Tonight, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for Pinter at the Pinter - Pinter plays at the Pinter Theatre. Two long ones on this occasion - this was Programme Four: Moonlight & Night School.
I left straight after my last meeting - and didn't have to wait too long for a bus, this time. Anyway, this time was less of a rush - I was just meeting the group to start with, so a few minutes more or less didn't matter too much. Wouldn't you know it - the card readers weren't working again! (Was it the same bus?) Neither was the stop indicator - to the fury of a man with a foreign accent, who got off too early, hopped back on and gave the driver hell. Ah, the joys of being able to check where you are on your phone. Not that not paying made a difference - I was changing buses anyway, and paid on the second one. Which came almost straight away - appreciated on such a cold, wet night: and I'd forgotten my gloves, too.
Our poor organiser was stood under a small overhang, sheltering from the rain. She had a good, waterproof jacket on, at least - and in due course, others came along and chatted briefly. Really though, it was miserable, and we all eventually left her to greet any latecomers. I think most of the group were in the Stalls - I was Royal Circle, myself. A "restricted view" meant a slim safety rail in view, and I had to keep shifting position because of the people in front of me. However, the Royal Circle was half empty, and I could have taken a more central seat if I wanted. I think the Balcony, one level up, was closed entirely.
We started with Moonlight - a sombre piece, apparently three separate scenarios in play, with characters who may or may not have been connected. And afterwards, not a single one of us could properly figure out what it was about: although when I started to make connections, I was much happier with it. Still, it wasn't until I looked it up online afterwards that I realised that the girl in the red coat was the daughter - v obscure. Basically, a man lies dying, and none of his children have come to visit - the play is an examination of the ruins of a family. But it could be clearer. I had a bout of coughing at the start of this, but it was just on the right side of acceptable, and I felt much better than when it happened before - being in the half-empty Royal Circle, rather than in a full front row!
We congregated in the crowded lobby to agree on how confused we were, then headed back in for Night School - happily, the Royal Circle is just the next level up. This was much more successful - still with unusual staging, it made more sense than the first, as the story of a criminal, in and out of prison, who returns to his - comical - aunts' house to discover they've rented out his room! to a very pretty young schoolteacher. Who goes to night school three nights a week. Or - does she? Very witty, I think the best line in it has to be when he's trying to compliment her, saying "You have Northern eyes - they're full of soot". Still, the mood tenses beautifully when it needs to, and the whole has a musical backdrop provided by a lady on the drums. Very, very watchable. This programme runs till the 8th.
I left straight after my last meeting - and didn't have to wait too long for a bus, this time. Anyway, this time was less of a rush - I was just meeting the group to start with, so a few minutes more or less didn't matter too much. Wouldn't you know it - the card readers weren't working again! (Was it the same bus?) Neither was the stop indicator - to the fury of a man with a foreign accent, who got off too early, hopped back on and gave the driver hell. Ah, the joys of being able to check where you are on your phone. Not that not paying made a difference - I was changing buses anyway, and paid on the second one. Which came almost straight away - appreciated on such a cold, wet night: and I'd forgotten my gloves, too.
Our poor organiser was stood under a small overhang, sheltering from the rain. She had a good, waterproof jacket on, at least - and in due course, others came along and chatted briefly. Really though, it was miserable, and we all eventually left her to greet any latecomers. I think most of the group were in the Stalls - I was Royal Circle, myself. A "restricted view" meant a slim safety rail in view, and I had to keep shifting position because of the people in front of me. However, the Royal Circle was half empty, and I could have taken a more central seat if I wanted. I think the Balcony, one level up, was closed entirely.
We started with Moonlight - a sombre piece, apparently three separate scenarios in play, with characters who may or may not have been connected. And afterwards, not a single one of us could properly figure out what it was about: although when I started to make connections, I was much happier with it. Still, it wasn't until I looked it up online afterwards that I realised that the girl in the red coat was the daughter - v obscure. Basically, a man lies dying, and none of his children have come to visit - the play is an examination of the ruins of a family. But it could be clearer. I had a bout of coughing at the start of this, but it was just on the right side of acceptable, and I felt much better than when it happened before - being in the half-empty Royal Circle, rather than in a full front row!
We congregated in the crowded lobby to agree on how confused we were, then headed back in for Night School - happily, the Royal Circle is just the next level up. This was much more successful - still with unusual staging, it made more sense than the first, as the story of a criminal, in and out of prison, who returns to his - comical - aunts' house to discover they've rented out his room! to a very pretty young schoolteacher. Who goes to night school three nights a week. Or - does she? Very witty, I think the best line in it has to be when he's trying to compliment her, saying "You have Northern eyes - they're full of soot". Still, the mood tenses beautifully when it needs to, and the whole has a musical backdrop provided by a lady on the drums. Very, very watchable. This programme runs till the 8th.
