The organiser had said she'd meet us in the Riverside cafe, where she expected to arrive between 6.50 and 7. Well, I thought I knew where that was, but wasn't 100% sure.. anyway, when she did arrive, she said she'd got a table near the gift shop. I thought I knew where that was - and handily, although I don't know her so well, and mightn't have recognised her, someone had beaten me to it whom I know very well. So I found them pretty easily! Others were not so lucky - only one other found us, just before showtime, and another after - the last two, we never heard from. She was a bit stressed that people had got lost.. she might try having a Meetup sign in future, which can help with such things..?
Being at that side of the building, we went up in the singing lift. Ahh - how I love that! Never tire of it. When I went to my door, it was to find that I was to be upgraded - another advantage to buying a cheap ticket! They'd closed the balcony and the whole rear stalls - I was literally moved 21 rows forward, from the back of the rear stalls to the back of the front ones. I settled back happily in what is always a very comfy seat here, and waited for the show to begin.
A minimalist set, the only decoration being a double line of golden ropes hanging around the perimeter. The performance started in relative darkness, the seven dancers, identically dressed, prowling the stage in formation - black hooded coats and trousers. It was quite hypnotic, this start - to me, evoking the hustle and bustle of regular urban life, people weaving constantly through crowds.
As the lights came up, the dancing seemed to become more freeform - the performers shedding various bits of clothing, which we were to discover fell apart in interesting ways. Their performance for the rest of the hour or so could be described as quite aggressive - group drunkenness, falling around the stage, evolved to aggression among themselves, so we got some vicious-looking fights; these finally grew into the appearance of group violence against the outside. Combined with soaring music that was never less than dramatic, and sometimes quite ominous - this was overall a display of masculinity. Right at the end, something weird started to happen, as they seemed literally to be trying to morph into something else. And then the lights went down, and that was that. Maybe they were trying to evolve past that definition of manhood?
Anyway, we convened at the cafe again to discuss our various levels of confusion. And much of the conversation, obviously, centred on things Nordic, given the focus of the festival! A nice chat, good to see the folks, and early back - a good night, all around.
Tomorrow, handily enough, Spooky London Pubs (another new group for me - I think!) are hosting a talk on Conan Doyle and the Mysterious World of Light. Handiest of all, it's in the King and Queen - my local! Why, I pass it every day.. Couldn't miss the opportunity to pop in.
On Saturday, I'm finally back with London Dramatic Arts, for the opening night of Against, with Ben Whishaw, at the Almeida. I'm in the rear stalls - they also have tickets in the front stalls, for a higher price, of course. They're actually also going to see Apologia, with Stockard Channing and Laura Carmichael, earlier in the day, but for a ridiculous price, so I passed on that. (Never mind, I'm going myself - cheaper - in October: cheapest tickets I found were with Amazon Tickets.) It'll be weird to spend a weekend in London again, it's been so long - lovely not to have to fly anywhere, and just have a lie-in.
On Sunday, I'd booked with Carpe Diem, who are doing a Cockney Walk. But then, Eventbrite sent me an email of upcoming attractions, and the same day, they're doing a walk on Shakespeare's Southwark, which I find more interesting. I hadn't had to pay for the other one, so I cancelled and booked this instead. Let's hope it's dry!
On Monday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats: just a single play this time, Dark Room, at the Etcetera Theatre.
On Tuesday, back with Funzing: LDN Talks @Night and London Speaks Sessions have a talk called Z List - Dead List! So, a comedian is to regale us with tales of nefarious dead people, and we are to decide who deserves to become a celebrity forever! I got a 30% discount with the code WELLBEING30. Shoreditch, as usual - this one is in the Loves Company Cocktail Bar.
On Wednesday, another Camden Fringe double bill with Up in the Cheap Seats: Ego, in The Lion and Unicorn, and The Trial of Le Singe, in The Water Rats.
Next Thursday, I'm headed to a rather interesting talk on Bodysnatching in Southwark! Mary, too.. and it's a funny thing, all the tickets were gone when I first saw it, but then I checked again on spec, and more were available! Lucky. As advertised by Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts - but they're not running it, tickets are available on Eventbrite, and are free. I see London Social Detours are going too. Then I'm back to Ireland again for the weekend.
On the 21st, I'm off to see Jesus Christ Superstar, finally! At the open-air theatre in Regent's Park - again, I hope it doesn't rain.
On the 22nd, my first talk with Scarlet Ladies UK (!). Their stated aim is to abolish the stigma of talking about sex.. so they have a load of talks. This one is about the history of slut-shaming.
On the 23rd, back with Jennifer Rees (and the same two Meetup Funzing groups again), for a talk about the Psychology of Serial Killers. This is at least the third instance of this talk - I was booked for one last month, but had to cancel - it clashed with the trip to the Icebar. The next was sold out - and then I saw this one and booked, at last! It's on the Battersea Barge, of all places! Just a 10% discount this time - I see the latest code for that is crazy_fun.
On the 24th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, a musical about the life of Billie Holiday. Nice and close to me, at Wyndham's. Passed it this evening, in fact.
On the 25th, back with the same group (!) for yet another Camden Fringe double bill: Boris - the Musical! at the Cockpit again (LEC are also going to this), and Make Advena Great Again, at Camden People's Theatre. Goodness, that's only a short walk from home..
On the 26th, I'm back to the Proms for the first time in years! Funnily enough, it was inspired by a Meetup group - Gothic Requiem London (!). This is the "Gothic Prom", you see - all the composers are Czech (Bohemian). Now, I'm no Goth - but the Proms sound like a great idea.
