I headed out a bit early - after tales of the delish salted caramel hot chocolate I got in Hotel Chocolat yesterday, my mother wants some: and there's a branch not far from there. I just managed to jump on the back of a #55 - now, this is a Routemaster, so you can enter by any of three doors, and I ended up at the rear, and since it was crowded, that's where I stayed. So I got a good view of fare-dodgers; there were a few, it's easy enough on a bus as crowded as this was. And there was a guy who sat on the rear steps, waving at a cyclist coming along behind us! Finally, by sign language and lipreading, they agreed that he'd get off at the next stop, and the guy got off his bike, and they walked along together. Obviously a chance meeting of friends - good timing there.
Once I got off, it was a short walk to Hotel Chocolat, where I browsed - found two kinds of hot chocolate, but not the one I wanted. I was just about to leave when she came over with a tray of their "flavour of the month" (champagne truffle, and Lordy I had loads of them yesterday). So I thanked her, took one, and left - to the sound of her murmuring to her colleague, "Thought so!" Ah well, tough.
The Theatre Cafe was another short walk - no sign of the guy I know when I walked in, but I was early. So I queued, and ordered a hot chocolate and a slice of chocolate fudge cake. The cake that had been on display seemed to have expired, because they opened another for me - and by the time that was done, and the hot chocolate was ready, all those people in the queue in front of me had occupied all the tables. So I needs must eat my cake standing by the ticket desk - they sell theatre tickets here too, you know! Great atmosphere, actually, with showtunes playing in the background, and walls lined with theatre posters. Pity I can't say the same for the seating space - or the food; the hot chocolate was ok, except there was so much cream on top that I spent a very long time just gobbling that up: and the fudge cake.. wasn't fudgy. It was a completely different one to the one they'd had out previously, and I do wonder whether it was the right flavour at all - not very tasty anyway. If I'm here again, I think I'll just have a cold drink!
After the cake, and just as I was getting to the bottom of the cream on top of the hot chocolate, I got talking to a lady who turned out to be one of the takers of yer man's spare tickets! She was of the opinion that he was never late - I was able to tell her that he has been known to be. We grabbed the "Reserved" table by the door - as she said, if they came, we could move. As the minutes passed, we tried to get in contact with him, to no avail - finally, 10 minutes before showtime, he panted in the door! Turned out that his train had been stuck for half an hour, for which conflicting reasons were given - otherwise he'd have been early. Well, London can be a nightmare that way..
I'd just finished my drink - leaving a sludge of mini-marshmallows in the bottom - so we left, making our way along the line of theatres to the one we wanted. They were a level below me, would you believe, with their cheapy tickets.. anyway, I was in the front row of the Upper Circle, threadbare carpet leading up to it, and the view was just fine - not as much trouble descending the stairs to it as I had in the Theatre Royal Haymarket, last week! Again, I was on the aisle, so plenty of room, both for my legs and whatever else I had. Whatever they call the level above me, I don't think it was occupied.
I'm continually amazed by the ingenuity of the Showstopper! team. As I remarked, what a party trick - to be able to sing, on demand, a song about anything, in any specified musical style. Not to mention, for this show, putting it all together in some sort of coherent story! The chap with the spare tickets tonight has been to several of these, and has some interesting stories to tell - me, I've only been once before.
I more or less remembered the format - the mc takes suggestions for a setting from the crowd, writes down about six, then the audience gets to vote on them, by cheering. Tonight's winner.. a botox clinic! When asked to choose a title, someone in the front stalls piped up "Frozen"! Ah well now, you couldn't beat that - no argument, that person got a souvenir mug. Then we had to suggest famous musicals in the style of which the show was to be performed - a varied set indeed, of which the mc picked four - and I have to say, my favourite of the styles was "Hamilton".. just a shame it's almost impossible to get tickets for.
The performances are excellent, but as I say, their main talent lies in the ability to come up with lyrics on the spot - as the guy with the spare tickets pointed out, likely the tunes stay much the same from night to night. The mc sits over the side, hurling orders for style changes. Costumes are cobbled together as appropriate, props can be used for - whatever.
As we came to the interval, we were asked to tweet ideas for the second half, for an opening number, and for plot twists. And so to a rather spectacular Upper Circle bar! Much nicer, I believe, than the Dress Circle one, downstairs:
The man with the tickets was kind enough to pop up and keep me company, for a while. And in the second half, we got Phantom of the Opera (unilaterally agreed to be the best bit), Swan Lake, Disneyland, and Tom Cruise, in a near-perpetual state of jogging. Oh, and a great running gag about a cryogenic machine that immediately freezes anyone passing through it.. Always recommended, check this show out.
Tomorrow, I'm back with North London Friends for A Passage to India, at the Park. Last time I was with them, someone asked me whether I was coming to this, and I said no.. it's hard to keep track, though!
On Wednesday, Up in the Cheap Seats is headed to Picnic at Hanging Rock (organised by the guy I met tonight) - nice and close, in the Barbican. I remember this as quite a disturbing film - will be interested to see the stage version.
On Thursday, Up in the Cheap Seats again, for Beats on Pointe. Unfortunately, this is in the Peacock, rather than the closer Sadler's Wells. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.
Next Monday, I'm off to see Jake Bugg at the Palladium (yes, another that used to be walking distance..) Honestly, I'd never heard of him, but he sounded ok on YouTube.
On the 27th, an opera in Sanskrit..! without subtitles. Satyagraha is at the Coliseum, and is about Gandhi. So I should figure it out. Gosh, it's ages since I've been there..
On the 28th, Summer and Smoke (Tennessee Williams) at the Almeida. Does include actual cigarette smoke, and a gunshot. North London Friends are going, but charging extra, so I'm going solo. Performance sold out now..
On the 1st, back with Up in the Cheap Seats at the Bridge Theatre, for what I hear is a stunning performance of Julius Caesar. You get the choice of being part of the crowd - I'm not. Modern setting.
On the 2nd, back with North London Friends, at Hampstead Theatre, for Acceptance.
On the 3rd, Up in the Cheap Seats, and Beginning, at the Ambassadors Theatre. For once, not an official ticket for this - got better value with What's on Stage!
On the 4th, I found another Southwark tour - excellent! The "Family Friendly Liberty of the Clink" tour is run by Walking in London.. therefore Funzing.. and Londonist is involved somewhere too. Hard to keep track of everyone involved in walks.
On the 5th, London European Club is headed to Monologue Slam, an actors' showcase at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East.
On the 6th, Up in the Cheap Seats is at Sadler's Wells for a performance by Ballet British Colombia.
On the 7th, Let's Do This is off to a jazz evening at Two Temple Place. Beautiful venue - should be a lovely evening.
On the 8th, Walking Victorian London is running a walk around Il Quartiere - Tales from Italian Clerkenwell. Excellent - I've had my eye on that for a while. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
And on the 12th, London Dramatic Arts is at Caroline, or Change, at Hampstead Theatre. As usual, too expensive for me, and I got my own ticket, at about half the price. She's only down as going with one unnamed guest - maybe she won't go at all!
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