, and the gala concert takes place in the University Concert Hall tonight. Unfortunately, as usually happens, she's pleading an ailment and now doesn't want to go. She still feels able for a meal in the Abbey Tavern, mind - I think, as usual, that she just doesn't want to vary her schedule. Which is irritating, but I do get my fill of variety, it has to be said.
On Monday, I'm headed to some comedy for £3.60 - this one's at The Tabernacle. Gosh, that's quite close to the site of the dreadful fire last week - but I think I'll stay away, there's been quite enough about it.
On Tuesday, I'm back with the London European Club (LEC) at last - an evening of Welsh stories and writing at the London Welsh Centre. Be lovely to see some familiar faces!
On Wednesday, I had booked with Random London, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich and London Live Comedy (again) for free comedy in Greenwich (again). And then I switched to West London Improvised Comedy Nights, who have a show at The Lillie Langtry, which is closer - indeed, very close to where I've lived longest in London. However, some more folks I haven't seen in a while - a couple of members of the Man with the Hat's old groups - are headed to a concert at the Royal Academy of Music, with London Social Detours. The concerts are free, but the group is charging a Meetup fee, so I'd normally just go on my own - but I want to meet these folks, so I'll stump up.
On Thursday, yes, once again I'd booked for free comedy in Hammersmith - with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, and Random London. Also advertised by London Live Comedy, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, and Discover LDN.UK (twice, as usual). But then I'd booked to go with the LEC to a talk on the relationship between Britain and France, at the LSE. Would've been interesting, but sod it, I then realised I have a late meeting that day, and with the talk starting quite early, it's a non-starter. Didn't want to rebook the comedy, having cancelled it. So I had a look at what else was on Meetup - and discovered something interesting. I hadn't been getting a wide variety of things on the main Meetup site - but they've mercifully improved the app. Which is what I happened to consult when I realised I'd have to cancel the talk, since I didn't have a laptop to hand. And lo, the app had LOADS more events. Seriously, there's a real disconnect between the app and the main website. Tons of interesting stuff. And on the app - well, a group called Ealing Ladies Social Group was headed to Terror, at the Lyric Hammersmith. Which sounded the most interesting of all. Not the group, mind, which has far too many rules and regulations for my liking - and they're closed to new members anyway. Nothing to stop me going myself, though..
Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again! Not usual for me to go two weeks in a row.. more details below. On 3rd, London Dramatic Arts is off to see The Mentor, at the Vaudeville Theatre. Expensively, as usual. I'm going as well - cheaply, courtesy of Amazon Tickets. Sat in the Grand Circle, I should be able to avoid them.
On the 4th, I cancelled more free comedy in Hammersmith (Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, London Live Comedy, and Discover LDN.UK) for another Funzing talk - The Psychology of Dreams. As advertised by London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night. Cancellable, but I'm so far unlikely to do so.
On the 5th, back with the LEC, for a concert of Greek music at Sands Films. Looking forward to that - I love the venue, but haven't fancied the last couple of concerts they've had there.
On the 6th, I was booked for free comedy in Hammersmith (!) with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, London Live Comedy, Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, and Discover LDN.UK. Did you think I'd actually go? ;-) Well, I'm not - but the reason is an unusual one. My new company is very nice indeed - and they have an annual volunteering day: gardening. I hate gardening. On the 6th. For the whole day, they're at it. And on Monday, the office manager kindly informed us that it was compulsory unless we were on holiday. Huh! Well now, I hate being told what to do. So I've suddenly decided to be on holiday that day - and as it's a Thursday, the next too.
Then comes a weekend I've been looking forward to for a while. Long-anticipated, the European leg of U2's 30th anniversary tour of The Joshua Tree kicks off in Twickenham on the 8th & 9th. 'Mare of a place to see them - after I saw them there in 2005, I swore - never again. Happily, I now know someone living down that direction! :-) Helen is also coming with me to the first concert, and I'm staying with her for the weekend (now starting on Thursday, as she kindly offered). Which sorts transport for the first night - she'll drive. The second night, I'll head back by bus - the train is an absolute nightmare. Anyway, this would have been a weekend in Ireland - hence the trips back two weekends in a row, preceding it.
