It was press night.. and packed! I queued for my ticket, directed someone I knew to the rest of the group, ran to the loo, queued for a drink, and was just in time to go in. Reassured someone else that yes, you can bring drinks in, and yes, in glass. As she remarked, very civilised! We were in the Large - for the first time I can remember, it was in the round; some of us had the front row, and had to tuck in our feet as the actors passed.. some were in the back.
A cleverly minimalist set represents church, office, garden. A raised platform shows us where to direct our attention, the floor decorated in something like stained glass, and centred on an Eye of Eye of Providence. Decorative railings round the edge are reminiscent of those around old Catholic altars. A chandelier and a couple of stained glass windows hanging from the ceiling complete the effect.
The story should be familiar to anyone who has seen the excellent film, Doubt, starring Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Viola Davis, and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. Set a few years after Vatican II, which dragged the Catholic church kicking and screaming into the 20th century, the story examines the clash between old and new in the church, when a disapproving old nun, principal of a Catholic school, starts to be suspicious of a trendy young priest, and sets a young nun to spy on him. What is revealed sets a dramatic chain of events in motion - but has justice really been done?
This is a fantastic production. The intensity of the four characters - priest, old and young nuns, and the mother of the boy caught up in the drama - is riveting. It's a splendid piece of casting, and in this one-act play, the audience frequently burst into spontaneous applause after particularly stirring scenes. The doubt shown by the old nun at the end will stay with audiences long after. True what they say - it's hard to find a bad performance here! Runs till the end of the month - go see!
Afterwards, the lobby was still crowded - they were holding interviews by the door. After a while, when we saw spare seats, a couple of us grabbed them, and a good night was spent discussing the play, and all manner of other stuff..
Yesterday, Helen and I had our 25km sponsored walk, in aid of Haslemere's Cat Protection Society. We went as Dick Whittington and his cat, respectively, and the route was the Thames Bridges Trek. You can still donate here.. Got a pair of Skechers Go Walk 4s last week, and was dying to try them out on the walk. I could register early on Friday, which I did, to avoid getting up quite so early in the morning. Between travelling to and from, the whole thing took me two and a half hours.. but it was worth it, as I was to discover.
Yesterday dawned beautifully sunny, despite dire predictions of rain. The plan had been to take the bus, but of course I overslept and ended up on the Tube. And when I got there - boy, was that a long queue! Which I blithely walked past. Poor Helen, who hadn't had the chance to register early, was stuck in it.. As she said, the suggested arrival time of an hour before the start really wasn't enough! I believe this year saw a record number of entrants.
Me, I grabbed a free biscuit and a free cup of squash, and was waylaid by the Cats Protection people, who cajoled me into an interview for camera. After that, we barely had time to grab our free, blue trilbies before we were off!
The cameraman was there at the start line, and indeed kept popping up along the route all day. As it happened, Cats Protection had quite a few walkers, and we had one other accompany us through the morning. Distance markers encouraged us on our way, and it was fun seeing places I'd lived near, before. Pictures here.
We began to flag a bit by the lunch break, but when it finally came, the portaloos, free snacks and drinks, and free blister plasters were much appreciated. Some others required medical care - we were finding out that this would be harder than it looked. Anyway, we dragged ourselves out again.. And throughout the afternoon, beautiful views and surreal sky scapes greeted us, as we crossed fully 16 bridges, travelling 25km. And we even met a couple of kitty cats on the way..
We finally hobbled across the finish line, to receive medals, free t-shirts and a glass of prosecco. And a cold buffet. Best of all was the chance to sit down.. but we made it! Not everyone did. 20km seems to be my comfort limit, I can now say.. that's where I hit the wall. I was seriously decrepit, heading for the bus.
I then had a load of things to research for my flight to Prague this 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.
Anyway, I got up unreasonably early. Packed, made for the Tube. I was a bit delayed in leaving, mind, when I checked, just in case, and discovered that bloody Easyjet still operate the outdated policy that Ryanair dropped years ago, of making you pack your handbag in your other luggage! So I had to check it fitted, which delayed me a bit.
Got to Victoria, to discover that unlike the Stansted Express, the Gatwick Express only goes every half hour. So that was me screwed then, even though I'd already checked in. Hate Gatwick. My only chance was if the flight was delayed? In which case they'd cut me some slack. Sadly, the gate closed while I was still on the train.
Our nonstop train stopped at Croydon, and our half hour journey took 35 mins. It then turned out that we were in the wrong terminal, so I had further to go. In all, the journey from Victoria took 50 mins. Now, I'd checked on the train, and the next flight is at 6.25pm. Should have taken that in the first place - it's not like I'd have been in time for anything today anyway. Well, tickets had been cheaper - but by the time I got to where I should be, the price had risen enough that it was cheaper to get Easyjet to switch my flight. So I queued for 25 mins at Customer Service - it's busy there. And now I'm booked.
Too early now to go through security, the best breakfast option seemed to be a meal deal from WH Smith. Very tasty it was. Pity I didn't get a seat - they're scarce here. Did eventually, and have been fiddling with very iffy WiFi to do the blog. Am now positioned between the weighing scales, which provided some entertainment earlier, with a wedding party who discovered they were overweight, and - up to just now - a highly irritating, fidgeting Italian, whom I was on the verge of throttling. Got an interesting phone call earlier - seems the hotel sent someone to the airport in Prague to pick me up! Well, I've booked the transfer for tonight - I'm sure work will pay.
So, I fly back on Tuesday, and on Wednesday I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats, at Sadler's Wells, for the Hofesh Schechter Company grand finale.
On Thursday, 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. Finally advertised by their Meetup group, jeez!
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 last week.
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.
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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