It was handy that it started so late - meant I could go to the late meeting at work. And it's just as well I was there, considering how tired my boss was - he was barely sentient for much of it. Working 16-hour days will do that for you. Anyway, I headed off straight afterwards - was too late to take the bus all that way, but the Tube took me straight there. I picked up a paper on the way, since I wouldn't be meeting anyone - and at this late hour, I had no trouble getting a seat. Bloody stuffy, though - I was glad of the strong breeze blowing through Clapham Common Station. Of all the exits, I amazingly picked the right one - and had a 10-minute walk to the pub above which this play was happening. I charged along once I'd extricated myself from the gaggle of Clapham Common dog walkers..
Nice area, I'd forgotten. Anyway, I arrived at the pub with five minutes to spare, to see them drawing the rope across the entrance to the stairs up to the theatre. The guy at the bar explained that they weren't open yet, checked my name off a list, and served me a drink - in plastic, so I could take it up. He needn't have bothered - technical issues meant a severe delay, and we weren't let in until nearly 25 minutes after start time. Just as well I had the paper. And I did get my drink finished, which saved me the trouble of carrying it.
A lovely, plush stair carpet took us to the upstairs room, where we wended our way around all the equipment. No wonder they had technical issues, there's so much to go wrong.. and it wasn't finished yet, with them needing to replace one of the mic cables. The writer (who took part in the show) assured us that this had gone right loads of times before. Mind you, this was the opening night - maybe the audience jinxed it.
The story is vaguely outlined in the blurb for the show. It doesn't get much less vague in person. The free programmes they provide on the seats are just cast lists. But hey, it's only an hour long anyway.. Now, I'm all in favour of supporting up-and-coming artists, and good luck to them. It's a tough business. However - and by the groans of the guy in front of me, who seemed to have been dragged there by his girlfriend, he agreed with me - that doesn't excuse inflicting an hour of narcissistic, introspective claptrap on us. The whole thing is about how he felt, going away to university and leaving his girlfriend behind. So we get people talking to the rather superfluous camera at the side, and being projected on a rear screen. We get voiceovers from the guy himself, as well as an actor portraying him on stage. To be fair, there are some good ideas in there - but on a stage this small, it's just pretentious. On the plus side, the acting is good. Runs till Saturday - avoid, if you have any taste.
On the way to the bus stop, I admired the view of cranes:
Blasted stop was closed, of course, without warning on Google Maps - so I needs must continue to the next, where I caught the 87, which was always my bus into town when I lived here. I see the passengers are as noisy as ever. Stopped by the office on the way back, where I discovered that my overworked boss had passed some stuff on to me. So by the time I'd worked on that, it was too late to blog, really.
Tonight - sorry, London Literary Walks, you didn't advertise early enough! Instead, I'm off with North London Friends for Things of Dry Hours, at the Young Vic. At least they're not dragging me off to parts Northerly, for once! Actually, someone in the group was looking for a ticket, so I could have sold him mine - thought about it, but didn't. It sounds interesting. Hope I don't regret my decision.
Tomorrow, I'm headed to Soho Theatre for The One. Then back to Ireland for the weekend, again.
On Monday, I'm going with UITCS to the Arcola, for Elephant Steps.
On Tuesday, the £3.60 club is providing me with a ticket to see Aprile Millo perform at Cadogan Hall. Gotta say, terrific value for something whose official prices start at £35!
And next Wednesday, again, off with UITCS to the Camden Fringe. We're seeing Secondhand Stories and Whimsy, two short plays at The Lion and Unicorn. I would have been missing an evening with London Literary Walks that day, but he then moved it. And scheduled something else in its place, nuts!
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