Tonight, I was to be back with the Scarlet Ladies for a talk on Generation Sex. Until Let's Do This advertised a concert that sounded really good.. at the Apples & Pears Bar. Hey, I do allow myself to change if something sounds better.. and as I say, the Scarlet Ladies are not my kind of ladies. In fact, I've finally left that group. Talk about not taking no for an answer though - I actually got an email from them yesterday about tonight's event, despite having both changed my RSVP for it, and actually left the group! I've now blocked their emails - hope that works.
With one thing and another going wrong, I thought I'd never get away from the office this evening. Took the 25 bus, and in the event, was one of the first to arrive, getting there before the organisers! To his credit, when I commented on the event page that I'd arrived, one did message in reply to say that he'd just be a few minutes. It was a select group of us in the end - but what the hey, it was such a cozy place, you couldn't have fitted in many more!
A jolly, Italian-sounding guy served me, and it wasn't long before the music started. Just down the back of this very narrow room! Three singer-songwriters, mostly with their own compositions: and fair play to them for performing with a backdrop of cocktail shakers, and a table ordering food, right by the stage. Mind you, that table were friends, it transpired, of the first performer, Emily White. Like the others, she did a half-hour set.. she was followed by Shaun O' Reilly, who frequently complained that he was sweating in the heat. (Which led someone down the back to compare him to Christy Moore, teehee.. a man of prodigious sweatiness.) He had some relief when the guys behind the bar paid heed and flicked a switch of some sort. Good at promoting himself, that chap - he came around with fliers after. The night finished with Moon - of Irish heritage, she finished on a song called Emerald. Anyway, all very chilled, very mellow. I can think of far worse ways to spend an evening - and it was terrific to see the folks. On the way home, the bus stopped short - but Holborn is close enough for me.
Tomorrow, I was 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 - the London European Club 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. London Literary Walks is off on The Mayflower Walk - but I held fast. And then.. today.. an organisation that shall be nameless, because they've suddenly gone shy, thought they usen't to be - were selling £2 tickets to Creepshow, with a horror panel discussion, at the BFI. Sorry, Michael - too tempting!
On Thursday, I was 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. However, much more attractively, Let's Do This are reviving what used to be a regular Man with the Hat event - we're off to St. Martin-in-the-Fields, for some Vivaldi concertos. With a discount, yet! London Concertante, as usual.
On Friday, until the other day 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 Saturday, 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.. Got a pair of Skechers Go Walk 4s last week, woo! Dying to try them out on the walk.
Which will tire me out nicely, just in time for my flight to Prague on Sunday 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 next Tuesday, 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 was 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 again given by the author. Another thing that had no tickets, then it did (no notification)! Now I've changed though, and will be off with Up in the Cheap Seats to Loot, at the Park Theatre. Got the last £20 ticket, yay! Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
On the 18th September, I was 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! But you'll never guess - the Crick Crack Club finally announced their autumn schedule recently, and now, that night, I'm off to Eaten Father, Eaten Mother by Ben Haggerty. In Soho Theatre, first time in ages.
On the 19th September, I was back with the Scarlet Ladies, for a talk entitled 100 Women - Their Breasts, Their Stories. No longer, of course - now I'm joining London Science Talks and Museums Meetup for a talk at the Alan Turing Institute about the future of data in public life. Most pertinent, given the talk I was at on Thursday.
On the 20th September, Funzing (London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night, as usual) 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, it was free comedy in Hammersmith - with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, and DiscoverLDN.UK. But yay, I have my alternative at last! Going to some comedy I have to pay for, which will probably be better. Mae Martin is at Soho Theatre. Advertised by a group called Moxie Ladies.. good luck to them, but as they charge extra, I'm going solo.
And on the 22nd September, the same free comedy - 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. I finally ended up paying their membership fee after booking an event with them the other day, for November, which someone is attending that I know. So I figured it was wiser!
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, I had booked at Hampstead Theatre, for No One Will Tell Me How to Start a Revolution. North London Friends are attending - and charging extra, so I was going it alone! But now it turns out I'm spending the week in the Stockholm office - back on the 8th.
On the 3rd October, it was free comedy in Hammersmith - nominally. With Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich. So, that was easy to cancel, for Stockholm!
On the 4th October was 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! So, four things in all I had to cancel, without refund.. what the hey, I'll doubtless be saving money in Stockholm! Expenses paid, after all.
On the 9th October, I'm finally going to see the show so many people have asked me whether I'm seeing. Ink is showing at the Duke of York's Theatre.
And on the 10th October, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Ballet Boyz at Sadler's Wells.
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