Now, the Tube/Overground option takes half an hour, and the best bus options just under an hour - but they're much cheaper. I had a choice of a single bus or a combination of two - both options to take about the same length of time. When I've done this route recently, it was the single bus I took: but it's quite a schlep up to Holborn to catch it, when you're in a hurry, and something of a trek at the other end as well. So I opted for the two-bus route, starting just down the road - and was delighted to discover that it drops me very close to the venue! Think that's what I'll do in future, what with the Hopper fare meaning I don't have to pay for the second bus. Made great time, too, and I was plenty early - besides, this place never starts anything remotely on time.
They had free programmes for us, each with a little sticker attached, our names written on it. An interesting map of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, at the time of the First World War, on the back. And we then hung around on the ground floor, waiting to be taken up - just as well, in this maze of a place. Sure enough, the stairs are at the back of the cinema / concert space - and this was the first time I've been there when the cinema screen was showing! Exclamations of awe, as we went through, from people who were new to the place: as someone said, this is what cinema should be like - show a film in your living room! Quite. The stairs were lined with fabric swatches, the windowsills with busts and ornately designed helmets. And lookee! They have a full-size, dinky theatre upstairs!
Now, this production is based on a series of Czech stories, set during the First World War, about a hapless, imbecilic soldier, who through idiocy (real or feigned) manages to expose the idiocy of the war, of the army, and so on. Somewhat satirical, then. And indeed, they take some liberties with the original stories, using the opportunity to talk about more modern events and characters. Blair, Trump, Bush all get a look-in, and the theme of governments selling arms to both sides, wars being great for the munitions business, and the insanity of the idea of weapons as a deterrent, are themes that applied as well then as they do now.
Maybe a bit daft in parts, and a bit repetitive, still it's enjoyable. Final performances tonight, tomorrow, and Monday, and you might find it interesting. they're filming the performances too, so expect some kind of a cinema release, maybe.
At the interval, I took a photo of the pub across the road:
..for which I was admonished by the usher! "That's not a historical building!" sez she. "Oh, but it's pretty." sez I. She wasn't impressed. I then asked her about the history of the building we were in, whereupon she assured me most definitely that it was mediaeval. Nonsense! They didn't build rooms this high in those times - apart from palaces and cathedrals. Sure enough, after my free (rather dilute) glass of squash downstairs, I Googled it - and the building is a Grade II-listed, former granary, beams made from trees felled in the 1700s. Yes, that sounds more like it.
(This is the library, which is public, and massive.. the main business of the building is making costumes for film and tv productions.)
Coming home, I did take the fast option - I was hungry, needed to stop off at Tesco to buy food, and wanted to make it before the 11pm cut-off for buying wine - and it was going to be close, with this show not finishing till after 10! A short walk to the station, take any Overground headed south, of which there are many, with three different routes: one stop to Canada Water, then Tube to Waterloo, and change for home. Made it with minutes to spare - but it was too late to blog, so I didn't.
Tonight, it's back to Ireland for the weekend. On Monday, 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..
On Tuesday, 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. Turns out I'm seeing them at half of all their European concerts for the year! Looking forward to immersing myself in the madness again.
I fly back on Wednesday, and that night was - provisionally - booked for more free comedy (quelle surprise). Greenwich, the first three of the above groups. There are some interesting Funzing talks that night, but I've already seen them. And then - why, Eleanor has another event! I listened to a clip of Hanitra, decided I liked her enough, so now I'm booked to see her in Sands Films that night.
On Thursday, first it was free comedy in Hammersmith - with London Live Comedy and Hammersmith & Fulham Friends (also hosted by the others). Then I booked another Funzing talk (as usual, with London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night). This is a talk about serial killers, as given by a forensic psychologist (Jennifer Rees) 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 the Man with the Hat's other ex-members' group, 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. Never mind about the talk - although, despite being on the watchlist for the talk, I received no notice, Helen spotted, over the weekend, that another instance of that talk has been scheduled for next month, and I'm booked for that.
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 26th, I had booked free comedy in Greenwich - same groups as before. Then Funzing rode to the rescue, and instead I'm now headed to a Funzing talk entitled "Politics - WTF!" Appropriate, no? Anyway, I booked them on a once-only code "iwantfunzingagain". Or you could try "Funzing30" - both give 30% off, but are time-limited.
On the 27th, free comedy in Hammersmith again. So far.
I fly back on the 31st, and saw an interesting Funzing talk advertised for that night - "Are We Living in the Matrix?" Well, I'm well overdue a free talk, with all of them that I've booked (every fourth free), so I contacted them to get a code to get this for free. Still waiting..! Despairing of them, I finally booked it on one of their limited 50% deals over the weekend.
And on the 1st, I finally get to see Jennifer Rees again, when she's giving a talk on The Psychology of Criminals. With dim sum, great! (Had to stick with a 10% discount for this one - Fun_Day10 or Fun_Week10 are the ones you want for that.) And it's walking distance from me for once, in Covent Garden. Excellent.. and Helen has sensibly decided to come too. On which occasion she'll deliver all the stuff I couldn't fit in my bag, coming back from Twickenham!
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