Oh, what a manic day! I was in an evening meeting that my boss couldn't make, having too much on - he'd instructed me to say that what needed to be done, we couldn't do until Thursday. That didn't go down too well.. I think they've forgotten how few of us are left in the documentation team! Three people to do the work of eight - nope, doesn't compute. Anyway, I managed to feed myself before I left - at the expense of finishing the doc I'd said I'd finish. Heard a huge bang - which was thunder! We had a long-anticipated thunderstorm - thunder, lightning, torrential rain.. quite refreshing on the short walk to the Tube!
Yes, the Tube - the Royal Court was once convenient to me, but no longer, and it'd have taken over an hour by bus. I really didn't have the time. So, I got a seat on the Northern Line, but not on the Circle.. but then, the Circle Line, named recently as the coolest of Tube lines, does have the most delicious aircon! A blast of heat every time the doors opened - but it was lovely when they closed again. It also has among the highest carriages, so the air can circulate better.
Anyway, the rain had stopped by the time I emerged again - an usher was directing early arrivals down the alleyway, but I was headed to the box office and then to meet the others in the downstairs bar. Handily, they didn't ask for id at the box office - and yay, my cheapie ticket got me Row C in the stalls! Normal price £32. As I remarked when I met the others, the deals where the seat number is only revealed on the night tend to be worth a punt - you can get a fantastic bargain!
Not sure what the floral theme in the bar is about.. but we chatted there before going in. However, you'd do well to go in early, what with the brass band playing on stage. And yes, that ice cream stall to the side of the stage actually sells ice creams before the show! And the tombola to the right of the stage, you can apparently buy tickets for - although I didn't see them on sale. Prizes were goody bags - she told us what was in them, but I wasn't really listening. The draw took place as the show was about to start.
Tuesday's play was described as an absurdist farce. No, this is the one that fits that description! Actually, the one thing we could all agree on was that it is absurd. Utterly. Let me say in advance - I adored it, as did one other of us - the rest pretty much loathed it, and apparently some audience members left during the show, which doesn't have an interval. What the hey, the people around me seemed to like it. And comedy is, as they say, subjective.
Meet a young man, waking enthusiastically to what he describes as "a glorious day"! He's happy not to have anything to do - he's unemployed, you see. So he moseys off down to the square to watch the world go by. Which they obligingly do. He chances to meet a young woman, and they are swiftly married - they bond after her father is killed by a freak bolt of lightning. In most plays, this would be a major event. Here, you can't possibly call it a spoiler - what happens to them for the rest of the play makes it pale into absolute insignificance. Indeed, by the time it was brought up again, I'd completely forgotten it'd happened.
If you wanted to, you could liken the plot to a reflection on the state of the nation, so to speak. For example, there are a couple of fun political impersonations. (Guess who..) However, I found it better not to worry about the overall plot. Because the overall plot is bonkers. On a scene-by-scene basis, I loved it - I thought the comic instinct was perfect, and I like weird. Plus, you have absolutely no idea, from scene to scene, what's going to happen next. The only predictable thing is, when anyone dies (as someone is obliged to do in most scenes), they play the funeral march. So it's that that'll ring through your head afterwards.
In general, we thought the acting was excellent. Someone afterwards likened some of the comedy to some of Spike Milligan's stuff - me, I'm not so familiar with his work; what I associated the style with more was Monty Python. One scene, different in pace from the rest, kind of reminded me of that bit in the Life of Brian where he's picked up by an alien spacecraft.. yeah, think that level of weird. You'll be close. Runs till the 11th - recommended for those with a sense of humour and a taste for the surreal. But not if you're bothered by flashing lights, smoke, or explosions.
A drink in the bar afterwards, and a bus or two back to the other side of town. On Saturday, back with that group again, but different people, for the very last performance of Spun, at the Arcola. Second in a row involving terrorism - this one is about the London bombings. Beforehand, we're headed for dinner at the Stone Cave, a Turkish place - and afterwards, to the Aqua 7 wine bar.
On Sunday, I booked with Walking in London, and Katie of Look Up London! Delighted she has a new walk - Smithfield & Clerkenwell: Guts & Glory. It's actually cheaper on her own site than on Funzing - unless you're getting one of those common 10% discounts! However, just today she messaged to say she's had to cancel, unfortunately, due to family commitments. So it looks as though that film list will come in handy! Top for Sunday is Kaiser: The Greatest Footballer Never to Play Football. Based on the true story of a Brazilian footballer who, through faking injury and frequently changing clubs, managed to live the footballer lifestyle without ever playing a match..! I wouldn't normally go for a football film, but the trailer looks really good.. it's on in my local Vue. Woucher actually has a voucher for Vue - five tickets for £20 - but they have a time limit, and I can't guarantee using them by then, so I won't bother.
On Monday, I'm taking myself to the Proms, at the Albert Hall, for the first time in ages. This one is An Alpine Symphony.
On Tuesday, I'm finally back with North London Friends, for Give My Regards to Broadway, Upstairs at the Gatehouse. Completely sold out now, I believe.
On Wednesday - London Literary Walks is taking a break! That was the day I was originally looking at films for - but what was coming top was Teefa in Trouble. A Bollywood film - fine: except when I watched the trailer, the jokes weren't quite as funny to me as I think they were to the makers, and there was a bit too much exaggerated action - think slo-mo, and people balancing motorbikes on their fingertips. And 2.5 hours of all that was, I thought, a bit much - so no thanks. Which left Sanju again. Not so much.. so I then thought about heading, with UITCS, to Julie, again at the National. Huh! Only tickets left were £50, when I checked! I then checked again.. they had two tickets for £26! Gone again now. Anyway, I've booked for a Heroism & Villainy Walking Tour (with Real Magic!), via Walking in London.
On Thursday, I was also booked with them - for The Summer Ghost Walk. I've been with this guide before - found him very good. And then.. Ryanair announced another bloody strike!! Yes, for the next day. Yes, when I was to go to Ireland for the weekend. So now I'm flying on Thursday, instead - happily, it was Funzing, so I'll get a refund. And they've even refunded me the credits that I used to book it! And I retain the record of bookings that'll earn me more credits. And at least I found out earlier this time, so booked an alternative flight earlier, so it was a bit cheaper.
On the 6th, Anthony's Cultural Events and Walking Activities Group is off to Westferry Circus again, for The Importance of Being Earnest. I RSVPed for that.. but then London Dramatic Arts announced that they were off to see One for Sorrow, at the Royal Court again. They cleverly left the announcement until the theatre had sold out for that day - I guess there's an offer. So they were the only place I could get a ticket, and I did. Better than sitting on the grass, in the heat.
On the 7th, UITCS is off to When Midnight Strikes, Upstairs at the Gatehouse.
On the 8th, London Literary Walks is back with Brook Green - another area near where I used to live! Actually, the first medical practice that I registered with, in London. Nice nurse - one very narky doctor.
On the 9th, UITCS is back to the Camden Fringe, with How to Be a Londoner in an Hour, at the Hen & Chickens Theatre. Then I'm down to Helen's for the weekend, for a party..
And on the 13th, back with Anthony's Cultural Events and Walking Activities Group, back to Westferry Circus.. this time it's for A Woman of No Importance.
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