Ryanair prides itself on its punctuality - although their website still trumpets this, I guess they figured they didn't have to try so hard to maintain their position at the top. They're probably right, actually - airlines are appalling. Today, I heard from someone at work whose daughter visited him last week from Edinburgh, flying Ryanair - she was delayed by two hours on the outbound flight, and one hour on the return leg. On Monday, I figured I'd have plenty of time to charge my phone while I was waiting for my flight, which would probably be delayed. I was right. The 9.20pm flight's estimated departure time increased by half an hour every half hour - an ever-receding horizon:
It finally took off at 10 past midnight - as a fellow passenger predicted in the airport, "just under the three-hour delay": this being when passenger rights kick in. So, the flight to Stansted takes 1 hour and 10, and we landed at 1:20am.
We didn't get off straight away though - oh no. First, we had to find somewhere appropriate to park. Then there wasn't anyone, at that hour, to wheel out a set of steps, so we all had to disembark at the front - which was a drag, as I was at the back of the plane. (The cabin crew, rather than bidding us farewell as we exited, all hid in the cockpit, which was wise of them. Doubtless they're getting used to this.) The worst of all though was when we finally arrived in the baggage hall, where there's normally a 10-minute delay for our bags. On Monday, that turned into a 45-minute delay. Beware, this seems to be a problem at Stansted at the moment - the pilot was complaining about a lack of baggage handlers on Friday, too.
Now, as we didn't get to the baggage hall until 1:45am, that meant we were stuck there until 2:30am. I had visions of sleeping there, I really did. I've since complained, but have got no response. When my bag finally arrived, I made my way downstairs to queue for the 2:55am bus - different to the timetable, I might add. Now, they're really missing a trick here - they could easily have filled up a second bus. No, the 2:55am service filled up - and there wasn't another until 4:10am.
I'd already bought my ticket, or I wouldn't have bothered waiting - I wouldn't again. The bus didn't arrive much before departure time, and it was so cold.. at least the bus was comfy, when it finally came, and I did manage to snatch some sleep. By the time we were disgorged at Liverpool Street it was after 5, and full daylight, and mercifully a bus happened right along to take me within walking distance of my (current) home. Mind you, I was so zonked that I barely registered that that was my bus - I was just lucky that someone else at the stop wanted the same one, and got it to stop. I didn't get to bed until gone 6.
Point is, I was rather tired at work yesterday. I had been thinking about a film for yesterday evening - the film list was the main reason for the delay in blogging, as usual. But what came up didn't appeal much - not Bollywood for once, but The Trout, a documentary about the preparation for a classical concert. It was free, and being in the Southbank Centre, was of course followed by a performance of Schubert's Trout Quintet. Nothing on Meetup either, typically. However, another check of the website of my £3.60 club revealed a whole new range of offers, since I last checked.. so now, instead, I bought a ticket for the TriOperas at the Peacock. More expensive than normal for them, at £5.40 it still represented a terrific saving on the cheapest official ticket price of £15. Very cloak-and-dagger collection process though - I had to get my ticket, between 6 and 7pm, from the Pret across the road, from someone with a pink clipboard! Oh, and as usual, say the club name in a whisper..
That all went fine, actually - I spied him on the way in, and checked he was the right person when I approached. As he said, it'd be unusual if anyone else there had a pink clipboard! and in a flash I had a ticket in the rear stalls. I made my way straight over to the theatre, and down to the bar, where I beat the crush to get a glass of wine, taking one of the few remaining seats beside a group of middle-aged Americans who were avidly discussing their ancestry, loud enough for me to eavesdrop. Avidly. Sadly, they left after a bit, and those who took their seats were much more softly spoken.
So, when the house opened, in I went - I had a seat in pretty much the last row, but very central:
Legroom was a bit snug when getting up or down, my knees catching on the seat in front, but was otherwise ok. Now, this is one of the Peacock's mish-mash performances of different art forms, and this show features three separate operas - hence the name. They each get their own, separate segment, with intervals between.
The first is Turandot - and to be honest, I nearly left after it, I was so disappointed. I stayed out of curiosity about how they'd handle the other two. They have surtitles - but from the entire rear stalls, these are illegible, as they're not in the centre, but on screens to the sides, almost completely obscured, from the rear stalls, by lighting fixtures suspended from the balcony. They sing in English anyway.. and the singing is technically good, although not up to proper operatic standard. But oh, the awful arrangement, which sees Nessun Dorma butchered by the addition of a lazy, jazz-style backing track, never mind the words being replaced by English lyrics that bear no resemblance to the original. Terrible. Why, oh why.. predictably, tired as I was, I kept nodding off during this one.
I'm happy to say that the others are much more successful. Next up is Madame Butterfly - although most of the staging of this is more reminiscent of a production of Miss Saigon. It works, I think, and the arial performers are most impressive.
