Never mind, I made it in due course. And was first there! Early enough that the staff were getting their pre-show briefing. So I grabbed a drink - insipid house white, not recommended - and hung out until the others arrived. And there we stayed until the bell went for the performance. Visits to Sadler's Wells always involve a lot of climbing, I find - and this time, I was second row from the back, as it turned out. And had to step over a lot of people to get in. Ah well, decent view all the same:
Yes, that is an eye, which watches as you enter, and also makes an appearance during the first piece, Fantastic Beings. Visually arresting, this is formed of large dance groups, with interesting visual elements. Such as what look like apes, crawling on all fours across the stage at intervals and eventually taking over. I also appreciated the silvery glitter that descends from the ceiling at the end. Unfortunately, I struggled to put any meaning on the piece, and being tired anyway, I actually fell asleep - briefly - during this one.
An interval followed, where most got ice creams, but I didn't - didn't honestly feel like anything. The pieces improved for me after that - the next, Approximate Sonata, features neon-bright costumes, and a series of pas de deux. In the absence of a story, I find I can focus better on a smaller number of dancers, and I really enjoyed the interplay between each pair.
Another interval, and we were into The Cage - not to everyone's taste, this, with its depiction of some kind of predatory insect. Sort of a balletic nightmare. I loved it. And the night finishes, after a pause that confused some, who, I think, though it was finished already - with Playlist: as I discovered from the free flyer that some seemed to have got from some unknown source. This last piece just has the dancers moving in time to more contemporary music - to predictably thunderous applause at the end. Honestly, I liked it too, but really.. all this for the music? Anyway, runs until the 21st. Booking recommended, given how busy it was tonight.
Afterwards, an unusual development - we (well, half of us) went for drinks afterwards! I'm so unused to that, these days. The Shakespeare's Head is right around the back, and a nice, unassuming place, where Henning was good enough to buy us each a drink, and we rounded off the night with a lovely chat. Ah, I don't get enough of that these days, the slow getting-to-know people kind of hanging out that Up in the Cheap Seats just doesn't do.. and I was still back in time to catch the Co-op before it closed!
Tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again. On Monday, tragically, a Crick Crack event that I found out about too late.. Red Bead Woman, with Martin Shaw at Soho Theatre, is sold out. Never mind, he's not one of my favourites anyway. Instead, back with the Funzing talk groups, London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night (until they cancel!), for The Story of Accent and Identity.
On Tuesday, (nominally) going with London Science Events for a talk on Gravitational Waves and Beyond, at the Royal Institution. They've given no Meetup details, so I'm not anticipating a social evening.
On Wednesday, Funzing again, for The Strangest Feeling: Déjà Vu, at Gabeto, in Camden Market. Presented by Anthony Peake, whom I spent a long time researching to make sure he's not a sceptic, as I have extensive personal experience of precognitive experiences.
Next Thursday, back with a proper Meetup group, in the form of London Literary Walks - he's only doing them fortnightly now, it seems. Well, he's covered half of London at this rate! This one is called Guitar Bands Are on the Way Out, Mr. Epstein.
On the 20th, I got the very last ticket to The Phlebotomist, downstairs at Hampstead Theatre. I'm going with Up in the Cheap Seats - North London Friends are seeing it in preview, but it was already sold out for that night.
On the 21st, I'm back with London Discovery Walks for yet another ghost tour - this one is called Ghosts of the Old City - just like my last Funzing walk!
On the 22nd, back with Up in the Cheap Seats, for a film music gala at the Albert Hall.
On the 23rd, a Funzing talk - An Introduction to the Dark Net. At Sink.. For which I earned a loyalty discount, on account of all I booked recently!
On the 24th and 25th, back again with Up in the Cheap Seats: the 24th is for An Ideal Husband - part of the Oscar Wilde Season, at the Vaudeville. Stars father and son, Edward and Freddie Fox. And Susan Hampshire. The 25th is for Mood Music, at the Old Vic, with Ben Chaplin.
On the 26th, the LEC is attending a lecture at the LSE, on Euroscepticism and the Future of European Integration. Then I'm back to the highly non-Eurosceptic Ireland again, for the weekend.
On the 30th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats, for A Gym Thing - got a fright when I saw that, but no, it's a play - in the Pleasaunce.
On the 1st, I am back with North London Friends - to the Theatre Royal, Stratford East for Our Country's Good.
On the 2nd, Up in the Cheap Seats is off to The Writer, at the Almeida.
And on the 3rd, London Literary Walks is doing - ahem - Stalin's Doss House. Meeting at Starbucks, naturally!
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