Apart from her, I was the first of our group there! Anyway, we all met over the next few minutes - apart from one who couldn't make it - and had a convivial chat before we went in. We were all sat roughly in the same area of the theatre, up in the second circle. High view, but decent:
The show had a somewhat abortive start, the curtain raising slightly to the sound of music - then lowering again, and we were back to darkness and silence. Well, apart from the laughter of the audience, who applauded briefly. Next time was for real - a misty stage, some sort of 2001-like obelisk in the middle; it was hard to see what was going on. When the mist cleared, it was to frenetic activity, a group of people generally moving in unison. Agricultural-type gestures, was what I took from it. There was a repetition from scene to scene, people first working together, then fighting, then mourning the dead. There was, actually, a lot of dragging of corpses around the stage.. much hilarity ensued when they used one to advertise the interval, propped up in a chair! He was ultimately removed, to be replaced by another, prone on the floor, beside a sign that read "Karma".
The music was provided by musicians that moved around the edge of the stage. In fact, we were warned about the music on the way in - seemed it would be very loud, and earplugs were available. Sure enough, it was at about rock concert volume.. and started incredibly intense and dark. So I was hooked from the start. Towards the end of the first half, it seemed as though the society that was being depicted was evolving - we got some classical music, a bit less fighting. Still there though, and still dead people, being dragged around the stage.
The second half had more music and dance, fewer dead people. Again, still around though, being dragged along the side. Humour was sometimes in evidence, as when the crowd on stage, raving to a rhythmic drum beat, all stopped dead to listen to the classical music! A minimalist set consisted of large, vertical panels, that could be moved around the stage to block our view of dancers or musicians.. at the end, they form a room of three sides, into which the dancers are pinned - until the very last moments, when the far wall opens to let them out into..
Well, a few of us stayed for the Q+A afterwards, moving down to the stalls just because we could. (A first for me, in this venue!) The choreographer, being interviewed on stage, revealed himself to have a fantastic sense of humour, and it was a fun half hour. He explained to us how the panels on stage were inspired by the walls in his native Israel, and how the moving wall at the end represents hope - a chink in the barrier. He composes much of the music used in his works, and he emphasised how he likes his work to represent the zeitgeist. The interviewer pointed out how the people in the second act seem oblivious to the death happening around them, just losing themselves in the moment - and Hofesh explained that the reason that he makes the music so loud is to immerse the audience in the moment, too. Oh, and one canny observer noticed that he used the theme music from the film Swiss Army Man, where someone forms a friendship with a corpse. Sure enough, he let us in on the fact that this film was the inspiration for all the manipulation of dead bodies in the show!
Terrific, intense stuff - runs until Saturday, highly recommended. So glad I stuck with my decision to go to this. Afterwards, my regular bus stop was closed, so Google Maps directed me to another, where the #73 was supposed to stop. Imagine my consternation when I discovered that the #73 wasn't listed there! Imagine my disbelief when it stopped there anyway, and I caught it to within walking distance of home.. I swear, you just can't believe TFL these days. I've given up complaining to them, they just say they're working on it, and to check the website for accurate information.
Tomorrow, 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! I believe it's completely sold out now. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
On Monday, 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. Finally advertised by their Meetup group, jeez!
On Tuesday, 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 recently.
Next Wednesday was 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! How and ever, London Literary Walks are off on The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood Walk that night. And since that's on even closer to me - and I feel bad about missing the last two - well, I couldn't refuse, now could I?
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, I was 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! But then TunedIn advertised flamenco at Sands Films.. irresistible really. So I've booked that instead. 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.
On the 10th October, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Ballet Boyz at Sadler's Wells.
On the 11th October, back with Funzing for a talk on Revolution in Iran: Girl with a Gun. This will be an interview with a female Kurdish revolutionary.. on the Battersea Barge, which I believe can get choppy. Never mind. This is one I got for free, for completing a loyalty card with three talks.
On the 12th October, Let's Do This are back to St. Martin-in-the-Fields, where London Concertante is performing Bach Violin Concertos. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
And on the 16th October, back at Southwark Playhouse with Up in the Cheap Seats - this time, it's for A Day By the Sea.
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