The evening ends with a rousing rendition of Carmen, featuring a bullfight with a most acrobatic bull, bearing a strong resemblance to a Chinese dragon! The songs work best in this segment, and I defy anyone to leave without whistling, singing, or humming the tunes. But that's Carmen for you. The little girl in the row in front of me certainly thought so - she was going mental, bouncing up and down on her seat at the end. I hope she stays a fan of Carmen for life.
So, overall a very successful evening. Runs until the 1st of July, and is a great night out!
En route to the bus stop, passed a Co-Op - very handy for buying supper. And I had a much earlier night - a meeting this morning prevented me from staying up late enough to do the blog. Thankfully!
Tonight, more opera - the London European Club (LEC) advertised the Pop-Up Opera's performance of a Mozart Double Bill, in St. Mary's Islington. Just like last year, it was part of the Soul in the City festival - and it was free! Tickets necessary, and available from Eventbrite - which sold out, predictably, although they did email to note that non-ticketed admissions would be possible. Sadly, London Literary Walks moved this week's walk to today.. well, too bad, I just couldn't bring myself to miss Pop-Up Opera. It's another of the signs of summer! And it's hilarious, and it'd give my leg some more time to heal.
I spent much of the day doing the film list again - and finished it just before I was due to leave (shorter one, this time!). So I was somewhat distracted, and did leave a bit later than intended - my co-worker needing to ask me about something didn't help. So I fairly galloped out of there, and up the road - my chest, I must say, behaved impeccably, although my leg had a tendency to want to cramp. I didn't have much choice - I'd blithely left my Oyster card at home!
Well, I made it, damnit - although I spent most of the journey puffing like a steam train, with the unaccustomed exercise, to the concern of passers-by; don't forget I've been sick for months, and couldn't push it! I was rounding the back of the building just as the church bell struck 7:30 - coming up St. Mary's Path, it occurred to me that I was in the full throes of breathlessness the last time I came up there. Much better now. Sure enough, they hadn't started yet, and sure enough, there were plenty of empty seats. They just waved me in without needing to see my ticket.
I had no idea where the group were sitting, and couldn't see anyone I recognised, so I just grabbed the best seat I could. Before the performance - while I was getting my breath back - someone from the opera company came on to make a short speech. She explained how their van was broken into last night, and most of their props and equipment stolen! What a dreadful shame.. the only visible signs tonight, though, were that there was only one screen for surtitles, and she warned us that some props had been replaced by cardboard (that'd be the giant syringe, then).
Otherwise, the performances were impeccable as ever, accompanied by hilarious surtitles - which I could see tonight! Two one-act comedies by Mozart, the first, Der Schauspieldirektor, concerning a battle between two prima donnas, the second, Bastien und Bastienne - written when he was just 12! - a lovers' tiff. The simple plot of the second perhaps betrays it as being the work of a child, but the music is incredible. This show tours the South of England until the 29th of July - highly recommended, as ever.
This was the first of this year's Soul in the City festival, which runs through the weekend - and generously, they provided (small) glasses of wine for free at the interval. Just as well mine was small, mind, given that I was drinking it on an empty stomach. I never did find the group - I schlepped up front at the interval, but they were all off slugging wine, and it looked fairly packed, with all the bags that had been left, so I couldn't have moved there. Afterwards, I wended my way home - downhill this time! My poor leg appreciated that - and the slower pace. And this time, the supermarket on the way home was a Sainsbury's - gee, it's been ages.
Tomorrow, London Speaks Sessions and LDN Talks @ Night (therefore Funzing) have an interesting-sounding talk about Black Tudors: Three Untold Stories. Seeing as how I missed a Funzing talk a while back, because I couldn't find the venue, and they offered to book me on another for free.. albeit it was weeks ago.. I emailed to see whether the offer still stands. And they got back to me - after the weekend - to say that of course it does! Nice one. A hop, skip and jump from the office, too.
On Friday, back with the LEC for yet more music! The London Jazz Meetup also has an event on that night, but the LEC's sounds better on YouTube - part of the Songlines Encounters Festival at King's Place, and they're doing the double bill for the evening, which scores a 20% discount. (30% off if you book for three events in the festival, but I'm unlikely to do that.)
And on Saturday, that film list kicks in - would you believe it, with none of the films at the very top of the list showing over the weekend, A Quiet Place - which has held a high rating for ages now - finally came to the top! Awesome - I've been dying to see it. Stars Emily Blunt and her real-life husband, John Krasinski, who also directs - they're trying to keep their family safe in a dystopian future where something is stalking them that hunts by sound. Supposed to be terrifically suspenseful - the best kind. And it's showing near me, in the Vue Islington! which means it'll be the fourth day in a row that I can walk. Need the exercise. The only showing that day is very late - but what the hey, it's Saturday! I booked it, as it's cheaper on the website - and it certainly is the least I've paid in years for a cinema ticket.
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