It also meant I could walk, and on a scorcher like today, avoiding public transport was appreciated! I had a very, very lazy day.. did pop out to Tesco to get some essentials, ate, went to bed for a while - it's exhaustingly hot. Like an oven outside. The show wasn't on until 9:45pm - I left at about 9:20, got there in plenty of time, grateful for more reasonable temperatures and a cooling breeze. No coat required, of course. At the theatre, I'd booked a balcony seat, but they offered to move me into the centre if I wanted, there was plenty of room. Nonsense! sez I. My seat overlooked the stage, meaning I was nice and close, and since the entrance is at that level, I didn't have to worry about steps.
Edinburgh preview, of course. So he spent an hour practicing on us. Of course, some comedians' practice performances are better than most on the circuit, and he's a consummate professional. While he didn't reach the dizzy heights of the last time I saw him, he is a very funny man, this was practice material, and it was fascinating to see the little tricks he's developed to get the audience to react as he wants.
In the hour he had with us, he ran through mostly topical issues, with a brief nod to family jokes. Mostly though, it was Brexit ("Come on, through the ups and downs of our relationship, the Irish always had one consolation - that WE were the weirder of our two islands!"), with a bit about his disgruntled neighbour thrown in. (He could never figure out why his neighbour was sometimes disgruntled, until his neighbour on the other side explained that his grumpy days were the days he could see France,across the water! - he lives in Kent, these days. There was a bit of dissing various nationalities, and a bit about terrorism - he told us how, when he was a young and naif comedian, he came onstage in Clapham on the day of the Canary Wharf bombing, and tearfully apologised to the crowd, saying he had nothing to do with it and didn't support it. Silence, after which a guy at the back got up and said, "That's East London, mate - 's miles away!"
Ah yes, hard to terrorise a Londoner. And so home, and I'm looking forward to having some ice cream. Tomorrow, I was thinking of a film. After I deleted all the stuff at the top of the list that isn't showing that day, I was left with The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson. Never heard of this person, but it turns out to be the story of a transgender gay activist, who died in mysterious circumstances. I couldn't even find a trailer, but the story sounds interesting enough. Showing at the Curzon Aldgate only, and practically sold out when I checked - so I booked.
For Monday, I was thinking of a film again. I hadn't booked anything, then got an email from Kensington Classical Music today, who are headed to a concert that evening. Well, I considered it, but as well as the fact that I could get cheaper tickets from the venue (and would then have the fun of avoiding them), I figured I'd rather go the film I had in mind. Der Müde Tod (Destiny) is a German silent film from the 20s, about a girl who does a deal with the Devil, so she can be reunited with her dead lover. Right up my street. (Wonder Woman is higher rated.. but no thanks.) Closest venue is the BFI, and when I checked, it was nearly sold out! So I booked, finally. Gosh, it's ages since I've been there - I can just feel those lovely, plush seats.
On Tuesday, I have one of those £3.60 tickets, to a play called The English Heart, at the Etcetera Theatre. The closest interesting thing to me that they had on their list, basically.
On Wednesday, I've (ahem) provisionally booked for free comedy in Greenwich, with Random London, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon & Greenwich, and London Live Comedy. I'll probably end up going to a film instead.
On Thursday, I'd originally booked for free comedy in Hammersmith, with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, and Random London. Also advertised with Hammersmith & Fulham Friends, and Discover LDN.UK (twice). Instead, I'm back with Funzing - London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night have a talk on Urban Legends of the Tube. Of course, I can cancel up to 48 hours beforehand without penalty, and indeed, I got this one for free anyway, for filling a loyalty card for LDN Talks @ Night, having been to three talks (more, but anyway). But I'm unlikely to do so - sounds interesting, there's a lack of decent alternatives, and anyway I'm not sure I could get my free ticket transferred to another talk.
Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend, and next Saturday my mother and I are off to the Limerick Sings International Choral Festival - always worth a look, and the gala concert takes place in the University Concert Hall that night.
On the 26th, 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 this week - I might take a wander up that direction.
On the 27th, 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 the 28th, 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 the 29th, 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 (again, twice). 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 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 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 6th, I'm 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. Whaddya think the odds are I'll actually go?
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. 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.
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