Tonight, 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 - and damnit if they didn't arrange a meeting tonight! The House of Nine Lives was at the British Library, and had Nell Phoenix, Tim Ralphs, and TUUP talking about pussycats. Irresistible. Just got word the other night that my ticket for the play was sold on, and I duly got a refund (less Paypal fees) - good stuff.
I have a ton of stuff to do - as usual. So I left a little later than intended. I could take two buses - one came early and I just missed it, and the other was delayed. Afraid I'd be late, I gave up and headed for the Tube. Oh dear Lord, it was like an evacuation at Old Street Station.. constant announcements explained to the sea of people that entry was being restricted because of overcrowding on the platforms. Well, but we were shuffling slowly forwards.. and happily, I got to the platform at the same time as a train, and even managed to squeeze onto it! It was only two stops, and squeezing off again was harder..
I was delighted with how quickly we got to King's Cross - I'd never have managed that speed on the bus, in rush hour traffic. Love walking around here - we had the usual crazy preacher, this one jiggling his way along, clad in multiple, rattling, silver chains, yelling about the dangers of alcohol. Mind you, I had several roads to cross - but the traffic gods were with me, and I mostly got green crossing signals. At the library, I was glad I knew where I was going - after a cursory bag check, I had to think, but vaguely remembered I'd have to go upstairs. Sure enough, up there was a sign for Crick Crack (at last!), and an usher at the door who checked my ticket and reassured me that I still had.. I finished the sentence for her. "No time at all!" As I passed through the door, I passed Martin Shaw - again! What, is he now taking a second job as a doorman?
The place was about half full - I took a seat at the back of the crowd, sweat pouring down me from the fast walk. I didn't have long to wait - Ben Haggerty was MC again, and as he introduced the others, the audience broke into - miaouwing. Yes, we had a lively crowd tonight. Tim Ralphs indulged them, encouraging them to express themselves in true feline manner.
They took turns, over the next 90 minutes, and I'd be hard pressed to pick a favourite. Nell started off - and did a fantastic turn of depicting the personalities of different animals; she has a genius for that, from the cowardly bear to the timid hare. Her opening tale was a variation on Puss in Boots. TUUP, as usual, gently banged and rattled things in the background - he's keen on music. It was a delight when he stood at the mic, thumbing an mbira, and they finally remembered to turn the lights down! And he had great fun, getting us to sing along in his tale of the woman that wanted to take the tiger's whisker.
His tales, as ever, were African - the best story of the night, I thought, was his tale of the cat and dog that lived next door to each other. One day, the humans were not at home, and the dog snuck over to the cat's house, and wiggled his way in to where the cat was relaxing with her kittens. So he started barking and snarling. Whereupon the cat sat up on her haunches, and barked and snarled right back at him! Well, he slunk right back home and into his bed, whimpering. Back at the cat's house, she turned to the kittens and said, "You see now, children, the importance of speaking a second language!"
Nell, however, had the last word, with a fantastic story from Egyptian mythology - the story of the lioness goddess, Sekhmet, from whom sprang Hathor, a gentler, life-giving deity. With TUUP providing gentle percussion in the background throughout, this was a truly mesmerising performance. And I feel so lucky to have been to two storytelling events in such a short space of time!
As someone near me remarked, they finished the piped music a bit abruptly on the way out. I caught the bus back. Mind you, it was diverted, but I wasn't in much of a hurry.
I have a ton of stuff to do - as usual. So I left a little later than intended. I could take two buses - one came early and I just missed it, and the other was delayed. Afraid I'd be late, I gave up and headed for the Tube. Oh dear Lord, it was like an evacuation at Old Street Station.. constant announcements explained to the sea of people that entry was being restricted because of overcrowding on the platforms. Well, but we were shuffling slowly forwards.. and happily, I got to the platform at the same time as a train, and even managed to squeeze onto it! It was only two stops, and squeezing off again was harder..
I was delighted with how quickly we got to King's Cross - I'd never have managed that speed on the bus, in rush hour traffic. Love walking around here - we had the usual crazy preacher, this one jiggling his way along, clad in multiple, rattling, silver chains, yelling about the dangers of alcohol. Mind you, I had several roads to cross - but the traffic gods were with me, and I mostly got green crossing signals. At the library, I was glad I knew where I was going - after a cursory bag check, I had to think, but vaguely remembered I'd have to go upstairs. Sure enough, up there was a sign for Crick Crack (at last!), and an usher at the door who checked my ticket and reassured me that I still had.. I finished the sentence for her. "No time at all!" As I passed through the door, I passed Martin Shaw - again! What, is he now taking a second job as a doorman?
The place was about half full - I took a seat at the back of the crowd, sweat pouring down me from the fast walk. I didn't have long to wait - Ben Haggerty was MC again, and as he introduced the others, the audience broke into - miaouwing. Yes, we had a lively crowd tonight. Tim Ralphs indulged them, encouraging them to express themselves in true feline manner.
They took turns, over the next 90 minutes, and I'd be hard pressed to pick a favourite. Nell started off - and did a fantastic turn of depicting the personalities of different animals; she has a genius for that, from the cowardly bear to the timid hare. Her opening tale was a variation on Puss in Boots. TUUP, as usual, gently banged and rattled things in the background - he's keen on music. It was a delight when he stood at the mic, thumbing an mbira, and they finally remembered to turn the lights down! And he had great fun, getting us to sing along in his tale of the woman that wanted to take the tiger's whisker.
His tales, as ever, were African - the best story of the night, I thought, was his tale of the cat and dog that lived next door to each other. One day, the humans were not at home, and the dog snuck over to the cat's house, and wiggled his way in to where the cat was relaxing with her kittens. So he started barking and snarling. Whereupon the cat sat up on her haunches, and barked and snarled right back at him! Well, he slunk right back home and into his bed, whimpering. Back at the cat's house, she turned to the kittens and said, "You see now, children, the importance of speaking a second language!"
Nell, however, had the last word, with a fantastic story from Egyptian mythology - the story of the lioness goddess, Sekhmet, from whom sprang Hathor, a gentler, life-giving deity. With TUUP providing gentle percussion in the background throughout, this was a truly mesmerising performance. And I feel so lucky to have been to two storytelling events in such a short space of time!
As someone near me remarked, they finished the piped music a bit abruptly on the way out. I caught the bus back. Mind you, it was diverted, but I wasn't in much of a hurry.
Tomorrow is our office Christmas party, but Let's Do This has advertised a Christmas dinner- which sounds a more attractive prospect. So I'm doing that instead. Places filled up quickly with regulars. The boss has asked me to drop by if we finish early, and it's not far away, so I'll try to do that.
On Thursday, I'm thrilled to be going to Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, at Sadler's Wells, with Up in the Cheap Seats. He's a fantastic choreographer, but I've never before gotten around to seeing this all-male version. Sold out now for that day, I believe. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
And on Monday, 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. He's doing it again on the 10th of February, at the British Museum. Meeting Helen for a meal beforehand.
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