On the 27th, I'm off on a day trip to Bath, with Carpe Diem: booked while I was in Barcelona, recently.
On the 28th, the organiser of Walks, Talks & Treasure Hunts promised Helen and me free tickets to a treasure hunt she was organising that day - in recompense for that treasure hunt, not run by her but advertised by her, where the organisers never showed, and instead marked us as no-shows. However, the event on the 28th still hasn't been advertised, and what with severe engineering works at Waterloo for the whole month, Helen's not sure she can make it at all. We shall see.
On the 29th, I'm off to see Five Guys Named Moe, at the Marble Arch Theatre - a pop-up, it seems! From the Box Office provided the best deal on this occasion.
On the 30th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats, for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, at the Apollo (although booking is with the Young Vic), with Sienna Miller, Colm Meaney, and nudity. Cheapest tickets this time were with LoveTheatre.
On the 31st, back with those two Funzing groups. This time, the talk is entitled "Can You Trust the Media?", and is given by Annie Machon, who gave an interesting talk last month on Russian Hacking. Another 30% discount. I just wish she'd use some visual aids.. At the Lighthouse again, terrific. :-/ Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
On the 4th September, I'm finally going to see Dreamgirls, at the Savoy. Amazon Tickets, again.
On the 5th September, back with the Scarlet Ladies for a talk on Generation Sex.
On the 6th September, I'm with another new group - North London Friends - for an interview with Michael Palin, at the Knowledge Centre Theatre at the British Library. I was really torn, though - the LEC is off to an early music concert the same night, and I do love that - but had already booked this, and it is Michael Palin. Hey-ho..
On the 7th September, back with North London Friends, and another talk on Fake News - different speaker, mind! This is the Fulbright Commission annual lecture, at the British Library.
On the 8th September, until yesterday I was still technically booked for free comedy in Hammersmith with DiscoverLDN.UK. But, as I say - good atmosphere, but the comedy is usually pretty bad. I was saved - again - by Up in the Cheap Seats, who are off to see Doubt, a Parable, in Southwark Playhouse. Aww.. it's so long since I was there, and I have so many good memories of it from my time with the Man with the Hat!
On the 9th September, Helen and I have our 25km sponsored walk, in aid of Haslemere's Cat Protection Society. We're going as Dick Whittington and his cat, respectively, and the route is the Thames Bridges Trek. You can donate here..
Which will tire me out nicely, just in time for my flight to Prague the next morning! I'm at a conference there, Sunday to Tuesday. (What a nice company I work for!) Gee, but I love Prague - most beautiful city I've ever seen, and I've seen a few. They're putting me up at a nice hotel too, just down the road.
So, I fly back on the 12th September, and on the 13th I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats, at Sadler's Wells, for the Hofesh Schechter Company grand finale.
On the 14th September, I'm at another talk with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts - this one, at Southwark Cathedral, is about the River Effra, South London's Secret Spine. Another free Eventbrite event, this is to publicise a book about the subject, and the talk is given by the author. Another thing that had no tickets, then it did! Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
On the 18th September, I'm off to Showstopper! at the Lyric. Ticket courtesy of From the Box Office again. I have actually seen this before - but, being an improvised musical, it literally is different every time!
On the 19th September, back with the Scarlet Ladies, for a talk entitled 100 Women - Their Breasts, Their Stories.
On the 20th September, Funzing (same two groups) and Jennifer Rees again - this time, a fun talk about the Psychology of Batman Villains! The first of hers for which I managed to get a 30% discount.. and it's on nice and close to me again. Seems to be a feature of her talks!
On the 21st September, technically, free comedy in Hammersmith - with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, and DiscoverLDN.UK. And on the 22nd September, the same - with DiscoverLDN.UK. I rather doubt it though - don't you?
On the 23rd September, I was to do the same, but am now headed to the launch of Rob Luft's new album, Riser, at King's Place. As advertised by The London Jazz Meetup. Not that I'm going with them though - I still haven't paid the membership fee, and won't, if I can't see see the point in it. And if I don't attend with them, I get to put it off again.
I had booked the same free comedy, with the same group, on the 24th September, but was again saved - this time, by the World Music Meetup! They're off to see Kefaya, in Nell's Jazz and Blues bar, back in my old stomping ground of North End Road! Happy days, when I was working there..
On the 25th September, a group called Theatre and Stuff is off to see Prism, at Hampstead Theatre. They're charging extra to go with them, though - so I happily bought my own ticket. What the hey, odds are I won't know any of them anyway.
On the 26th September, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats - to see Wings, at The Young Vic. Accidentally booked standing, I think.. :-/
On the 27th September, with Up in the Cheap Seats again - for Jekyll & Hyde, presented by the National Youth Theatre, at the Ambassadors Theatre.
On the 28th September, with another new group: London, Surrey and Beyond.. for an event called "A Unique Experience. Olde Pub, Gerry's Private Club, 2 'i's Famous Fish 'n' Chips". Which says it all, really! Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again.
On the 2nd October, back at Hampstead Theatre, for No One Will Tell Me How to Start a Revolution. North London Friends are attending - and charging extra, so I'm going it alone!
On the 3rd October, free comedy in Hammersmith - nominally. With Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich. Or not!
On the 4th October, Up in the Cheap Seats and Labour of Love, with Martin Freeman, at the Noel Coward Theatre. Cheapest tickets from the venue, for once!
On the 5th October, same group - headed to see the Company Wayne McGregor, at Sadler's Wells.
And finally! on the 6th October, headed to see Chekhov's The Seagull, at the Lyric. Third night in a row for that group - almost as busy a group as I am a person!
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