Tomorrow, back at last with The London Jazz Meetup, who are off to the London Jazz Festival for a concert by the Faraj Suleiman Quartet at King's Place. UK premiere, apparently!
On Thursday, with UITCS at the Garrick for Don Quixote. The only cheap tickets left for this were terrible, so I went a bit upmarket. A bit - I'm still behind a pillar!
On Friday, I'm on a Paranormal Activity Tour - ooh! Now, for this one, we get ghost-hunting equipment, which could make it interesting - I don't fancy the dowsing rods, myself, but we'll see. Walking in London, again. Therefore Funzing, so discounted by 20%, again, with the code Funzing_Fb20. And this was after my loyalty discount - so I got it at better than half price! which is good, considering the price.
On Saturday, I'm off on my own to see A Small Place, at the Gate.
On Sunday, back at last to Winter Wonderland! That evening, I'm off to Cirque Berserk - an annual tradition for me. The latest show is the cheapest, so that's the one I booked.
On Monday, I'm back with UITCS for Programme Three of Pinter at the Pinter - Landscape / A Kind of Alaska / Monologue.
Next Tuesday, I'm going to see Company, by Sondheim, at the Gielgud. No tickets available for the upper levels on the official site - they must all have been bought up by resellers! Cheapest I found was with OfficialLondonTheatre, run by See Tickets.
On the 28th, I'm with Walking in London again for the Haunted London Pub Tour.
On the 29th, I'm back with UITCS at the National for Hadestown. Then back to Ireland again for the weekend.
On the 3rd, I'm back to the National for I'm Not Running.
On the 5th, LDN Talks @ Night and London Speaks Sessions (both Funzing) advertised a "Winterville" talk on The Science of Santa, where we get the scientific explanation of how he does it. Taking place at The Windmill. However, seems they meant the day before, when of course I'm busy. So instead I'm going to True West, with Kit Harington, at the Vaudeville. Cheapest tickets from the venue.
On the 6th, Hazel of Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts, London Guided Walks (and, indeed, Walking in London) has a Christmas Carol Tour. Now, the last two events I booked with her turned out to be no-shows.. the first might not have been her fault, as she was advertising someone else's event, but the second, she just missed the ball on and left three of us standing on a street corner. Whether this event happens is anyone's guess! Now, it's technically more expensive if you book on Funzing - but if you have my discount ;-) it comes down to the same price she charges on her own site, without the booking fee! So I did it that way. But then Henning, with the London European Club, advertised a Happy Xmaths evening at Imperial College, the same night! Festive fun for maths geeks. Plus it's free - you just have to register with Eventbrite. I thought it'd be great to get back with this group. And since I booked the walk with Funzing, I've cancelled and will get a full refund. And I feel no sadness at missing an evening with Hazel, after what's been happening. But gee, this evening is proving to be one of the more popular- now a colleague has booked it for his leaving do. So I'm now going to that instead. Nibbles arranged at The Enterprise.
On the 7th, back with UITCS at the Royal Court, for The Cane. Got the very last ticket, phew!
On the 8th, with them again at the Orange Tree Theatre for The Double Dealer.
On the 9th, the Crick Crack Club is back at the British Museum for I Know Not, a full afternoon of Sufi legend.
On the 10th, I'm off to the Bridge Theatre for A Very, Very, Very Dark Matter, by Martin McDonagh. Starring Jim Broadbent, this is a dark take on Hans Christian Anderson!
On the 11th, I was going with North London Friends to The Convert, at the Young Vic. Discounted top-price seats, it seems! And then, the Crick Crack Club sent around an advertising email today - and damnit if they haven't arranged a meeting that night! The House of Nine Lives is at the British Library, and has Nell Phoenix, Tim Ralphs, and TUUP talking about pussycats. Irresistible. However, I don't get my money back for the play unless they sell on the ticket - hopefully they can.
The 12th is our office Christmas party, but Let's Do This has now advertised a Christmas dinner- which sounds a more attractive prospect. So I'm doing that instead.
On the 13th, I'm thrilled to be going to Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, at Sadler's Wells, with UITCS. He's a fantastic choreographer, but I've never before gotten around to seeing this all-male version. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
And on the 17th, the Crick Crack Club is performing Gilgamesh, at Soho Theatre. With Ben Haggerty in the spotlight, this will be a treat! Sold out, of course - you have to book these things early. Might be meeting Helen for a meal beforehand.
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